Do you like titles (eg Mr / Mrs / Miss / Dr / etc)?

[Quickstatus]

As an aside do you Drs out there find that if people find out you are a "Dr" the prices quoted to you get jacked up?

 

[anat0l]

As an aside do you Drs out there find that if people find out you are a "Dr" the prices quoted to you get jacked up?

I've heard of this before. Where did it come from?

 

[JohnM]

Booked a flight on the snazzy new BA app this morning. Staggering array of titles to choose from
View attachment 28675

As only the British know how to do . But soon you may not have to worry about those dastardly south-of-the-border types and their strange and pompous ways PF :!::mrgreen:.

 

[rickylee]

Can be a necessary evil.When flying I always go with drron.If there is a medical emergency it is easier if the crew know there is a medical dr on board.I would also not refuse to help.Though if it were a mid air child birth I would ask the crew to find out if a nurse was available-they would do a better job than I.
Friends and social occasions I am just plain Ron though I was christened Ronald.
At work I do appreciate those that do pay respect even though I don't require it.I really have a soft spot for those 80+ year old women who dress up in their sunday best complete with lipstick often not confined to the lips.I admit I do go the extra yards for them.

Some airlines are told that they can call for volunteers but they cannot actually approach a passenger for medical assistance simply because they are titled "Doctor". In common law jurisdictions, including Australia, it can blur the line between volunteering (thus have legal protection from negligence) and being volunteered (thus having questionable legal protection).

 

[flying_duck]

It drives me up the wall to be called Miss. I'm MRS FIFOsuit. I waited 10 years to use my husbands name, and now they call me Miss as though he doesn't exist. I don't know where it comes from - maybe they're trying to be polite (as I am and look younger). I don't mind how I'm addressed (first name, first and last, nickname, OI YOU (used by SYD intl security once) etc) but just don't get the Miss/MRS part wrong, especially not when it's clear on every booking and boarding pass I have.

 

[QF WP]

Only in a formal setting, or boarding a plane for example. At work, first names are used. Once I've met my FA, I tell them to call me by my name too. Once I called QF and they asked if they should refer to me as Dr blackcat. I always tell them to use my preferred first name (I hate my actual first name).

I'm not a fan of my first christian name either, but have my parents to thank (names me after my initial godfather, who died before I was 2). I never thought of going my my second christian name

Same, all my emails from QF are using my preferred name but I always have to tell the staff to call me it as they will use my first given name.

The things I didn't know about you Princess (then again, I've never seen your passport, so wouldn't have expected to know)

I definitely expect to be called 'Mr [surname]' when its a first time service type encounter and they know my name (eg: Telco/hotel/airline service on phone, across the counter at shop/service desk once IDed, CSM greeting on plane, etc). Thereafter I usually say "Please call me [first name]"

If some youngster presumes to call me [first name] straight off, they get short shrift and little custom from me; on the other hand, any youngster who shows courtesy and respect gets repeat business from me, if practicable.

My routine exactly - as I generally only know the FA's christian name (usually the only name on their onboard name tags), it seems fair to level the field.

I get called "{my daughters/sons name} dad" by their school and kindy mates, so I am cool about that or the time being. In time that might change to "Mr" when they are teenagers, I'll take it in my stride.

 

[Pushka]

I feel sorry for customer service people with the Miss/Mrs thing. I don't know these people, they don't know me so if they get it "wrong" it just doesn't bother me in the least. As long as they are polite then it's all good.

 

[anat0l]

I get called "{my daughters/sons name} dad" by their school and kindy mates, so I am cool about that or the time being. In time that might change to "Mr" when they are teenagers, I'll take it in my stride.

When I went into the Dental School for the odd procedure undertaken either by my sister or one of her colleagues, I was referred to as "<sister>'s brother", as in "You must be <sister>'s brother" or "Hi <sister>'s brother!"

Naturally, any other time they were doing a procedure in front of the demonstrators, either Mr <surname> was used or I was referred to as "the patient".

 

[anat0l]

I feel sorry for customer service people with the Miss/Mrs thing. I don't know these people, they don't know me so if they get it "wrong" it just doesn't bother me in the least. As long as they are polite then it's all good.

I thought that is what "Ms" (pronounced like "Miss" except with a final 'zzzzz' sound rather than hissing sound, rhymes with "fizz") was designated for.

I can understand that females may still be offended to be referred to by "Ms", but I thought it would be better (at least as a male) to make that mistake than to make the mistake of getting a female's marital status incorrect.

 

[QF WP]

Not sure what you mean by the "rude service" bit...

IIRC -sama is reserved for those deserving greater respect, much more than -san (which is more or less common, but expected honorific).

-san essentially replaces the salutation but also is an honoring acknowledgement from the speaker. There are other endings which are used in casual or condescending speech (e.g. when someone of higher social rank is talking about or at someone of lower social rank). In some cases, -san is not used in favour of a person's position (most commonly teachers, e.g. "Tanaka-sensei" = (Mr/Ms) Tanaka, the teacher).

You would never use -san to refer to yourself.

If I was welcomed as a customer on a flight or other service interaction as Wingspan-san I'd think they assumed my Japanese wasn't proficient enough to understand. Wingspan-sama is the appropriate way to refer to me in a service context.

