Thai passengers ejected from flight over luggage dispute, recounts top influencer

[impulse]

9 minutes ago, khunpin said:

I can imagine what kind of heavy closets they tried to put up into the small compartment above. Only in order to save a few minutes when skipping the conveyor belt. ????

It's not just the baggage claim delays.  On some flights, the cost of checking an additional bag can almost double the cost of a ticket. 

 

[richard_smith237]

5 minutes ago, khunpin said:

I can imagine what kind of heavy closets they tried to put up into the small compartment above. Only in order to save a few minutes when skipping the conveyor belt. ????

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 ???

 

 

 

 

[DJ54]

4 hours ago, Sydebolle said:

Krispy Kreme stuff (sugary calorie-boosters) is available at the destination airport

Available at Udon Thani Airport?  …If so I’m going…

Edited August 26, 2023 by DJ54
added ?

[richard_smith237]

1 minute ago, impulse said:

It's not just the baggage claim delays.  On some flights, the cost of checking an additional bag can almost double the cost of a ticket. 

... 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. 

 

 

 

 

[retarius]

5 hours ago, roo860 said:

Check out the Indian carriers, unbelievable what they bring on board.

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.

[richard_smith237]

2 minutes ago, retarius said:

5 hours ago, roo860 said:

Check out the Indian carriers, unbelievable what they bring on board.

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. 

[herfiehandbag]

7 hours ago, dddave said:

I have a friend who was a longtime FA on a US airline.  She told me that the FAs flight pay does not begin until the doors are closed and that they are specifically told not to assist passengers lifting bags into overhead bins because if they were injured doing so, they were not covered. 

Is that peculiar to the USA, or common throughout the industry?

 

If so, then for example, if you were Cabin Crew with Air Asia, and your shift was two return flights Bangkok to Chiang Mai, then you would only get paid for 5 out of 10 hours? 

[BE88]

2 hours ago, richard_smith237 said:

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. 

 

 

Yes, there are many lost sheep;

[Liverpool Lou]

3 hours ago, richard_smith237 said:

4 hours ago, Liverpool Lou said:

4 hours ago, richard_smith237 said:

I'm not sure which airline this was.

Probably the one that was named in the OP link!

Expand  

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 !

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!

[NextG]

1 hour ago, richard_smith237 said:

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 ???

 

 

 

 

I think the attitude came from the ‘entitled’ passenger. 
Why do I say that? Because no doubt there were able bodied men who could have assisted her on request, as could any of the passengers making a noise on her behalf. She didn’t bother to ask. 
She obviously thought it a service to which she was entitled and got a rude awakening. 

[Liverpool Lou]

38 minutes ago, herfiehandbag said:

Is that peculiar to the USA, or common throughout the industry?

 

If so, then for example, if you were Cabin Crew with Air Asia, and your shift was two return flights Bangkok to Chiang Mai, then you would only get paid for 5 out of 10 hours? 

That's how it works, same for the flight crew, I believe.

[BE88]

So if I understand correctly 16 travellers had to send off the plane and lose the money for the plane tickets because none of these 16 people wanted to help a small person who was part of the group to help lift a 7 kg bag and more probably banned for other flights.

Nobody wanted to lose face, normal from Asia.

Where is the problem?

[richard_smith237]

7 minutes ago, NextG said:

I think the attitude came from the ‘entitled’ passenger. 
Why do I say that? Because no doubt there were able bodied men who could have assisted her on request, as could any of the passengers making a noise on her behalf. She didn’t bother to ask. 
She obviously thought it a service to which she was entitled and got a rude awakening. 

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.

 

 

[richard_smith237]

8 minutes ago, BE88 said:

So if I understand correctly 16 travellers had to send off the plane and lose the money for the plane tickets because none of these 16 people wanted to help a small person who was part of the group to help lift a 7 kg bag and more probably banned for other flights.

Nobody wanted to lose face, normal from Asia.

Where is the problem?

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. 

 

 

 

 

[NextG]

4 minutes ago, richard_smith237 said:

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.

 

 

FA can just say ‘cannot’. Doesn’t need to explain anything. 

[richard_smith237]

37 minutes ago, Liverpool Lou said:

4 hours ago, richard_smith237 said:

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 !

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 ????

[rocketboy2]

Could even have been some previous upset at check-in with this group, that spilled over to the fight.

Check-in staff are some times the flight attendants as well.

We have all seen people,  act up over baggage at check-in. 

 

 

 

Edited August 26, 2023 by rocketboy2

[NextG]

3 minutes ago, richard_smith237 said:

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. 

