How far do you let it go?

saxman said:
I would have asked him if he bought both seats. Okay maybe not, but I would have wanted to.
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ill have to remember that one. Nice to have in the bag of tricks, as I love having no restrictions on providing free tastes of one's own medicine to them. :D
 
Italianaviator said:
So my question is what would you have done?
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To be honest, I probably wouldn't have handled it as well as you did. You did the right thing.

However, there is a takeaway lesson from that experience. The F/A's deal with that jerk and a whole lot more every day they fly. They have one heck of a tough job and it never ceases to amaze me how well they do it. They deserve a lot of respect for what they do.
 
DPApilot said:
The sad thing is I've received more grief from gate agents as opposed to passengers. Makes you wonder how far the industry is going down.....
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That's because most gate agents are idiots when it comes to "how it works". Remember I was a gate agent and regular acting supervisor, and I can't even begin to think of how many times a non-rev or jumpseater only got on a flight because I came flying over in a fit of rage to save the day. Nothing about that job, and I mean nothing, bothered me more than seeing a non-rev get screwed because a gate agent didn't know how to deal with a ZED, or an FA jumpseat forum, or transfering a name from a standby list of another flight, or manually doing a CASS entry for a jumpseater but would try and save face by denying them boarding. Luckily, most of my co-workers knew they could just call me anytime they were unsure of anything and I'd take care of it even if I wasn't supervising.

But from what I saw in my exstensive non-reving, I was a rare breed. I once had US Airways station agreement tickets, which are like ZEDs with a $0 value that can be used on any flight, and almost got stranded in PHL with JordanD because the supervisor didn't know what they were. I had a PHL-SDF segment that was taken by mistake on another flight, I explained that to the gate agent and she told me my DCA-SDF ticket was fine. Next thing you know, they page me to gather my things and get off the flight. The supervisor is standing there with my pass in hand, saying my pass isn't authorized because the city pairs don't match. In the most polite way possible, I ripped him a new one about what a $0 value means, and that even if it WERE a ZED with value, it would be a zone 1 ZED and still interchangable. He knew I was right, was stuttering and embarassed, then asked if I had any other ticket. I showed him all I had was a CLT-SDF pass I didn't use. "Oh! Why didn't you say so?! Have a nice flight...*turns to gate agent* We'll call it a cockpit checks delay".

Know your travel bennies inside out, because the people with the power to get you on usually don't.
 
ShortField said:
I would have probably just laughed and said, "I know, right?" and sat down. The bumpkin in me would have taken a long time to figure out that he was really that much of an ass hat. Good on you for taking the high road.
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I'm the same way. If someone wants to draw negative attention to me just to get back at fate, I mirror them and then move on. I would've pointed at them, smirked and said "you're right!" and then sat in 3A like it was the best seat I've ever had.
 
Derg said:
That's power over the situation when you don't acknowledge someone.
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Abso-tively!

The guy who reacts the least, wins.

And really, domestic business class is a joke! Almost as bad as intra-Europe business on a lot of those carriers.
 
Most people I have sat next to in first class are frequent flying with upgrades as one of the perks of being a million miler - rarely have I sat next to someone who paid full fare. And as pointed out - if he wants to decide who sits next to him he needs to step up his game, work harder and get his own jet.
 
Say you volunteered to take Chuck Norris seat who respectfully declined it out of fear of Mr. Asshat sitting in 3B.
I can't help but laugh about first and business class customers and their behavior. Stand in line like the rest of the idiots, board and disembark first.
Pay 4-6 times as much as the ding dongs in the back, but at the end of the day, they don't leave or arrive any sooner.
 
I probably would have smirked, sat down anyway, and put in my earplugs.

ChasenSFO said:
That's because most gate agents are idiots when it comes to "how it works". Remember I was a gate agent and regular acting supervisor, and I can't even begin to think of how many times a non-rev or jumpseater only got on a flight because I came flying over in a fit of rage to save the day. Nothing about that job, and I mean nothing, bothered me more than seeing a non-rev get screwed because a gate agent didn't know how to deal with a ZED, or an FA jumpseat forum, or transfering a name from a standby list of another flight, or manually doing a CASS entry for a jumpseater but would try and save face by denying them boarding. Luckily, most of my co-workers knew they could just call me anytime they were unsure of anything and I'd take care of it even if I wasn't supervising.

