richard_smith237

And in an article attached to that attached you read you'll find the other side of the story where the passenger in question explains what happened, the follow up article is an 'influencer' getting in on the act.... ... the truth is probably somewhere in between.... https://thethaiger.com/news/national/vj-airline-passenger-criticises-air-hostess-over-luggage-assistance-refusal#google_vignette https://thethaiger.com/news/national/thai-passengers-ejected-from-flight-over-luggage-dispute-with-cabin-crew-recounts-top-influencer

I disagree... Flight attendants are on the front line of a service orientated industry - responding with a simple 'cannot' would be considered quite rude.... ... as would the response of 'do it yourself'.... As would a second F.A. coming in and stating "if you can't put up there yourself you should have checked it in"..... When all that was necessary to prevent an incident was... "I'm sorry, for insurance purposes the air-line prevents us from lifting passengers baggage, is there anything else I can assist you with ?" ... We weren't there but can only go on reports and there are reports from both sides... It seems both sides were happier to get into an argument than to de-escalate.

Interesting how you highlighted your personality again... instead of simply writing a few words.... 'Yup... re-read the link and found it..., you chose the 'other option' and took greater effort and wrote to get confrontational and point score !!!... You're a special case! Valid retort... One point a piece would you say ????

Not quite... Not once has it been reported or suggested that 'none of the passengers party wanted to assist'... thats just your hyperbolae.... ... The passenger simply asked the F.A. to help with her 7kg baggage (at 43kgs we can assume the passenger was too short). The passenger could have asked one of her party to assist. We don't know why she didn't, perhaps the F.A. was standing right next to her at the time and thats why the passenger asked the F.A. instead. Perhaps the passenger was not polite in her request for assistance. Perhaps the passenger expected the F.A. to be like a servant. Perhaps the F.A. didn't like the passenger's tone. Perhaps the F.A. was unnecessary impolite with her response. One thing is for sure - there was ample opportunity for both parties to de-escalate, both wanted an argument.

Of course, a lot of this is speculation. I also agree with you that the passenger in question could have asked one of her party for assistance... But, the flight attendant may well have been standing next to her and thus was the first and easiest person to approach for assistance. Or, as you mentioned the passenger may well have thought baggage assistance and was part of the service. Flight attendants are theoretically trained to deal with emergency situations, could the 'trained professional' have dealt with this situation to prevent escalation ???... Could she have explained to the passenger why she is not permitted to assist with baggage ?? OR, did the Flight Attendant take offence at the request (possibly even demand) to assist with baggage and respond to the passenger somewhat curtly which triggered others in the passengers party to respond in kind with criticism about the standards of service... ... at this point there was still the potential to de-escalate... I'm assuming now that the Flight Attendant allowed herself to get drawn into an argument and situation became inflamed. -------- I've been on flights while I'm sat down dealing with my Son and my Wife is in the isle trying to put her carry on in the overhead bin, the F.A. being taller has simply helped. So.. why did the F.A. not assist ???.... I suspect both may have had somewhat of an attitude and all it took was the spark.

I don't think I would ever fly on an Indian airline of it was the last airline on earth. I imagine they bring livestock on board, chickens and things. Indeed... and to be fair to the vast majority of Thai's and South East Asian flight attendants - travelling the routes in and out of Thailand are far better than other destinations... - Thai's as passengers are usually far more polite. - Airline Crews from Middle East Carriers are usually far more attentive on the Thai Leg of the journey than on the UK leg (where they seem lazier). - Also, using a domestic airline (in Thailand) or taking a short haul flight from Thailand is more like getting on a bus and far less hassle and stress than taking a domestic or short haul flight from the UK. I don't know why, but flying from the UK adds about 50% more stress to the simplicity of doing something as simple as checking in for and taking a flight... I think thats down to the general better attitude of the passengers, the airlines and the airline and airport staff.

Correct... with a 9 year old myself, like many posters we could offer excellent advice. But, if the Op can't even be bothered to provide basic information how can we and why should we try?

... and in doing so forcing more people to take more carry on rather than checked luggage. This presents both an additional safety risk and delays at security. I recently purchased a British Airways ticket (which includes 23kgs luggage) for less than half the price of an Easy Jet ticket for the same route / day / similar time.... because the excess baggage for EasyJet (UK low-budget carrier) tripled the cost of the ticket.... ... Passengers then do whatever they can to pack as much as they can into their hand-carry, turning both security and boarding into an utter zoo while the hold remains relatively empty.