So long as neither of you are addressed by -chan, in the service context

 

[flying_duck]

I thought that is what "Ms" (pronounced like "Miss" except with a final 'zzzzz' sound rather than hissing sound, rhymes with "fizz") was designated for.

I can understand that females may still be offended to be referred to by "Ms", but I thought it would be better (at least as a male) to make that mistake than to make the mistake of getting a female's marital status incorrect.

Mzzz is fine, it's generic. {firstname} is fine too. Call me whatever you like (or not refer to me by name at all if you wish) but don't get it wrong. There are plenty of options that will be less likely to cause offence. If you're not sure, as a CSR, use something generic. {firstname} {lastname} is hard to get wrong/offensive IMO as most people are used to being called by their legally given name, especially when your legally given name is important (ie for security, you generally travel on your legally given name).

 

[harvyk]

It drives me up the wall to be called Miss. I'm MRS FIFOsuit. I waited 10 years to use my husbands name, and now they call me Miss as though he doesn't exist. I don't know where it comes from - maybe they're trying to be polite (as I am and look younger). I don't mind how I'm addressed (first name, first and last, nickname, OI YOU (used by SYD intl security once) etc) but just don't get the Miss/MRS part wrong, especially not when it's clear on every booking and boarding pass I have.

Mrs Harvyk was the same, she couldn't wait to change it to Mrs harvyk, and I don't think she'd be too impressed to be called Miss or Ms... It wasn't even something we discussed, it was something she decided and of course I had no problems with it.

 

[Pushka]

I thought that is what "Ms" (pronounced like "Miss" except with a final 'zzzzz' sound rather than hissing sound, rhymes with "fizz") was designated for.

I can understand that females may still be offended to be referred to by "Ms", but I thought it would be better (at least as a male) to make that mistake than to make the mistake of getting a female's marital status incorrect.

Mrs Harvyk was the same, she couldn't wait to change it to Mrs harvyk, and I don't think she'd be too impressed to be called Miss or Ms....

See, that's why I feel sorry for people in customer service.

 

[BVT]

Ask and ye shall receive Hummel.

Become a Lord, Laird or Lady | Buy a Plot of Land in Scotland

My Dad bought it for me on my 21st birthday so I am, in fact, Lord Bismarck. Hmm.....maybe I should tell QF?

Back in the day, I am told, on BA, if you were in Debretts or Burkes Peerage you used to get a one class complimentary upgrade simply for having been "lucky" in choosing your parents!

 

[BVT]

Having gone through an education where I needed to wear a boater to school, surname only is all that is needed. (I note this option is not available on the poll)

Having gone to a similar establishment, no boater but hat - surname only is reserved for very close friends - of all genders.

 

[BVT]

Booked a flight on the snazzy new BA app this morning. Staggering array of titles to choose from
View attachment 28675

I once booked a BA flight for my SO as "Deaconess". Not impressed was an understatement!

 

[anat0l]

Having gone to a similar establishment, no boater but hat - surname only is reserved for very close friends - of all genders.

I seem to note that most of my friends who went to all-boys schools were addressed at school (and addressed each other) by surname only. Roll calls were in surname only. Not sure how the female teachers at all-boys schools handle this - maybe they just go along with it.

I remember playing in a chess match against an all-boys school. I was trying to address another player from the opposing team and used his first name. Another player then achieved the same thing much more efficiently by calling out his surname. Even though I was advised, "He prefers it if you call him <surname>," I couldn't get used to it and still called him, "Mr <surname>".

I once booked a BA flight for my SO as "Deaconess". Not impressed was an understatement!

You were just trying to convince her she was holier than thou?

 

[harvyk]

I seem to note that most of my friends who went to all-boys schools were addressed at school (and addressed each other) by surname only. Roll calls were in surname only. Not sure how the female teachers at all-boys schools handle this - maybe they just go along with it.

I remember playing in a chess match against an all-boys school. I was trying to address another player from the opposing team and used his first name. Another player then achieved the same thing much more efficiently by calling out his surname. Even though I was advised, "He prefers it if you call him <surname>," I couldn't get used to it and still called him, "Mr <surname>".

I can think of only one friend that everyone calls by his last name, I think it was because he has a very common first name (which I also share). In fact I didn't realise it was his last name for quite some time, I always thought it was a nickname.
I used to get called by my last name in scouts by my closest friends there, but by my first name by those I didn't know so well / the leaders, again there was 5 of us which shared the same first name, although it wasn't quite my last name as such it was more a nickname.

 

[rickylee]

Maybe I am old fashioned or just ancient, but I always prefer to be addressed as "Dr Lee" or "Mr Lee" (I am not one of those self-gratifying ego-preserving wankers that insist on correcting people who failed to recognise that I spent years without social life to complete doctorates) by people I do not know. I have no problems being called by my first name with people I actually know.

So I was a little uncomfortable when the QF call centre people addressed me as "Ricky" ...

 

[anat0l]

...I always prefer to be addressed as "Dr Lee" or "Mr Lee"...

That tends to backfire in certain social circles when a call for "Mr Lee" results in at least half a dozen people turning their heads

(said by another person with Chinese heritage, albeit with a distinctly non-Chinese surname)