UALPHLCS From , joined Dec 1969, posts, RR: Posted (9 years 4 weeks 1 day 23 hours ago) and read 6204 times:
If the A&E show airline hasn't convinced you that all courtesy and respect has been abandodned by the travelling public, this story may finally change your mind:
A Global services member was travelling on today's UA's SFO-PHL flight 88, full fare First class. He had an aisle seat, next to an O2 passenger who was seated in the window seat. Shortly after the fasten seat belt sign was turned off, our GS member decides to use the Lav. On returning to his seat he discovers that the O2 passenger is sitting in the his aisle seat. Everytime he tried to talk to the person they erupted in coughing fits. His attempts to slide past the passenger and take the window were met with the person leaning forward to BLOCK the way to the window. The F/A attemped to help but the passenger just coughed and ignored all attampt to talk.
The GS passengers was eventually forced to sit in Y. On landing we did our best to compensate him, refunding the fare difference and giving him a free UG cert. He was very nice about it. It seems he was just as shocked at the ignorant behavior of the O2 passenger as the F/A and CSRs. The kicker is that the O2 passenger paid roughly $200 round trip and used certs to upgrade.
Had I been the GS passenger I probably would have pinched off the guys O2 hose until he moved.
It is really unbelieveable what some people will do at an airport or on an airplane.
MD11LuxuryLinr From United States of America, joined Jul 2003, 1385 posts, RR: 16 Reply 6, posted (9 years 4 weeks 1 day 23 hours ago) and read 5938 times:
The nerve of some people! F*ck that guy and his O2.. If I had paid full fare for a First Class seat, you bet your ass I'm sitting in it. Coughing or gagging, your ass is still moving.
Caution wake turbulence, you are following a heavy jet.
UALPHLCS From , joined Dec 1969, posts, RR: Reply 7, posted (9 years 4 weeks 1 day 23 hours ago) and read 5884 times:
Well it happened after the plane was in the air. And unless someone physically picked this jerk up, he wasn't moving, unless it was to block the entrance to the row. Not much the F/A could do. What could we do after the flight landed?
UALPHLCS From , joined Dec 1969, posts, RR: Reply 10, posted (9 years 4 weeks 1 day 22 hours ago) and read 5819 times:
Yeah my response would have been to pinch off the O2. Then cause airplane pressure makes me gassy farted as I stuck my ass in his face attempting to sit in the window.
FLYtoEGCC From United Kingdom, joined Feb 2004, 947 posts, RR: 3 Reply 12, posted (9 years 4 weeks 1 day 22 hours ago) and read 5801 times:
Cheeky b*****d. If I'd been the GS guy, I would just have sat on him. If I can't get to my seat, then you just have to get as close as you can get, which is sitting on him. Fart on his lap a few times for good measure, and if that doesn't work, you could always try "accidentally" spilling coffee on them and doing a loud, Basil Fawlty style "whoops, sorry!!!". (This is my contingency plan for when some ignorant git refuses to get out of my reserved train seat - it does happen, fortunately it never has to me yet. I'll let you know how it works!)
Respect to the GS guy for being understanding, and UA for compensating him as they did.
MD11LuxuryLinr From United States of America, joined Jul 2003, 1385 posts, RR: 16 Reply 13, posted (9 years 4 weeks 1 day 22 hours ago) and read 5768 times:
I'm surprised that the full fare First passenger went and had a seat in Y and he took it so well. I, on the other hand, would've moved the guy and taken my seat. SFO to PHL, that's like a 5.5 hour flight.. Right? To pay for First and have to sit in coach because of some dick? I don't think so..
Caution wake turbulence, you are following a heavy jet.
Sllevin From United States of America, joined Jan 2002, 3376 posts, RR: 6 Reply 18, posted (9 years 4 weeks 1 day 22 hours ago) and read 5640 times:
I agree that the GS passenger handled it well. That said, I'm very surprised that the FA's weren't able to budge the o2 passenger with a "Sir, if you don't return to your seat, we're going to have to divert, and offload you for not obeying the orders of a uniformed crewmember."
