Unspoken Rule of Air Travel

[Must...Fly!]

I haven't experienced anything too bad in my fairly limited experience of flying alone (10 sectors).

Worst was probably a chinese lady who had probably eaten some chinese cuisine for a late dinner, was the JQ redeye from Per-Mel 2.5 weeks ago.

otherwise I have had good seating partners, including some very nice people who liked a bit of a chat. best probably a south african guy on a flight back from wlg (syd-per) 2 weeks ago.

However on family trips...lets just say that Qatar Airways has a wide range of clientele...

 

[lochness]

Sorry gotta have one little laugh and say, don't complain until you have flown Port Moresby to Sydney with a plane load of smelly locals (no offence to anyone, unfortunately they just don't understand the concept of B/O)

 

[medhead]

Think this may be one of those urban myths...have heard many varieties of the same story with a wide range of ethnicities, races and religions...it's a great one though, and one hopes that there's an element on truth in it!

The situation was also used in die hard 2

 

[oz_mark]

Think this may be one of those urban myths...have heard many varieties of the same story with a wide range of ethnicities, races and religions...it's a great one though, and one hopes that there's an element on truth in it!

...and as always, snopes is there....snopes.com: Obnoxious Airline Passengers

 

[munitalP]

My boss who I spent most of last week with, was telling me a story of when he lived in Nth W China in 1997-99 and an internal Chinese flight - his comment was "you didn't want to touch anything on the aircraft, very ordinary, but the worst part was not long after take off, 2 Chinese gents proceeded to remove a canine carcass from the bottom of a carry on box and proceed to carve it up in the isle..."

How do you deal with that...

I think up there in the flyers unspoken rules - carry on is not carrion!

Mr!
:!:

 

[anat0l]

Some years ago, I heard a story about a woman who took offence at being seated next to a coloured man. I believe it was in South Africa. The woman complained that she shouldn't have to sit next to this man and she should be moved to another seat. The man, not the woman, was moved to business class.

Perhaps that particular story is an urban myth, but there are a lot of similar stories (mainly from FT) which are very close to this one.

I love the ones where the antagonist/whiner gets shut up publicly in the cabin, then all pax in the vicinity start applauding.

FWIW I have been looked down upon before by other pax due to my age, appearance (i.e. not in business wear whilst travelling during business hours), race and apparent social class. Some give the silent death stare treatment (perhaps envy), some others have a bit more ill nerve and vocalise their thoughts. Some of them I just let karma do its magic (and in some cases, it has!); in other cases all you can do is offer a brief witticism and walk away.

 

[Smackbum]

Have experienced 3 recent Body Odour issues that have me questioning the hygiene of the average traveller.

Mar 4: Per-Syd (QF) on the red-eye - I had the window seat (1 of 2) on a new airbus - unfortnautely the large young man (again, just a big bloke) next two me must have had a tough day and the 'pits were giving off an unpleasant odour - a well directed air vent sorted him out.
While the family think it's hilarious and I can understand the humour in teh situation, I'm wondering if I have a sign on my back welcoming smelly passengers to select a seat alongside me....am not looking forward to my Syd-Hob flight next week.
Any similar stories or advice?!

Hang on. I was on the Perth/Sydney red-eye that night after a long and warm day at work and then no showers in the QC. Not sure if I would describe myself as young, but just to put my mind at rest can you give me a row number?

 

[Must...Fly!]

FWIW I have been looked down upon before by other pax due to my age, appearance (i.e. not in business wear whilst travelling during business hours), race and apparent social class.

This is something that was playing on my mind on my recent trip to Wellington as I had 2 suits in front with business BP's. I was wondering what they would think if an 18 year old uni student also had a business pass and ended up next to one of them in my t-shirt and jeans.

I think it would be an interesting social experiment. I may just have to book one of those BNE-MEL-SYD-NAN fares in the next 12 months to see what happens!

 

[Warks]

This thread brings back memories of this one I started over five years ago.
http://www.frequentflyer.com.au/community/open-discussion/what-irritates-you-most-while-5320.html
Some good/bad stories there!

 

[Justinf]

Don't know how relevant this is, but last month I flew from Mel to Adelaide and the departure screen in the Lounge said that my flight at Gate 11 was on time. But a quick check to the arrivals screen showed that the incoming aircraft to gate 11 was 40 mins late. Needless to say, the arrivals screen never got updated, but truew to form my outbound flight was 40 mins late to a 'late arrival of incoming aircraft'. I just stayed in the Lounge and drank Crown Lagers until the departures screen for my flight said 'Boarding'...40 bloody mins late!

 

[Justinf]

Oh, and I really hate the people who are at the back of the plane and don't board through the rear gate and vice-versa. They then have to go against the run of play and waddle the entire length of the cabin expecting the passengers who do board correctly to get out of their way because they were too stupid or too ignorant in the first place.
The sign says clearly, if you are sitting in rows xx to xx, board through the rear/front.

 

[medhead]

Oh, and I really hate the people who are at the back of the plane and don't board through the rear gate and vice-versa. They then have to go against the run of play and waddle the entire length of the cabin expecting the passengers who do board correctly to get out of their way because they were too stupid or too ignorant in the first place.
The sign says clearly, if you are sitting in rows xx to xx, board through the rear/front.

