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Galley Gossip: Lost in first class
I answered the phone, "This is Heather."
An exasperated voice asked, "Is he back there?"
"Yeah, he's here, hold on." I shrugged my shoulders and handed the phone to the one in charge, a tall, tough-looking guy with a goatee. Don't let the looks fool you. He's really sweet and mushy inside.
"What!" he exclaimed, holding the phone to his ear. He rolled his eyes. "There's a child lost in first class," he said, and that's all he said, hanging up the phone and making his way up the aisle to sort the matter out.
Of course the first thing that went through my mind was a visual of a very young child running through the first class cabin causing a ruckus. I figured the parents were asleep in coach and totally oblivious to the child's whereabouts. I mean what else could it be?
Once while deadheading on a flight years ago, I felt something strange moving between my ankles. When I looked down, I gasped. Oh my. There on the floor crawled an infant - right out from underneath my seat! I picked up the baby, cradled her in my arms, and turned around. Behind me slept a young lady. I spotted what looked like a diaper bag lying on the seat beside her.
"Excuse me," I said, tapping her on the bony shoulder. I held out the infant. "Is this yours?"
She nodded, took the baby into her own arms, leaned her head against the side wall, and closed her eyes.
Leesa, a Gadling reader (and soon to be flight attendant), wrote and told me about her experience with not just a lost child, but a child traveling with a parent who might as well have been lost, considering he knew no boundaries, another common occurrence on flights these days...
Once last year while on a Qantas flight back to the US from SYD, we were lucky enough to have one of the exit rows on a 747 where you have like 6 feet of wonderful leg room. Ahhhh, so nice. Anyhow, this man had his 2 year old screaming child for 2 hours dancing and singing right in front of us - in OUR leg room. Of course the crew was busy working so we were given an up close and rather unwanted performance RIGHT in our very coveted leg space!!! Hey, we booked early for those seats!!! The nerve!
I know this might be hard for some of you to believe, but no one wants to play with your child. So please do not assume that just because your little bundle of joy is adorable and smart that we all want to share our space with him or her. Nor does anyone want to watch your child making laps around the airplane. Now I'm not talking about walking up and down the aisle doing the bouncy bounce to make baby stop crying, or the quick lap around to get the blood flowing (just make sure the seat belt sign is not on), I'm talking about the trek from coach, through business class, all the way up to first class, and around again. People pay big money for those premium class seats and they do not want to be disturbed by you or your adorable little monster, which is why when the flight attendant in charge got the call, I assumed - we all assumed - there was just another child making the rounds.
Hey, it happens. But it's our job to keep it from happening.
Unfortunately, in this case, there was nothing to stop from happening, because the child turned out to be a teenager, a very well mannered one, and the teenager happened to be looking for her father who was supposed to be sitting in first class while the rest of the family sat in coach. His empty seat had apparently been unoccupied the entire flight. No one had noticed. Immediately the purser grabbed the paperwork and sure enough, we really were missing a passenger in first class, and we were three hours into the flight.
Turns out the father had decided to run and get something to read at the bookstore prior to departure while the rest of the family boarded the aircraft and took their seats in main cabin. Because they were in coach and he was (supposed to be) in first class, they had no idea he never made it back in time. Can you imagine his face when he got to the gate and found the plane, along with his family, had departed to New York without him?
Which brings me to the lesson of the day. Passengers, do be on time! The airplane will not wait for you, even when you're seated in first class. Flight attendants, do not assume anything, especially when it comes to passengers. Just when you think you've seen it all, something new happens.
Photos courtesy of (little girl) artolog (first class seat) Richard Moross
Filed under: Galley Gossip
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
Bill Mar 12th 2009 11:48AM
Wow -- what a great dad, to book his family back with the herd, while he's up in first class. One hopes his family has more to discuss, with him, than the fact he missed the flight.
Heather Poole Mar 12th 2009 5:32PM
You never know what's going on - my husband will travel in first class for business and sometimes at the last minute I'll tag along with him - in coach. My choice!
Katie Mar 12th 2009 12:50PM
I want to say, I really appreciate parents who take the time and energy to control their children on airplanes. I flew from Portland to San Jose over the holidays and getting onto the plane late in the evening, I cringed when I realized a couple with a three-year-old was sitting behind me. However, when they sat down, the parents both made it clear that the little girl wasn't to touch or kick my seat, that the little girl must talk in an indoor voice, and that the little girl must stay seated. Then they did a wonderful job of keeping her preoccupied throughout the flight so that she stayed on her best behavior. I was so happy, I wanted to turn around and thank them for being so courteous.
Heather Poole Mar 12th 2009 5:31PM
Next time tell them! I'm sure they'd love to hear it. Whenever I travel with my son (he's 2) I always enjoy it when people compliment him.
Jeremy Mar 12th 2009 12:55PM
Maybe the father was on a businesstrip and his ticket was paid by the company. First class is expensive if you have to shell out the money for those seats. But decide to have a biz trip combine with a short holiday with his family. If I am going to nyc i would rather spend my money useful then on firstclass seats.
Kim Mar 12th 2009 6:05PM
Comments like herd from coach should be avoided after all the herds pay your salary. By the way a very good salary for a waitres.
drew Mar 12th 2009 8:31PM
I totally agree with the 'herd' comment however, your comment was just as inappropriate. I spent two months training to become a 'waitres' and 90% of the course was emergency training and 10% was on the service aspect. Each year we spend 3 days writing exams and performing emergency drills, which, if I fail, means that I'm removed from my job. I hope that you always fly safely and never have the chance to see us performing our primary function: saving lives in emergencies.