7 KG's... that was it... Its in on the linked articles. The passenger was 43kgs, thus it can be assumed she needed help because she was not tall enough to reach. ... Flight attendants do help people place their luggage in the overhead bins... the help those unable to help themselves, i.e. infirm, elderly, disabled, injured, pregnant, children etc... so there is no reason for a flight attendant not to help a 'short person' who can't reach. Do any of the forum readers think for one second this flight attendant would have refused to assist this lady if she were in Business or First class ???? From other reports it would appear that it was the flight attendants response and attitude which sparked the argument. However, the response of some of the passengers in the same party was atrocious. But, I wonder how 'trained professionals' allowed the situation to escalate to the levels it did ???

And as a frequent flight, I'm quite sure you'll help anyone around you who is not tall enough to place their baggage in the overhead bin. Flight attendants also help children, the elderly, pregnant and disabled passengers with their hand-carry baggage... But in this case the flight attendant refused to help a shorter person... ... Why? ... and why the F.A. refuse in a manner the passenger deemed was rude ??? Could it be that it was the flight attendant who had a poor attitude ???

The woman in question weight 43kgs, so we can assume she was also quite short. Her carry on baggage was 7kgs - she asked for help. Is there some form of 'self importance' involved with asking someone for help ???? Your hyperbolae may be true of some examples, but this is not the case as per reports here. The passenger asked for help and her party became upset when the response of the flight attendant was deemed rude.

Have you ever met one of these influencers ?... Or are you jumping to this conclusion based on the reported poor behavior of a few ?? My Wife, not an influencer, but is contacted by business people who've seen her Instagram and wants to send her free things.. (even free holidays etc)... She has a lot of instagram followers... she doesn't pursue anything etc.. If people in marketing teams think she can help their cause thats up them, wife doesn't say no to free stuff and the owners of the businesses (often smaller businesses) are happy with the additional exposure. Now, if people are calling up and demanding free stuff, thats somewhat different.... but, I really think the issue people have with influencers is perhaps more the word itself... "no one can influence me, how dare they suggest they can by using the word influencer"... when really, we could all be a target of 'influencers'... we see a post of someone on holiday or in a certain restaurant etc... and think, "looks nice, I may give that a try" !!!.... It's just marketing... perhaps not marketing boomers like, nevertheless, marketing it is - I don't know why so many people get their pantaloons in a twist about it.

From this link... https://thethaiger.com/news/national/thai-passengers-ejected-from-flight-over-luggage-dispute-with-cabin-crew-recounts-top-influencer IF the flight attendant couldn't help, she could have explained why... i.e. "we're not permitted to assist for insurance purposes" etc... the passenger has reported that the response of the flight attendant was rude.

Read the other link... The passenger was small and struggled to get her 7kg hand-carry in the overhead locker. She asked the flight attendant to help, the flight attendants response was apparently rude, this lead to an argument. Who was in the wrong ? - Perhaps the passenger for asking the F.A. for help... - The F.A. for not acting / responding in a professional manner. - The family for getting triggered and reacting. - The F.A. for not being professional and failing to use their training and diffuse the situation. I don't think either party in this situation was a shining beacon of polite and considerate humanity.

I think you're digging up your own confirmation bias here. While there is definitely an element of what you point out, you present such with a degree exaggeration that seems to ignore the fact that people are just people and there is a minority in any demographic and nationality who find cause to complain.... Westerners are no different to anyone else.

Perhaps like you, they are on an English language website. If you can read and understand Thai fluently try looking up Thai language websites and read the complaints in Thai there. Exactly... It seems very few Westerner's recognise that Thai's are no different to us. Read Panthip forum and many topics are identical with identical complaints, gripes, issues etc.

And typical passengers expecting to be able to take whatever they want on board, AND want the FAs to help. That depends on perspective and attidutes. The Cabin Crew are there to assist as well as our safety. If they were only there for our safety, why are the handing out meals on 2 hour flights etc ? Some passengers behave poorly with a sense of entitlement and treat cabin crew like waiting staff or servants. On the other hand, the cabin crew are there to assist where appropriate... the lines are often blurred and thats part of the issue here perhaps. What we really have are two groups of people who don't beleive they should give any consideration to the other. 1) Someone asking for help with their bag. 2) F.A. who's response is somewhat snarky or less than polite (according to a linked article). This is another example of where it 'takes two to tango'... ------ Example I used earlier when a Thai Airways F.A. told me I have to go and get my own beer. I didn't argue, I simply said ok (while my blood boiled). I went up to the kitchen, asked to speak with the Purser. I asked why the cabin crew have not passed through the cabin in 30 mins. I apologised for using the call button but felt that I didn't want to leave my Son. I asked if it is new policy that passengers get their own drinks ? I asked why is it expected that I get up and get my own beer when we are told that we should always stay seated with the belt fastened even when the seatbelt sign is off. I asked for the flight attendants name so I could write a formal complaint, the purser would only give me his own name. In short - the F.A. in question was a lazy stuck-up up, snarky, entitled, emotional drama queen who didn't like that I had pressed the call button - all I wanted was a second beer 3 hours into a flight. Usually, the cabin crew are amazing, on that specific flight it would appear we had a bunch who wanted the perks of the job (travel) without doing the job and certainly did not believe they were there to assist people.