But from what I saw in my exstensive non-reving, I was a rare breed. I once had US Airways station agreement tickets, which are like ZEDs with a $0 value that can be used on any flight, and almost got stranded in PHL with JordanD because the supervisor didn't know what they were. I had a PHL-SDF segment that was taken by mistake on another flight, I explained that to the gate agent and she told me my DCA-SDF ticket was fine. Next thing you know, they page me to gather my things and get off the flight. The supervisor is standing there with my pass in hand, saying my pass isn't authorized because the city pairs don't match. In the most polite way possible, I ripped him a new one about what a $0 value means, and that even if it WERE a ZED with value, it would be a zone 1 ZED and still interchangable. He knew I was right, was stuttering and embarassed, then asked if I had any other ticket. I showed him all I had was a CLT-SDF pass I didn't use. "Oh! Why didn't you say so?! Have a nice flight...*turns to gate agent* We'll call it a cockpit checks delay".

Know your travel bennies inside out, because the people with the power to get you on usually don't.
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"Uh we're limited to 25 and 750 on this flight let me pull that commuting flight attendant off..."

"HEY! Hey, call that agent back up here, now!"
 
MikeD said:
He can kiss your ass. Instead of worrying what's on your plate of food, figuratively speaking, maybe that d-bag ought to worry about what's on his own.....mind his own damn business.

I realize that employees are in a tough position professionally to counter a d-bag like this guy, without ending up on the losing end; which is why I absolutely love when Im a pax and witness something like this, as Im fully free to say and do everything that crewmember would love to be able to say and do, and I have. Someone needs to stand up for those who are restricted from doing so, and who deserve far better than they're getting at the moment, from some self-centered idiot who thinks they can run their mouth, and aren't expecting to get it shoved back to them four-fold.
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It has other perks too. I was on a flight where some guy sitting adjacent to me in the exit row was bitching to the FA while she was giving us the "are you comfortable being in an emergency exit row" mini-brief. The guy was just being rude, interrupting and started getting nasty about "overpaid sky-wenches" or something to that effect. I told him to pay attention, shut his mouth, quit being a dick, and he could get into his laptop bag in 4 seconds after she finished. He was miffed but he shut up. After sticking up for the FAs, they constantly brought me free beer for the whole trip.
 
Cessna414JJB said:
Say you volunteered to take Chuck Norris seat who respectfully declined it out of fear of Mr. Asshat sitting in 3B.
I can't help but laugh about first and business class customers and their behavior. Stand in line like the rest of the idiots, board and disembark first.
Pay 4-6 times as much as the ding dongs in the back, but at the end of the day, they don't leave or arrive any sooner.
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I fly in business a fair amount of the time on the company's dime. That section of the CBA is worth its weight in gold. Coach sucks.

As an aside, judging by the nastiness I read about business/first class passengers on this board, I wonder how many times I've been labeled an "elitist" while simply sitting there in my seat drinking coffee and reading the newspaper.
 
ppragman said:
It has other perks too. I was on a flight where some guy sitting adjacent to me in the exit row was bitching to the FA while she was giving us the "are you comfortable being in an emergency exit row" mini-brief. The guy was just being rude, interrupting and started getting nasty about "overpaid sky-wenches" or something to that effect. I told him to pay attention, shut his mouth, quit being a dick, and he could get into his laptop bag in 4 seconds after she finished. He was miffed but he shut up. After sticking up for the FAs, they constantly brought me free beer for the whole trip.
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In a similar vein, it's always annoying to see someone sitting in an exit row who's "too busy" to take a moment to either answer the question of "are you willing and able", as well any pax who can't seem to take a moment away from whatever they're doing to pay attention to the emergency safety brief, especially the ones in the exit row. Since, if something were to go down, their dumb asses better be able to be a help and not a hinderance.
 
dasleben said:
As an aside, judging by the nastiness I read about business/first class passengers on this board, I wonder how many times I've been labeled an "elitist" while simply sitting there in my seat drinking coffee and reading the newspaper.
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Depends on how often you a) bother the FA b) bother the passengers around you and c) put your bluetooth earpiece in and start talking really loudly about synergies and how you have to be back in Topeka for a meeting right after you get done in New York that afternoon.
 