Sure, they might not follow through, but usually the threat is enough -- no one wants to be stuck in Omaha sitting on the side of the runway.
OPNLguy From , joined Dec 1969, posts, RR: Reply 19, posted (9 years 4 weeks 1 day 22 hours ago) and read 5604 times:
>>>I thought it was against the law to carry a o2 tank on a pressurized cabin...... isn't that how that Air Florida (?) crashed?
If you're thinking of Air Florida 90, no, oxygen tanks had zippo to do with it.
If you're thinking of Valujet 592 (which did crash in the Everglades, in Florida) an oxygen tank -in the cabin- wasn't the problem. The problem was with oxygen-generating cannisters that were improperly shipped in the cargo bin without protective end caps to preclude being accidently activated. Once triggered, these cannisters generate oxygen, but also alot of heat (due to the chemical process that generates the oxygen as a by-product), and that's what started the fire...
Back to the subject of the thread, some airlines do permit passenger-supplied oxygen onboard, and some do not...
As far as the O2 pax's actions, yes, they were rude, insenitive, and totally without class, but then again, so too are the folks who advocate shoving the guy or pinching off his O2 supply. I suspect maybe the O2 pax was counting upon other folks pitying him and not challenging his actions. Maybe this is why the F/As didn't take issue with it inflight, although they certainly could have.
Make no mistake, the pax did behave badly, but having seen what 40 years of smoking and the resultant COPD did to my late Dad's ability to simply breathe (which I think we all take for granted), I halfway understand the pax's actions, while not agreeing with them...
FLYtoEGCC From United Kingdom, joined Feb 2004, 947 posts, RR: 3 Reply 21, posted (9 years 4 weeks 1 day 22 hours ago) and read 5530 times:
"As far as the O2 pax's actions, yes, they were rude, insenitive, and totally without class, but then again, so too are the folks who advocate shoving the guy or pinching off his O2 supply."
If the O2 guy didn't have the decency to ask if he could swap seats, didn't have the decency to even allow the GS guy to get past and take the window seat, and didn't even have the manners to listen when he was being spoken to, why should anyone show him any decency and respect? I agree that the F/As should have done more, including threatening to divert the flight. But in the absence of that, I am totally with the folks who advocate shoving the guy or pinching off his O2 supply. He would have got exactly what he deserved.
UALPHLCS From , joined Dec 1969, posts, RR: Reply 22, posted (9 years 4 weeks 1 day 22 hours ago) and read 5496 times:
OPNLguy,
I was kidding about pinching the hose. Maybe I would have just farted as I forced my way past the person.
Seriously, there is nothing, NOTHING to excuse taking 2 F CLASS Seats. Its not like he needed the other one. He didn't pay for extra room. Hell, he didn't pay to be in F.
Kudos, to the GS memeber who displayed the emotional maturity lacking in the ingrate who stole his seat and the one next to him.
But God man, my GrandFather died of lung cancer from asbestos and COPD. Dispite his suffering, he would never in a million years have done what this guy did.
This miserable wretch ought to just die and leave the rest of us alone. Of course in the cemetary he just may want two plots.
AAJAXFlyer From , joined Dec 1969, posts, RR: Reply 23, posted (9 years 4 weeks 1 day 22 hours ago) and read 5438 times:
Pardon my ignorance (pun not intended!), but what is a Global Services (GS)passenger?
United's best customers. United Global Services is invitation only, given to United's customers of any elite level based on revenue contributed to the company. Basically puts them top priority over anybody else for things like upgrades, standby, etc. It's not part of the MileagePlus program I believe. It replaces the Special Services/VIP program. The exact threshold required for membership is not public knowledge... they evaluate the accounts yearly though.
InnocuousFox From United States of America, joined Dec 2003, 2805 posts, RR: 16 Reply 24, posted (9 years 4 weeks 1 day 22 hours ago) and read 5432 times:
"no one wants to be stuck in Omaha sitting on the side of the runway. "
HEY!! Omaha is likely the best place in the middle of the US to get stuck! Now... Des Moines kinda sucks.
