Shhh please (noisy lounge rant)

[eddie 73]

After a very long business trip around Asia, I do the usual routine at HKIA. Quick feed and wine at QF lounge, then head to Cathay lounge near gate for for a shower and quiet sit in the comfy chairs downstairs.

There are two separate groups of two, having such loud distracting discussions that I shift into the quiet room. Another couple having a good long discussion at normal voice level.

I am tossing up going to the lounge near Gate 65 just for some blooming peace and quiet.

It seems quieter on pleblic transport these days with everyone’s heads buried in their devices!!!

Am I just too old and grumpy, or should there be better manners and lounge etiquette, or is that something we must accept as a thing of the past?

Agree, disagree, comments?

 

[gaz0303]

What about the Cabin lounge in the evening? I recall that being a darkened, sleepy lounge compared to the Bridge, Pier or QF lounge.

 

[RooFlyer]

Agree, but largely a lost cause I'm afraid. I do ask the occasional shouty phone user to be quiet.

 

[Happy Trails]

What about the Cabin lounge in the evening? I recall that being a darkened, sleepy lounge compared to the Bridge, Pier or QF lounge.

The Cabin closed a week or two ago. There's a thread somewhere.

 

[Daver6]

If it bothers you so much, you could just politely ask them to keep it down. Especially those in the quiet room. That would be the most effective way to get what you're after IMHO.

 

[Archipelago]

Not old, not grumpy

Have the same beef. Not just in premium lounges, but even near the boarding gate

Have no hesitation in asking someone to keep the conversation down when they are sitting amongst 100 people talking at Pub Volume on the phone

(Thanks Stocky, my old friend, for teaching me the Pub Volume expression back in the nineties. Respect)

 

[Denali]

You're not alone, I've told someone to STFU in SQ J lounge, he was shouting at his friend across the room.

 

[TomVexille]

Or the older lady the other week watching instagram stories at full volume. Apparently she's never heard of headphones

 

[Deleted member 29185]

Maybe old and grumpy, but with good reason. Earphones are the answer but that escapes the sound thinking quadrant of the brain with many people. I get annoyed with those who aren't even on a video call and just don't want the phone to their ear, believing instead that everyone else want's to be in on their conversation. On that note, I wonder how many people on the other end of the line, actually realise their conversation is being overheard by all and sundry. When people want to place me on loudspeaker, I do expect at least to asked if that is OK with me.

The other day I actually ventured into a KFC for the first time in about 10 years (still quite tasty, but to have grease run down my arm can hardly be described as a culinary delight). I was the only one in there to start with, but then I was joined by a lady who was chatting on loudspeaker when she walked in, whilst she was ordering, whilst she was waiting, whilst she was eating and right up until I'd had enough and decided to leave. She was loud and it also showed me just how poor the acoustics are in a KFC. All those hard surfaces (I guess so they need to use a pressure steam cleaner to wash all the grease off everything) reflect every sound. She seemed to think it was quite normal to include me on all of Aunt Jess' ailments. I'm of the belief that in normal circumstances, you finish a telephone call before you attempt to order in a restaurant and if the phone rings whilst you're in there, you decline it or take yourself outside (after excusing yourself if you are with someone). This lady was not young either. Etiquette and common good manners must be foreign to her, was my only thought.

 

[JohnK]

Apologies in advance if you see an old, grumpy bloke trying to control his 20 month old daughter.

 

[rikkitikkitavi]

Best I've seen was a few years ago in the F loungue in CDG, there was a middle aged Korean lady who resembled the North Korean news anchor women losing her mind over badly behaved 5 year olds. They belonged to a #spritual #blessed Byron Bay trophy wife who was letting them run wild and terrorise the loungue, in the end the Korean went over to her screaming in her face what an awful mother she was and how the children would be criminals. A little over the top but no one went and reported the Korean lady, I think because most of us would have liked to have done something (maybe a little less drastic).

 

[Forg]

To be honest, my understanding of expectation in a lounge comes from observing what everyone else is doing; I can imagine a lot of these lounge users aren’t aware they’re bothering anyone.

Except the ‘quiet area’ offenders; if it’s marked, they’re being downright rude.

Is there a cultural component to this, though? Seems there are a few cultures who really only communicate by yelling at each other; and if you’re travelling ‘round the world, you’ll be encountering people from any/everywhere.