Lounge etiquette and it's non existence from airlines most frequent flyers....

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munitalP

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You wouldn't do it at home, so why is it deemed acceptable to do it in an airline lounge - or perhaps I'm wrong in this assumption, and a lot of people are pigs at home as well...

I am always astounded with the pushing and shoving in around the food servers, the barrista service and the bars in the lounges in Australia. Overseas in lounges, in my experience people are more refined and dignified, however in Occa-land its fine to elbow your way through those waiting, no thought of a simple "excuse me" when trying to reach something (usually over someones shoulder), do the inside pass and grab the knife and fork out from under you just as you are reaching down to get it, grab a juice, drink it at the dispenser, then put your glass back against the lever to get a refill - a pet hate of mine (I dont want your mouth germs on the rim of my glass!)

Just this morning, while standing awaiting my Chai Tea, a suit elbowed into me to tell the Barrista his toast was stuck in the machine and about to catch fire. A useless MF in anyones mind as he wanted someone else to use the tongs to dig it out!

OK, why does this happen?
 
1. The toast burnt because he put it through twice, or some DH had adjusted the heat right up.
2. He pushed through because he has no breeding
3. Maybe he was just an arrogant W%$%ker
 
He pushed in because it's a safety issue. Still doesn't explain why the useless a-hole couldn't use the tongs and solve the problem he created.
 
Right up there with the guy that hovered around the hot food trays with his young child and then loaded up 3 plates with every single party pie (yep it was back a bit) from the freshly arrived tray whilst I stood gobsmacked and watched, then had to go back to my 2 young children and explain that they'd missed out. The w&&ker was really setting a great example for his young kids, why any group of 4 people needs 30+ party pies is beyond me, I feel bad taking more than 2 per person.

edit: I was relatively new to lounge membership at the time, he wouldn't get away with the same thing without a serious word in his ear now.
 
If this type of behaviour does not happen in overseas lounges, then perhaps we need to look at the differences between lounge geographies. Perhaps the best solution is to drop status-based access and return to a paid membership as the only basis for lounge access. That might keep the riff-raff out :cool:
 
I'm not sure that it is an issue confined to the Qantas clubs. Queueing is not a strong point in some parts of Australia (and Melbourne, IME, is particularly bad (OTOH, Melbourne folk are generally very good at keeping left on escalators))

All self service food places really need some sort of supervision. Use the tongs people!!

I agree - generally people overseas are better at manners, using the correct utensils etc. I guess it's a cultural thing.
 
If this type of behaviour does not happen in overseas lounges, then perhaps we need to look at the differences between lounge geographies. Perhaps the best solution is to drop status-based access and return to a paid membership as the only basis for lounge access. That might keep the riff-raff out :cool:

As a paid member (QP Life) whose status is likely to fall over the next year or so, I can only heartily agree:!:
 
I realise this is mainly a food and beverage discussion now, but my all time favourite was the American lady who sat on the middle of the lounge and Skyped her partner back in the states, without headphones or a microphone, no attempt to be quiet. The whole lounge heard her conversation and some even saw it.

Luckily for us all, the Internet issues would stop her in her tracks now.
 
Should add that I get frustrated with people who stand there aimlessly blocking access to the food/bev. This morning for example, I wanted a sugar to put into my cup before getting a coffee. Guy standing there waiting to use the coffee machine. Not a big issue just a general lack of situational awareness and realisation that he was in the way. The toaster is another example here people load in their bread, then stand there waiting and blocks others from doing the same.

I guess this gets to the lack of courtesy issue.
 
You wouldn't do it at home, so why is it deemed acceptable to do it in an airline lounge - or perhaps I'm wrong in this assumption, and a lot of people are pigs at home as well...

I am always astounded with the pushing and shoving in around the food servers, the barrista service and the bars in the lounges in Australia. Overseas in lounges, in my experience people are more refined and dignified, however in Occa-land its fine to elbow your way through those waiting, no thought of a simple "excuse me" when trying to reach something (usually over someones shoulder), do the inside pass and grab the knife and fork out from under you just as you are reaching down to get it, grab a juice, drink it at the dispenser, then put your glass back against the lever to get a refill - a pet hate of mine (I dont want your mouth germs on the rim of my glass!)

Just this morning, while standing awaiting my Chai Tea, a suit elbowed into me to tell the Barrista his toast was stuck in the machine and about to catch fire. A useless MF in anyones mind as he wanted someone else to use the tongs to dig it out!

OK, why does this happen?

The Chai Tea was the problem ;)

He obviously thought it wasn't a legitimate order and hence barged past you ;)

j/k
 
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All comes down to people think they are better than everyone else because they are wearing a suit.
Working in a major business area of Sydney, the lack of manners from those in suits has gotten to the stage where you expect it from anyone in a suit.:shock:
 
I'm not sure that it is an issue confined to the Qantas clubs. Queueing is not a strong point in some parts of Australia (and Melbourne, IME, is particularly bad (OTOH, Melbourne folk are generally very good at keeping left on escalators))

Agreed - I've had the misfortune of being in some very long queues, and some people just don't give a toss about anyone but themselves (besuited or not). On topic, several of those were at QF checkin when systems failed; far more annoying than waiting for food at the QP.

More often than not, I find people in QPs to be reasonably courteous. Of course, there are always those who earn the 'W' in 'WP' (regardless of their actual status), but I find them to be the exception rather than the rule.

Naturally the overcrowding issue gives rise to the other etiquette issues - when the lounges are designed around two- to four- seats around a table, solo travellers either hoard seats they don't need or don't have many options to sit alone (especially now that the tables have been converted to 'islands'). But again, for the most part this sorts itself out, until the lounge gets too crowded for even that to make a difference.
 