Kim Mar 13th 2009 8:33AM
Now I made my point. See how a silly comment can hurt somebody. I ment no offense to you but I am one of those 'herd' who flies on your airline.
chris Mar 13th 2009 4:55PM
not really. our biggest sales are in cargo and international business class. the only reason you call us over paid waitresses is because you are jealous. out of several hundred people who showed up to interview when i did for the job they only picked three. the rest wore blue jeans, shorts and other clothes that i would not have interviewed in for mcdonalds.
Kim Mar 13th 2009 6:24PM
Chris, I myself hire people on a daily basis for positions that need at least one university degree. Your comment is out of line and I am sure your superior does not even know that this is your attitude online and in real life. Good for you that your biggest sales does not relate to conversing with people because I am sure you would not make it. I flew many times business class but fortenutely with airlines that hire more decent people. Oops, did that hurt your petty feelings? I hope it did and this is my last reply on this petty topic. Shame on you and shame on the company that hires people with your attitude.
masanddjs Mar 15th 2009 2:03AM
No offense, Chris, but from the looks of the flight attendants I've seen lately, there is definitely nothing to be jealous of, lol....you don't have to be attractive to be efficient. The days of hiring only the "good looking" ones, are long over. So even if your "3 out of several hundred" story IS true, it doesn't mean that you were picked based on your appearance
bluegirl Mar 15th 2009 3:47PM
Hey Kim,
It's spelled waitress not waitres. I actually am a flight attendant and I am a waitress at a restaurant. I make more money being a waitress with a lot less responsibility! My training with the airlines didn't even cover service until the last day. Flight attendants should have customer service skills, and we are there to make the flight as pleasant as we can. But, our first concern is always safety. I'm sorry that you were offended by Heather's comment, but you are just as bad by insulting a job that you obviously know nothing about!
Kim Mar 15th 2009 5:14PM
Bluegirl, thank you for correcting my spelling mistake, this is my third language so mistakes often creep in.
It is not so much what she/he said as how she/he said it. I am not here to insult anybody but neiher do I accept insults on blogs. You have to remember what you write in a public blog is for all to see, and even more for all to react to if they feel like it.
I do understand that safety is part of the training, all travellers are aware of that even before the enter the plane.
And by the way I actually gave some training to a team of 'older' more seasoned flight attendants and I asure you the language used by your fellow attendants on this website would not even cross their mind.
It is nice to see that there are flight attendants than can write in a non-offensive way to bring their point across.
frank96 Mar 18th 2009 9:41AM
Kim said...
Comments like herd from coach should be avoided after all the herds pay your salary. By the way a very good salary for a waitres.
=================================
herd
1. a number of animals kept, feeding, or traveling together; drove; flock: a herd of cattle; a herd of sheep; a herd of zebras.
2. Sometimes Disparaging. a large group of people: The star was mobbed by a herd of autograph seekers.
3. any large quantity: a herd of bicycles.
4. the herd, the common people; masses; rabble: He had no opinions of his own, but simply followed the herd.
SOUNDS PRETTY ACCURATE TO ME
LawyerChick Mar 12th 2009 7:58PM
Jeremy is absolutely right - my sister and I have traveled to Asia with my dad like that - he was in 1st, paid by the company, and we were in coach. I would rather have gone in coach than not gone at all!
This reminds me of an inflight announcement that woke me up on a LAX-JFK redeye: "Would the owner of the chihuahua please push your flight attendant call button. Your dog is loose in the cabin."
Traytable Mar 13th 2009 8:59AM
Sorry but I have to disagree with Leesa, if you didn't pay extra for that ' 6 feet of legroom' then it's not yours... the crew can park carts there in turbulence, or sit in their seats (which would reduce 'your' legroom also)
sure, a screaming child is annoying, but where else to go on a 747? More often than not, there's a toilet line near the lavs, we all know how the crew hate having people hang around the galley or crew areas, and sitting in the seat with a kicking toddler is just as an unpleasant option as well. The only real place to stand up is in the door areas where there is more room. Perhaps the father had been trying to keep the child quiet but got embarrassed by the looks of disgust he was likely getting so went for a walk?
If it was only 2 hours out of a SYD-LAX I'd say you were pretty lucky! If it bothered you that much, there's nothing stopping you from asking the crew to get the parent to move. As a flight attendant, you'll be dealing with the ' annoying' a lot... get used to it now :P Yes crying kids can be annoying, but a lot of the time there's just nothing that can be done- believe me, I've seen them try!
Richard Mar 13th 2009 12:03PM
I hope the daughter slipped into the empty first class seat and enjoyed the rest of the flight.
fivestartt Mar 13th 2009 1:09PM
Okay - when did this happen? This must be an old story. (Interesting, though...)
It was my understanding that the plane would not have left the gate without the guy unless no one in the entire party checked luggage, according to security procedures.
I suppose if everyone in the family had carry-on, this might have happened...
Peri Mar 13th 2009 2:20PM
I"d like to know the answer, too. I was told that planes were not to leave with unattended baggage, and that is why you hear passengers being paged when the plane is getting ready to push back. This sounds like a perfect scenario for a terrorist...or a man wanting to rid himself from his family and start over.
I've also had my luggage put on wrong flights and had to wait for it at my destination. Again, if they are matching it up with us, how can that be. Scary.
Heather Poole Mar 13th 2009 6:27PM
It was a recent flight - about two months ago. The only explanation I can come up with is the family ran their tickets through the machine, which showed them all as having boarded the flight, and then the father must have slipped out of line unnoticed by the agents during the chaotic boarding time. Or maybe they didn't check luggage. ???