[bacrew1]

MartynSinclair…. Sorry my post amazes you…

Firstly why should the situation be confrontational?? You are merely asking the person infront if he/she could put his seat forward… As you correctly point out I will intervene if I see a situation is overheating (and have done so many times in my 13 year flying career)… Thankyou for acknowledging we do a wonderful job.. it really is appreciated.

I am paid for passenger and aircraft safety…certain aspects of comfort are totally beyond my control… for example I can’t assist if the flight is full and you have a fat passenger next to you, I can’t help if the passenger infront refuses to put his seat forward (I can indeed ask, but I cant force them), I can’t help them flimsey design of the club seat or the bad pitch of the WT seat….

Going back to my original post I just wish passengers would sometimes speak up for themselves regarding asking the person infront to put their seat forward…

At the end of the day I am not sititng in that seat.. if I was, and I was uncomfortable I would quite simply ask the person to move it myself…without disturbing the crew… surely they need to keep the service going of serving food/drinks?

If pushing a shopping trolley around Waitrose and the aisle was blocked by other trolleys, would you get a shop employee to ask people to move (for good customer service).. or would you politely say “excuse me”?? “Surely, you didn’t think you were just pushing a trolley along the aisle!”

I know the real answer to that statement, but unfortunately that’s how the majority of the general public see cabin crew as now.

[NTarrant]

Sadly in these times a polite request to put the seat forward whilst one is eating can be met with an agressive response. Passengers see the crew as being someone in authority that will make their journey more comfortable. Not in the same vein as a police officer merely to ease any possibility of creating an uncomfortable atmosphere.

So when you say please ask a member of the crew if they can help you to make your journey more comfortable (or words to that effect), asking the person in front is not part of making a customers journey more comfortable? I agree with Martyn that you guys and girls do a great job in looking after us, but don’t spoil it.

[MartynSinclair]

I havent read all your previous posts BAcrew1 but i presume you are long haul 747 crew, who has the kind of attitude that makes pax cringe. I know many crew both flight deck and cabin crew and they generally fall into one of 2 categories. The first being those who love their job, provide excellent customer service and go that extra mile to ensure pax comfort and security and tend to acknoledge the fact that they are paid to provide a service. Then there are those crew that seem to forget what they are paid to do.

And for the record, I would draw the trolleys blocking the aisle to an employee at Waitrose – although if you shop in M & S this tend not to happen.

[bacrew1]

“i presume you are long haul 747 crew, who has the kind of attitude that makes pax cringe”

OUCH!? that’s quite harsh.. and infact downright unfair.. That’s the response I get from voicing a personal opinion wishing for passengers to speak up for themselves with regards to the seat infront of them being reclined?. Have I judged you at any point, saying what kind of passenger I think you may be, from your posts?? I don’t think so

[SimonRowberry]

Tut, tut, chaps (or chap and chapesse, as the case may be).

Martyn – I hope bacrew 1 doesn’t read the passenger manifest too closely if you both happen to be on the same flight at any point in the future……..!

One of the advantages of the anonymity that you and I choose to forego, Martyn, is that if you’re anonymous, what you say is far less likely to come back to haunt you….

(I loved the M&S line, by the way)

S

[MartynSinclair]

Simon

I have plenty of confidence in BA that the cabin crew whom i meet in First and Club provide an extremely high level of service. Its interesting to note that i was spot with where BAcrew1 works. I hope he does see my name on the pax maniifest, i would be more than happy to fly with him/her and discuss the situation. Anonymity never scares me, hence the use of my real name.

I accept BAcrew1’s comments about attacking a “personal opinion” HOWEVER – it was not a personal opinion made. BAcrew1 quite openly explained how he/she would act in a certain situation and that showed the kind of attitude he/she has towards the job.

BA have service standards, my advice is that they shoul dbe kept and not self interpreted!

Martyn

[SimonRowberry]

Martyn,

Good man. I agree. However, we should also bear in mind that BA crew are angels of mercy compared to those of some other airlines that are discussed here!!

