posted
We were in the airport coming home from Vegas and one of the people in our party commented while waiting in a very long line that "this is what happens when you fly low class." These were the only tickets most of the people in our group could afford and we all got really upset with him, to the point that it almost came to savagery. Do you think we were wrong to get angry? Would you?
posted
If you blow money flying first class, you're either incredibly rich or incredibly tardacious.
How can anyone justify spending hundreds of extra dollars to be *slightly* more comfortable for a few hours.
Let's say, for an example, you've got a 5 hour flight and it costs and extra $500 to buy a first class ticket... What on EARTH is worth $100/hour??? Certainly nothing on a damn airplane.
Vonk, your friend needs a slap in the face with a Clue-Bat.
I frequently say when I am treated poorly by flight attendants or if my luggage gets lost, "Thats what I get for flying cattle car."
I was raised by parents who though the company offered to fly the entire family business class when we made trips to America to visit family over the summer, would buy economy so they could have all that extra money.
I personally hate flying economy as I cannot always get a bulk head seat, thus providing relief for my legs, (I am 6'4 maybe even 6'5).
I wouldn't get mad, there is nothing wrong with getting economy, (I personally could never afford anything above economy) but expect lesser treatment then those who do pay that money for business class or first class.
Funny Anecdote:
We were at San Fransisco for a lay over and they gave away our seats on our connecting flight. It was the airlines mistake obviously. The airline looked up their registry and saw the first class section had room for my whole family (nobody flew first class on that flight I guess) so they upgraded our entire family to first class as recompense for the mistake. My mom had 5 children and the oldest was 11. She was trying to carry her collapsable stroller as well as carry on bags. She asked the flight attendant as she hobbled into the cabin, "Could you please help me." The flight attendant in snobby voice said, "I am here to assist the first class passengers, not coach." my mom got real mad and said, "Lady, I AM the first class."
The look on the flight attendants face was priceless (I can still remember it) they actually had the flight attendant serve the coach passengers that flight and rotated her position with another attendant because obviously my mom was pretty mad.
Bottom Line:
Complaining about the treatment economy class provides is an American past time. But most of us know its a rip off to fly any other class. Give the guy/girl a break IMO.
Posts: 14316 | Registered: Jul 2005
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posted
Eh, I think savagery is low class. Tolerance and forbearance are high class.
Oh, and hot damp towels. I once got bumped to first class and they gave me hot damp towels. In my regular low class existence towels are only hot when I pluck them from the dryer, and damp when I'm done using them after my shower. It would be nice to lead the kind of life where I have people who are paid to pre-warm and pre-moisten my towels for me.
Posts: 10397 | Registered: Jun 2005
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quote:Originally posted by Tante Shvester: Eh, I think savagery is low class. Tolerance and forbearance are high class.
Oh, and hot damp towels. I once got bumped to first class and they gave me hot damp towels. In my regular low class existence towels are only hot when I pluck them from the dryer, and damp when I'm done using them after my shower. It would be nice to lead the kind of life where I have people who are paid to pre-warm and pre-moisten my towels for me.
Your comment reminded me of the guy at the end of this commercial. I think its funny
posted
I am assuming your friend, if he is your friend, speaks English as a first language? If so, I don't know what to say. People are weird.
Edit: you were, of course, wrong to say anything. Manners dictate that you seethe inwardly in a polite and psychologically unhealthy way. You may, however, plan to slip a noxious fluid into his "low class" beverage.
Posts: 1332 | Registered: Apr 2005
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posted
Tante: You'll notice I said "almost came to savagery." I was able to keep myself in check and respond as politely as possible. I believe I said something along the lines of, "You might want to keep the 'low class' talk down, cause it's making people kinda mad." I thought that was pretty good for the time.
BB: I would agree with you completely if he had said something like 'this is what you get when you fly economy,' or 'this is what you get when you don't fly first class.' He would have been wrong, of course, seeing as how we were standing in the security line and it had nothing to do with our seats. I would have also thought it rude, but wouldn't have said anything. It was the "low class" part. That, to me, insinuates that if these are the only tickets you can afford, then you must be low class. That's how I took it and how everyone around us took it.
Posts: 2596 | Registered: Jan 2006
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posted
Flying is expensive. Even flying economy. I don't understand how by any reach of the imagination somebody could consider it low class. If the same comments were said about riding greyhound, I would still think it incredibly rude, but the comment would at least make sense.
Posts: 1947 | Registered: Aug 2002
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posted
Of course, class and wealth have never been the same thing, even in the plutocratic U.S.A. For example, high ranking military officers are, at least here in San Antonio, considered upper class, despite being paid much less than other upper class professions. Ditto university professors.
Amanecer, depending on were one lives, flying can be cheaper than the bus or train. Not generaly the case in the U.S., but very much true in the U.K.
Posts: 1332 | Registered: Apr 2005
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My little family (me, H., our 2 year old) went to Japan. The Japanese airport staff were so nice! They brought us carts, they helped with our boy, they gave him toys, they made sure we had a comfy chair on the plane so Toshi wouldn't go crazy and bother other people.
Every worker was smiling on the plane. It was very pleasant.
When we got to LA, the airport staff had sticks that I thought were cattle prods that they waved as they directed us in masculine angry voices to keep moving. It felt like we were in a herd of cows with angry cowgirls bellowing at us to move along. Posts: 2445 | Registered: Oct 2004
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posted
I dunno, I once had to sit on the runway for 5 hours. 3 of those hours were spent in coach and 2 in first class. I have to say that the first class was decidedly more comfortable.
Of course, I never would've payed for it. Economy may be low class, but paying that much for First Class is (in my humble, college student budget opinion) stupid.
Posts: 2827 | Registered: Jul 2005
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quote:How can anyone justify spending hundreds of extra dollars to be *slightly* more comfortable for a few hours.
How tall are you? For people over six feet tall, buisness class is far more comfortable than coach. I don't know precisely how rich I would have to be for me to be willing to pay for buisness class, but it's a level I can imagine.
Posts: 16551 | Registered: Feb 2003
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posted
I never really thought of the difference between First Class and Coach. Frankly, put me in a window seat and I might as well be in first class. I can be entertained for hours if I can just look out the window and enjoy the land passing below me in an array of colors and shapes. Except the ocean. That is just boring.
As for my reaction? Probably would have laughed at the clueless idiot.
Posts: 2207 | Registered: Oct 2003
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quote:How can anyone justify spending hundreds of extra dollars to be *slightly* more comfortable for a few hours.
How tall are you? For people over six feet tall, buisness class is far more comfortable than coach. I don't know precisely how rich I would have to be for me to be willing to pay for buisness class, but it's a level I can imagine.
I would LOVE to be able to pay for business class, just for long flights. Gah, there is no room for my legs. It's okay if I'm just going to be flying for a few hours, but across the Atlantic? Not so much.
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