My pet hate in lounges: people who, even when the lounge is very busy, think their carryons are so important that they need a seat all to themselves. Surprisingly common IME...
 
Yep i am in the lounge's every week and i don't wear a suit to work... i wear a polo because that is acceptable in my job. i get pushed in front of by a suit or the guy in the reflective uniform. wait 2 seconds i have been lining up for the toaster and yes i have lined up for barista coffee. I feel in life general etiquette standards are falling. I don't want to hear when i am in the lounge that the guy 5 seats over has just got a big sale and here comes his bonus or the guy who is belittling one of the junior staff to another member of there business. I was once in the QP and heard a guy saying how he had sacked a staff member and was laughing about it at the same time. I DON'T CARE.... I don't care what you earn versing what i earn treat everyone with a bit of respect in the lounges and every where you go in your normal life.
 
I agree wholeheartedly and am often astounded by some people's sense of entitlement.

Today my croissant and toaster caught fire at MEL, I only say this as whilst I was waving the offending flambé trying to put it out, JDevereux3 walked past and I knew he'd share it with everyone at AFF before I landed. ;)

I immediately grabbed the tongs and put it out and called the staff - whilst my face went as red as the flames. Who would expect someone else to put it out?!! It was my error and if I ignored it - perhaps even a fire could erupt, leading to a potential evacuation of the terminal.

Obviously someone took it upon themselves to increase the strength (even though they remove the knob!!!) not realizing this impacts everyone else who uses it that day...

I also can't stand those who pick up bread and meat cuttings with their fingers!!!!!! Yuk

Humph!


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Having been a guest in the lounges a few times (and thanks to those here who have helped me getting there on-occasion), and generally a newbie to the lounge experience, I try to be as polite and courteous as possible. I always defer to others around me so as to not to draw attention to myself. In these situations, I like to learn by observation and see what's the status quo to fitting in this (rather odd) social situation. In doing so, you do tend to observe some interesting behaviour. Perhaps our Aussie tall-poppy syndrome-approach likes to make sure people keep their perception of social status in-check, though in relation to OP, this has little to do with expecting good general manners.

I must admit though, I think I may have once reached through to grab the cutlery, only realising their location after finishing with the server tongs... I possibly may not have apologised, thinking it was obvious what I was doing... I hope that wasn't you munitalP... my sincere apologies if so. :oops:
 
This thread is becoming like a bit of a gripe session for me... LOL

It always amazes me how people push and shove when lining up to get on the aeroplane. They won't leave without you and your seat is already allocated and we will all arrive at the destination at the same time... Push in front of me i don't care.

I am little bit off the topic of thread but it all etiquette based so i am still in the vibe of it...

Simo
 
I don't think this situation exist only in lounges. You see this everywhere...supermarkets, deli, fast foods.:shock:
All the "do gooders" that protested about the strictness of parents discipling their kids and actually have legislation to the effect that we cannot even smack our own kids in the bum for fear of a red mark being spotted at the day care or kindies and being reported as child abuse!!:confused::confused:

Not saying that all kids needs to be "whacked" but sometimes it is necessary to give a "reasonable" smack AND then immediately explain to them gently while they were smacked and if they do that again, they will be smacked again.

You do reap what you sow comes to mind....;)

Sorry if this is classed as OT, but I do see this being the root cause to the situation in the louges...proper upbringing.

Bring on the flames!!:cool:
 
Children do not learn from being smacked and then getting an explanation. Firstly because they are not capable of reasoning as an adult is, until a number of years have past.

What is needed is a consistent application of consequences. Now, yes a smack is a consequence but it is not something they can care about, as it happens and they can't change that once the smack is given. Instead things like time outs, removal of privileges and working to get something are better ways to approach children.

For example, one of my children is not eating dinner. So they have a chart and get a tick for every meal eaten, whole meal with veges and all. after a week of ticks they get a reward. The reward is also taken, as in after we find food stuck under the table. ;) This works much better than constantly (nagging and yelling) telling them to eat with inconsistent and random consequences has worked.

I'll put the behaviour of my children up against anyone. Even me and I was smacked as a child ;)
 
Children do not learn from being smacked and then getting an explanation. Firstly because they are not capable of reasoning as an adult is, until a number of years have past.

What is needed is a consistent application of consequences. Now, yes a smack is a consequence but it is not something they can care about, as it happens and they can't change that once the smack is given. Instead things like time outs, removal of privileges and working to get something are better ways to approach children.

For example, one of my children is not eating dinner. So they have a chart and get a tick for every meal eaten, whole meal with veges and all. after a week of ticks they get a reward. The reward is also taken, as in after we find food stuck under the table. ;) This works much better than constantly (nagging and yelling) telling them to eat with inconsistent and random consequences has worked.

I'll put the behaviour of my children up against anyone. Even me and I was smacked as a child ;)

I'm with Ric on this - 100%!

Now that doesn't mean that this view is at odds with you Medhead.

You've simply chosen a different approach - but clearly you still have a "complete discipline system" so to speak - so it works.

I dare say - you are not the norm, and too many parents in society as a whole do not provide enough discipline to kids when needed.

I, my siblings, and everyone I know got a smack (and/or got grounded - depending on severity) if we misbehaved - particularly if in public, or if we talked back.

You know - what - we learned very quickly - no-one ever tried it on twice, and no explanation was needed.

For the record - no-one went on to torture animals or become a child-abuser or a bully or similar.

There is no such thing as manners or courtesy left in mainstream Australian society nowadays. The polite ones are the odd-ones-out.

The chardonnay latte sippers won.
 
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