There are a few key area's of every city that will attract a greater number of beggars etc... In Bangkok, thats going to be Sukhumvit Road (and particularly Asoke to Nana) and Khao Sarn Road. In Phuket it's going to be beach-road in Patong. In Pattaya its going to be near Walking street. Conversely, if you lived in On Nut, Thonglor, Ari, Phunawitthi etc there will be far fewer beggars. The area isn't shady per-se, but it attracts certain 'things' other area's do not. So regardless of your 'up-scale' Condo, the street outside is just an area of high-footfall and serves as a better opportunity for beggars - It was your choice to live in this area, so this is within your control.

There is perhaps another facet to this issue... In the West, the position of Flight Attendant is considered as being on par with a receptionist or secretary, the required qualifications (education) is less. In Asia, the position of Flight Attendant is considered as having elevated social status, a degree is required and those taking up such positions are often from a higher socio-economic status than many of the passengers. Thus, when someone of perceived lower socio-economic status expects a degree of service from someone of perceived higher socio-economic status, the person of perceived higher socio-economic status may lack the emotional tools to handle this perceived insult and respond less than favourably. In the past I have dated flight attendants and they absolutely hated having to 'serve' some of the passengers whom they considered significantly below their station (i.e. hookers travelling with their foreign BF etc). Thus, in this case, IF the F.A. believed she was 'above' those asking for assistance I can understand how her response may have been less than professional and perhaps triggering to the passenger.

Probably the one that was named in the OP link! Yup... re-read the link and found it... VJ Airlines (VietJet Airlines)... Interesting how you highlighted your personality again... instead of simply writing two words.... 'VietJet Air', you chose the 'other option' and took greater effort and wrote to get confrontational and point score !!!... You're a special case !

They are all over and not only in his area, if you took some time to visit Thailand one day to see for yourself. Yawn... If you took the opportunity to visit the area's outside of a tourist bubble you would see that like anywhere else, beggars are located in areas of the greatest footfall and in pretty much every country they are greater numbers of beggars in areas of high tourist footfall unless specifically dealt with and cleared by authorities. ...... even a half-wit understands that. Not only are the Ops posts morally tone deaf, they show an absence of consideration, an absence of sympathy, an absence of empathy and most significantly an utter absence of intelligence... If you are backing up the Op, you are as toxic as he is.

How about the AA crowd.... "If you have to question if this may not be water and could be vodka, then you clearly have a drinking problem and need help" !!!

I'm waiting for a certain poster to come on here and ask if the Op has any links or proof back up his assertion ?

https://thethaiger.com/news/national/vj-airline-passenger-criticises-air-hostess-over-luggage-assistance-refusal#google_vignette Interesting how in the above article there are comments about the 'tone' of the flight attendant, with quotes from the passenger in question...

The 'trigger' could have come from either side... - The passenger asks for help in a rather demanding manner which triggers the F.A. into a less than polite response. - The passenger politely asks for help and the F.A. gives a less than polite response which triggers the passenger. Also, some passengers are short, and may need assistance as they can't reach the overhead bins. My Wife at 156cm has to stand on a seat to get something into the overhead bin on some flights, usually another passenger helps if I'm not around. Additionally, I often find myself assisting others with their luggage in the overhead bins as I'm aware that F.A's are not really permitted to assist in this manner. That said, the passenger was also with plenty of people who could have helped her. The F.A. may also have handled the situation very poorly, did the F.A. politely explain that its the Airlines Policy that they are not permitted to help with baggage, or, did she just respond in a more flippant manner ?? This latter question I ask because while for the most part my 'travelling' experience has been favourable, there have been a couple of occasions where the flippant, snooty, careless response response of a flight attendant has left me quite annoyed. I'm not suggesting the passenger was correct. I am suggesting that rather than professionally diffusing a potential situation, the response of the F.A. triggered and inflamed a situation.