I also agree about the anonymity argument you make. It’s a pity that some of the more shall we say “contentious” posters on here haven’t got the courage of their beliefs (or even courage per se) to use their real names.

Regards,

Simon

[Potakas]

I can’t realize why this argument happens. The crew is there for two reasons.

Fist for the safety of the passengers

and secondly to serve them, make their flight pleasant and help passengers with disabilities and things like that.

i can’t see the reason why the crew should ask from a passenger to come forward, that’s the way he want to be, and as the seat can recline he can do it.

It’s unfair to ask that thing, you actually ask someone to seat uncomfortable and maybe you will wake him up in order you to be confortable. If someone smoke a cigarette in the plane or do something ilegal, then yes you can complain to the crew.

[LuganoPirate]

I’ve been thinking about this post recently and the various comments.

There are many large people who are not necessarily “fat”. For example sportsmen such as Rugby players, wrestlers, or even Sumo Wrestlers! Some Rugby players top 20 stone, but I bet few would dare to call them fat.

It does seem that in today’s world we are less tolerant of others and less respectful of others feelings. Which is better, a large person next to you, or a girl with long hair in front of you who puts her seat back on take-off and then fluffs her hair up, leaving it hanging over the seat and the “dust” to be polite – in your lap?

As for children in the premium cabins. Why not. But they should be respectful of others. My kids, 6 and 10, travel business longhaul with me (and it comes from my own pocket) and they are perfectly well behaved.

Tolerance, respect and courtesy is required of each one of us in this crowded world!!!

[luckyone]

I totally agree with Lugano considering I pay for all my airfares in Biz and First Class with my nephews and niece. They are taught to be well behaved and to know that being able to fly on any class (especially on the 380s or upper decks for Biz is indeed a treat and not taken for granted.

[SimonRowberry]

Lugano, Luckyone, I agree with what you say about children.

Simon

[LuganoPirate]

Thanks Simon. Luckyone, you put into words what I was thinking but did not express. It’s very important for children to realise it’s a treat and a privilege, and not to be taken for granted.

Regrettably, the only other option is I sit in the back with them!!!

[SimonRowberry]

Lugano – how true! At last someone has admitted that really we only take them up there in our own self-interest!!

It is a privilege though, as you rightly say. Perhaps parents should realise that it’s in their own self-interest to keep their kids under control and that, for the kids, it’s also in their own self-interest to be well-behaved!!

As far as whether children are differently behaved depending upon nationality, as suggested by some, I’m not sure. Culture will always play some role in behaviour, but so do genetics and, above all, upbringing. All nationalities have “good” and “bad” parents, and “goodness” and “badness” is not always along the same behavioural dimensions (i.e. they may be “good” in some areas and “bad” in others).

My personal jury is still out on that question!

Regards to all and I hope none of you have problems with the latest ash dispersal,

Simon

[Potakas]

Lugano you are right and i would like to mention that because the money came from your own pocket, you understand what is the proper behavior.

[AnnChan]

Sitting here this morning in the Virgin Clubhouse, I have just witnessed a kindly, professorish-looking american gentleman click his fingers at the staff and demand that he gets a glass of wine within the next minute – i kid you not!

I pity the poor cabin crew who have him for the next few hours!

It’s at times like this that I marvel at the world of flying – this behaviour would not be tolerated in a restaurant, so why here?

I feel it is because that flying anything other than economy instills a mind set that encourages our (british) sense of class and enhances our feelings of self-importance, especially after a few glasses of Chardonnay.

Branson was right to consider the naming of his services – upper, middle and lower class – it’s the elephant in the room as far as I am concerned.

I have a 1 and 3 yr old – the 3 yr old truly appreciates the marvel of flying, and whilst she is a tinker at home, is in awe of cabin crew and i have impressed on her their importance if we have any ‘accidents’.

Seems my american colleage could benefit from her wisdom!

Wow – heaviest post i have made to date. Must be a joke here somewhere, but damned if i can find it!

[Author]

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