BobDDuck said:
Depends on how often you a) bother the FA b) bother the passengers around you and c) put your bluetooth earpiece in and start talking really loudly about synergies and how you have to be back in Topeka for a meeting right after you get done in New York that afternoon.
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Whatever happened to people just sitting down, being quiet, enjoying the ride, and otherwise just being pleasant?
 
Many years ago, we were paying to fly ABQ-PH, after being bumped a day. The ticket agent put us in first, and warned us not to accept less at the gate, since there were a number of non-revs on the flight.

We get to the gate, and the agent says, "I'm sorry, but we don't have any first-class seats." My shy spouse put her head underneath her wing, while I said, "YOUR airline has bumped us a day, and YOU put non-rev passengers in OUR seats." Politely. She said nothing, turned and went down the jetway. A few moments later, she came back and said, "Your seats are ready, sir." Not pilots, just skiers on vacation, now in coach.

"Polite but firm" trumps silliness, self-indulgence, and mis-guided priorities most of the time.
 
Autothrust Blue said:
I probably would have smirked, sat down anyway, and put in my earplugs.



"Uh we're limited to 25 and 750 on this flight let me pull that commuting flight attendant off..."

"HEY! Hey, call that agent back up here, now!"
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UGH do NOT even get me started on how UAX ramp/ops/gate agents deal with weight and balance limits. Typical chain of events:

90% of Ops agents: "Hmm...booked to 25, I'll do limits for 25 even tho there are 7 standbys".
90% Gate agents: "Hmm...25 and 750 huh? How many bags is that? Screw it, 25 it is".
90% of pilots: "Hey, do you have anyone else up there we can take 3 more?"
90% of rampers: "Uhh...(hasn't even talked to gate on the radio)...no."

Aiyaaaaa.
 
ChasenSFO said:
UGH do NOT even get me started on how UAX ramp/ops/gate agents deal with weight and balance limits. Typical chain of events:

90% of Ops agents: "Hmm...booked to 25, I'll do limits for 25 even tho there are 7 standbys".
90% Gate agents: "Hmm...25 and 750 huh? How many bags is that? Screw it, 25 it is".
90% of pilots: "Hey, do you have anyone else up there we can take 3 more?"
90% of rampers: "Uhh...(hasn't even talked to gate on the radio)...no."

Aiyaaaaa.
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That's why I ALWAYS talked to the gate agent about what the situation was, how many non-revs, how many jumpseaters, we would take as many people as OUR numbers came back with. If any non-revs and/or jumpseaters showed up, they were to let us know and we would do our darndest to get them on.


I once had a Captain tell me that our goal was to take all of the non-revs. If we took all of the non-revs, that means everybody's day was going well, we had all of our pax, all of the bags, and everybody who was trying to get to/from work. It always stuck with me.


To the OP, you did fine. Just ignore him and enjoy your more comfortable seat on your way home.
 
MikeD said:
In a similar vein, it's always annoying to see someone sitting in an exit row who's "too busy" to take a moment to either answer the question of "are you willing and able", as well any pax who can't seem to take a moment away from whatever they're doing to pay attention to the emergency safety brief, especially the ones in the exit row. Since, if something were to go down, their dumb asses better be able to be a help and not a hinderance.
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With how consistently front seat passengers fail to open the Cherokee copilot door after we shut down, I kind of figure that their brains shut off the second the pilot starts talking. Also, if I ever really need to get out of the airplane quick I'm scrambling right over the person sitting next to me and will be well clear of the burning wreckage before they remember that there is a top latch on that door.
 
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