As for what to do with him... you guys still have his credit card info? Pull a Southwest move and charge him for 2 seats!
Dave Mark - Intrinsic Algorithm - Reducing the world to mathematical equations!
25 Freon: Don't pinch off the O2 hose! That'd be stupid! Turn down the regulator AND pinch it off.
26 OPNLguy: >>>I am totally with the folks who advocate shoving the guy or pinching off his O2 supply. He would have got exactly what he deserved. Quite possibly,
27 MD11LuxuryLinr: ..."why not take the high road"... ..and ask the full fare First Class passenger if you could switch seats with him. Allow him to sit in a First Class
28 Nyskymasters: In my opinion there is much more that the flight crew could have done. First of all they could have told the O2 passenger to return to his assigned se
29 Airplanetire: I can't believe what the O2 guy did! However, I really respect the GS guy for not getting outwardly angry and being so polite about everything. That r
30 OPNLguy: >>>The O2 passenger was the one needing to take this 'high road'.. True, but he didn't...and that puts the choices of how to react back on everyone el
31 MNeo: If you really look at it the GS didnt have any other choice. if he hit him in any way that can be considered assault and even if he did make a scene s
32 WGW2707: While it was unquestionably wrong for the passenger on oxygen to insist on taking both seats, anyone who suggests pinching his oxygen cord is a mudero
33 Wdleiser: I was on a Delta flight with my mom (im 15) back when i was around 8. There was this bitchy lady ... we barely got on the flight and she had the aisle
34 Planespotting: Thats the way to do it.........Get er done, get er done...
35 Zippyjet: First off, I congratulate the GS passenger for his patience and first class attitude toward this piece of tube steak hogging the seats. Compensation o
36 IMissPiedmont: The real person with "class" shows in this story. As I have none, I'd have been sitting in the window seat in seconds. It's not real hard to move some
37 WGW2707: Again, I can't believe the lack of sensitivity here. The gentleman was probably delirious due to the O2 tank, the Global Services member recognized th
38 IMissPiedmont: Surely you do not mean me WGW2707. I never said anything about pinching off an O2 supply, or using any force. The man would have moved because I made
39 Jwenting: anyone who advocates violence here should have his head screwed on tight. But anyone who says the passenger on O2 was in his right or exsusable should
40 Blueairbureau: The American with Disabilities Act states if a passenger requires an extra assistance in order to be accomodated for the purposes of transportation, t
41 Starlionblue: The O2 pax needs to be banned from the airline but pinching his tube is, as others have said, barbaric. Why lower yourselves to his level, or worse? T
42 AirframeAS: What an idiot!!! Wheres the Federal Air Marshals when you need them?? Diverting to Omaha or Des Moines would be a wonderful idea...once the plane land
43 FLYtoEGCC: OK, I agree that pinching the O2 supply would be a bit extreme, and I apologise for venting my frustration by suggesting that it would be acceptable.
44 Contrails: If the FA told the jerk to move and he didn't do it, wouldn't that be a case of failure to obey a flight crew member's instruction? He should be in ja
45 WorldPerks: I would probably have had a similar rudeness attack. Maybe it's because I'm a minority group member who sees a lot of stupid behaviors, but this crew
46 Starlionblue: It's hard to control your emotions. If I had been face to face with Irate Voice, I would probably have lost my temper. And regretted it... But I agree
47 HZ747300: I would have accidently turned off his 02 tank. And then if he said anything, I would have told him, "if I hear even one peep, I am going to gut you l
48 Erikwilliam: Congrats to the GS guy, he probably has more moral values than a First Class Seat. Ok my friend, U wanna set here, go for it, enjoy while U take your
49 IAHAAPlatinum: While I agree with the posts, re: pinch off the O2 (which certainly would have been my gut reaction) it would have just escalated the difficulty. Atte
50 Starlionblue: IAHAAPlatinum, welcome to the forums! I guess it can be summarized as: "Never argue with an idiot, he'll just drag you down to his level and beat you
51 STT757: I would have spilled some hot coffee on him, watch him jump right out of his seat!
52 Wbryce: regardless to his ignornace i would have got in that seat if i paid for first class!
53 Solnabo: Im sorry for this pax, but this is the biggest lough I had today........ The whole thing sounds from a movie or SNL* *Saturday Night Live Michael//SE
54 LTBEWR: This was a very bad situation, on an airplane on a long flight. Thank God the GS pax acted in a calm and controlled matter when confronted with this s
55 IAHAAPlatinum: Well put, LTBEWR. Cool heads were the order of the day. Thanks for the welcome, Starlionblue!
56 Bicoastal: The Global Service flyer is typical of what I see. It's my experience as a 1K United frequent flyer that 1K and Global Service flyers are the most und
57 AKelley728: I'm just curious to what have happened if they flight had been 100% full. Yes, the GS member graciously took a seat in coach. But what if there were n
58 EA CO AS: I thought it was against the law to carry a o2 tank on a pressurized cabin.... It's against Federal Air Regulations to allow a passenger to carry thei
59 767Lover: You'd never see this rude behavior on Southwest, because there is no first class cabin Seriously though, kudos to the Global Services passenger. But t
60 Starlionblue: You'd never see this rude behavior on Southwest, because there is no first class cabin I know you're joking, but rude behavior is just a bit more prev
61 Ssides: This is yet another example of why all airline pilots and flight attendants need to be armed with the TASER.
62 EA CO AS: You'd never see this rude behavior on Southwest, because there is no first class cabin Actually, you'd never see this behavior on Southwest because th
63 IAHAAPlatinum: I'm just curious to what have happened if they flight had been 100% full. Yes, the GS member graciously took a seat in coach. But what if there were n
64 Slider: Based on the info we have (and it certainly can be tough to say), it sounds like the crew totally whiffed. The F/C purser or lead F/A should've really
65 Skymonster: Unfortunately, I've found that there are a few people with disabilities who feel that the rest of society owes them something, and take it out on unin
66 UALPHLCS: I want to reiterate: I WAS KIDDING WHEN I SAID PINCHING OFF THE O2 WOULD BE THE BEST WAY TO GET HIM TO MOVE. I was using black humor. Come on. who wou
67 WGW2707: I agree with you UALPHCS that better standards should be set for first class travel. In addition, I also agree that upon landing the passenger with th
68 Starlionblue: One thing I'd like to add: I think Airlines shoudl restrict F class. There should be some guidlines for decorum and dress for F class. This will elimi
69 UALPHLCS: Starlionblue I agree that better F Class dress codes and decorum policies will NOT eliminate misbehaviour in F. But I think that if people know BEFORE
70 WindowSeat: FLYtoEGCC, you could always try "accidentally" spilling coffee on them and doing a loud, Basil Fawlty style "whoops, sorry!!!". LMAO, I can totally s
71 IAHAAPlatinum: Sorry, although I'd like to see some sort of dress code, I can't agree with requiring collared shirts, etc. I fly an average of two trips a month, typ
72 Elwood64151: 'What could we do after the flight landed?'' Have him arrested for disobeying the instructions of in-flight personnel. Personally, if it had been me,
73 UALPHLCS: IAHAAPlatinum, I already have a solution. I said collared shirts for a reason. I fine golf and polo shirts are perfectly acceptable for airlines nonre
74 Jtnwafsd: If it was me and everytime I talked to the O2 pax and they coughed then I would stand there and talk to them for as long as it took for the pax to eit
75 Tbear815: I think if I had been the Purser or CSD, I would have checked the manifest to see who in F was an employee or, secondly, and upgrade, and casually ask
76 EMBTucano: Starlionblue: The best way to deal with rude people is to "kill them with kindness" I've worked in a Conference Center in the U.S. and my boss was a g
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