 

 

 

 

Nonsense. Read the attached article. The witness praised the cabin crew for their professionalism. 

[richard_smith237]

1 minute ago, NextG said:

FA can just say ‘cannot’. Doesn’t need to explain anything. 

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. 

 

 

[NextG]

2 minutes ago, richard_smith237 said:

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. 

 

 

Who cares if you disagree? Do you think the FA has time to explain everything to the satisfaction of every disgruntled passenger. The answer should be “cannot” and nothing more. 

[NextG]

4 minutes ago, richard_smith237 said:

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. 

 

 

All exactly right. You are supposed to be able to lift your own hand luggage into the overhead locker. If you cannot then ask a fellow passenger. If you unable to do that, get off the aeroplane. 

[richard_smith237]

4 minutes ago, NextG said:

Nonsense. Read the attached article. The witness praised the cabin crew for their professionalism. 

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

 

 

[NextG]

Just now, richard_smith237 said:

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

 

 

The passenger’s ‘explanation’ smacks of rude entitlement. Doesn’t help her at all. So the answer doesn’t lie somewhere in between. She expected and got a rude awakening when refused. Decided to make a big deal of it and got chucked off. 

[richard_smith237]

2 minutes ago, NextG said:

Who cares if you disagree? Do you think the FA has time to explain everything to the satisfaction of every disgruntled passenger. The answer should be “cannot” and nothing more. 

I think most people care...

... They care to be treated respectfully and with a degree of professionalism...

 

Answering 'cannot' is neither respectful or professional.

 

I'm quite sure an F.A's training specifically handles such situations and I'm quite sure the training does not involve the response 'cannot'....   These 'professionals' are trained to communicate with a higher level of respectfulness than you are perhaps familiar with in the beer-bar. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[richard_smith237]

5 minutes ago, NextG said:

The passenger’s ‘explanation’ smacks of rude entitlement. Doesn’t help her at all. So the answer doesn’t lie somewhere in between. She expected and got a rude awakening when refused. Decided to make a big deal of it and got chucked off. 

 

No it doesn't...   the passengers explanation smacks of her 'surprise' that her request for assistance was refused in a manner she claims was rude. 

 

I think the F.A. handled the situation poorly and was too happy to allow the situation to escalate, which is unprofessional. 

I also think others in the party should not have got involved and escalated the situation. 

 

Both parties had ample opportunity to defuse the situation, both parties were well placed for there not to be any escalation in the first place. 

 

 

Unless of course the passenger went from 'asking for help' to nuclear in a moment, in which case there is nothing the F.A. could have done... but it doesn't seem that way.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[OneMoreFarang]

9 hours ago, webfact said:

Benz Apache

I know he is just the messenger. But what can anybody expect from a guy with such a stupid name? 

[BE88]

26 minutes ago, richard_smith237 said:

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. 

 

 

 

 

Are you the one who thinks you are inventing the situation as the other 15 passengers have not intervened to resolve the situation with the hostess who has the right and the power to decide that you do not take the flight, everyone has assumed their responsibilities and therefore the problem has been solved.

 

[NextG]

6 minutes ago, richard_smith237 said:

 

No it doesn't...   the passengers explanation smacks of her 'surprise' that her request for assistance was refused in a manner she claims was rude. 

 

I think the F.A. handled the situation poorly and was too happy to allow the situation to escalate, which is unprofessional. 

I also think others in the party should not have got involved and escalated the situation. 

 

Both parties had ample opportunity to defuse the situation, both parties were well placed for there not to be any escalation in the first place. 

 

 

Unless of course the passenger went from 'asking for help' to nuclear in a moment, in which case there is nothing the F.A. could have done... but it doesn't seem that way.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Witness states the crew were professional. That’s enough for me. Thank you. 

[NextG]

14 minutes ago, richard_smith237 said:

I think most people care...

... They care to be treated respectfully and with a degree of professionalism...

 

Answering 'cannot' is neither respectful or professional.

 

I'm quite sure an F.A's training specifically handles such situations and I'm quite sure the training does not involve the response 'cannot'....   These 'professionals' are trained to communicate with a higher level of respectfulness than you are perhaps familiar with in the beer-bar. 

 

 

Only a low-life would stoop to trying to insult when they are clearly losing the argument. Do you have any knowledge of me ever entering a beer bar? You don’t. Just like your pathetic creation of events that goes against the actual witnesses. Grow up and move on. 

[djayz]

7 hours ago, ikke1959 said:

But that is only in Thailand, not outside in the normal world 

Really? Type Karen into YT and see what you get. It goes across cultures, nations, continents.