Ohh you mean me. I do that because i have a mobility problem that means it takes me 10+ minutes to walk up the rear steps. Try seeing how much you hate me when you stuck behind me on the steps.

 

[Justinf]

Ohh you mean me. I do that because i have a mobility problem that means it takes me 10+ minutes to walk up the rear steps. Try seeing how much you hate me when you stuck behind me on the steps.

You have a valid reason then. If I saw you on the steps I would probably offer to help you. It's the dumbarse fools who don't take any notice that piss me off.

 

[oz_mark]

Ohh you mean me. I do that because i have a mobility problem that means it takes me 10+ minutes to walk up the rear steps. Try seeing how much you hate me when you stuck behind me on the steps.

I think I have been stuck behind you on the steps:shock:

 

[jsd]

My big one is people who are in economy and turn around in their seat to talk to people in the row behind (yes i'm talking to you mr seat 17B on QF608 12Jan). nothing is more annoying when QF actually give you a good breakfast and some noob turn around and shoves their rear in my face.:evil:



Josh

 

[MDC]

Like many of us, I have a few...

1. The space between the seats in front of you isn't a foot rest. The last thing I want is someone's smelly feet poking through my armrest.

2. The gentleman on my flight last week, you said you are a regular flyer so you should have the aisle seat instead of me. Stop acting like a child when you don't get what you want. The FA doesn't care that this is your second flight this year. That flight was number 17 for me. And no, I wasn't being smart when 4 boarding passes fell out of the book I was reading.

3. People behind me, I am not a bobble-head toy. My head isn't made to spring backward and forward, which is does when you use the seat as a level to get your lazy a$# out of your seat and then let go.

4. If you can't aim correctly, sit down. Enough said.

5. People with backpacks, please take them off rather than hitting everyone in the head as you walk to your seat.

6. FA's, please get my name right, it's not BOB.

 

[11sjw]

We were on a MEL-PER flight a couple of years ago. A woman and a child boarded and the child headed straight to a window seat. His mother grabbed him and put him in the seat they were allocated which was in the middle row. Well, the child screamed and screamed for at least 20 minutes. The looks everyone was giving this woman were not nice. We had the misfortune of being in the row directly behind them and I seriously wanted to rip the kid's head off.

They're kids. They whine and throw tantrums. It's what they do. I'm sure you did it, get over it. Yes it's uncomfortable but if they calmed the kid down in 20min then I'm assuming it was bearable for the rest of the flight.

Like many of us, I have a few...

1. The space between the seats in front of you isn't a foot rest. The last thing I want is someone's smelly feet poking through my armrest.

Can you seriously tell if someone lacking serious odour does this?

2. The gentleman on my flight last week, you said you are a regular flyer so you should have the aisle seat instead of me. Stop acting like a child when you don't get what you want. The FA doesn't care that this is your second flight this year. That flight was number 17 for me. And no, I wasn't being smart when 4 boarding passes fell out of the book I was reading.

That's a great way to respond to that!!

3. People behind me, I am not a bobble-head toy. My head isn't made to spring backward and forward, which is does when you use the seat as a level to get your lazy a$# out of your seat and then let go.

Tough to get out in Y and I'm not the biggest 6'2" going around. Still the bloke in front of me last night (QF767 23D) got a special piece of spring action thanks to not raising his seat during the meal and constantly sending my PC into my lap.

4. If you can't aim correctly, sit down. Enough said.

Or mop up but yes the lack of consideration shown is very ordinary.

5. People with backpacks, please take them off rather than hitting everyone in the head as you walk to your seat.

If you can't lift your own carry on and get it in a locker easily, check the thing in.

6. FA's, please get my name right, it's not BOB.

We do tend to get a little precious over our 30odd inches in Y, don't we?

 

[harvyk]

4. If you can't aim correctly, sit down. Enough said.

Me thinks that an on an a/c is the one place that even the toughest of men should sit down.

Last thing you really want is to hit turbulence whilst relieving ones self for it to go all down your pants and not in the bowl. Hasn't happened to me, but I have seen it happen. It was not overly pleasent for the other pax who where unlucky enough to have to sit next to the guy for the rest of the flight (lucky it was only a short haul dom flight nearing the end)...

 

[spe18z]

I get absolutely hacked off with FIFO Parasites who sit at the bar getting slowly pissed, then can't be bothered boarding with everyone else constantly causing delays. The worst thing is this is for 0805 departures, the Shire of Roebourne need to held accountable as well as they run the bar at the AP.
Also these people should be made to wear their uniforms to & from so they can be identified if they cause trouble. More often than not they cause the FA's grief on a regular basis. PER - KTA - Per
Soon as the seat belt sign is turned off, it's a made dash to the dunny all the way to Perth.

But it is time Qantas & Virgin done something about some of these Parasites......off load them, ban them?

Better still put these animals on a charter flight:evil:

 

[alwoodsy]

And why, why, why do people have to recline their seat on a SYD-MEL flight? Especially on JQ where the seat pitch is abysmal.:evil: