General attitude towards lounge service staff

[Pushka]

I leave a box at the front desk - just to say thank you. Its big enough to share.

Thankyou for ..... Allowing me access to something I've paid for?

Still curious. Where does this stop?

I've never seen anyone hand over anything to the CSM. So I'm thinking it's a rare thing. Of course it's lovely to do this but is it just a "plane thing" because otherwise in life's daily activities I'd have to carry a trunk of choccies with me.

 

[Buzzard]

Thankyou for ..... Allowing me access to something I've paid for?

Still curious. Where does this stop?

I've never seen anyone hand over anything to the CSM. So I'm thinking it's a rare thing. Of course it's lovely to do this but is it just a "plane thing" because otherwise in life's daily activities I'd have to carry a trunk of choccies with me.

Mrs B and I have had comments from CSMs that they have been flying for over 20 years and never been given anything so I guess you are right.

 

[Ausbt]

I always make a point of thanking all lounge staff I come into contact with, and clearly it's appreciated. It pays off too - I've had staff come around and offer to refill drinks for me. It's just common courtesy to be thankful and the shmucks that don't probably also don't realise how much they are despised by their colleagues/family/servants.

It's the same in my office - those people who walk into the kitchen and don't say hello - hey guess what losers, you are toast! We'll take you down at the first opportunity. But I digress. Just be nice, you never know when you are going to need to cash in those brownie-points.

 

[Aussie_flyer]

Welcome to planet Earth. Some people are rude

 

[Warks]

Welcome to planet Earth. Some people are rude

I think we all know that. We'd all like to think that most people aren't though. Sometimes I wonder...

 

[DC3]

I'm curious. Why give out Lindt chocolates to lounge staff? Its lovely but surely just being polite is enough?

..... because we can?

 

[harvyk]

I always make a point of saying my pleases and thank you's, but I have noticed that there is certainly a percentage of the lounge community who doesn't.

In fact I've noticed a general trend in the community full stop. The more "important" a person feels they are the less likely they are to have courtesy towards whom they consider minions. The really ironic thing is most of the time, the people who are actually important are also very courteous. It's sort of like a bell curve.

 

[OATEK]

I always make a point of saying my pleases and thank you's, but I have noticed that there is certainly a percentage of the lounge community who doesn't.

In fact I've noticed a general trend in the community full stop. The more "important" a person feels they are the less likely they are to have courtesy towards whom they consider minions. The really ironic thing is most of the time, the people who are actually important are also very courteous. It's sort of like a bell curve.

When I am confronted with someone who obviously believes they are more important, and should be able to push-in (whether in the lounge or elsewhere) I often find myself saying: "Sorry, I do find it hard at times to determine if other people ARE more important or merely self important! Yours is a case in point."

I get some interesting responses when they have understood what I said, but often it goes "straight through to the keeper"!

 

[Warks]

I knew there were studies on this and was looking for a specific one when I found this story.

Upper class people are more likely to behave selfishly, studies suggest | Science | theguardian.com

There's more to it than this bit but it was the one that chimed with me. As a driver and a walker I experience a lot of this behaviour. Still some of those who drive flash cars are obviously still nice people.

In the first of the studies, researchers concealed themselves close to a crossroads in the Bay Area of San Francisco and spied on drivers who were expected to stop and wait their turn before driving on. Whenever a car arrived at the junction, the scientists ranked the driver's class on a scale of one to five according to the model, age and appearance of the car.On average, 12.4% of the observed drivers failed to wait their turn and cut in front of other road users. Those in the less classy cars cut people up less than 10% of the time, but drivers in the most prestigious cars did so around one third of the time.
The researchers next recorded whether drivers stopped for a person who tried to walk across the junction using a pedestrian crossing. Drivers of the cheapest and oldest cars were most likely to slow down and give way, followed by those in average quality cars. But those in the most prestigious cars drove on regardless of the pedestrian around 45% of the time.

 

[cmon0005]

When I am confronted with someone who obviously believes they are more important, and should be able to push-in (whether in the lounge or elsewhere) I often find myself saying: "Sorry, I do find it hard at times to determine if other people ARE more important or merely self important! Yours is a case in point." !

I experienced something similar in the MEL F lounge a few weekends ago, myself and +1 were waiting at the entrance to the F lounge dining area, we were greeted and were told it would be about 3-4 mins for the staff to clear and clean the table next to the window. We thanked the staff member and stood patiently, meanwhile your typical DYKWIA waltzed past us, went straight for the empty table that the staff were cleaning for us and started to sit down.
Then Karma came into play, with the staff member saying sorry Sir you will have to wait for a table like everyone else, this one is already allocated to the people (us) waiting over there.
The staff member then thanked us for being so patient and commented that people like him are in the lounge everyday unfortunately for them and for other courteous pax who have to deal with them.

He then had to go sit on the lounge/coffee table next to us, and boy did we get dirty looks. oh well good things come to people who wait, nice window seat, with sun streaming in, eating amazing Eggs benedict and sweet corn fritters!

 

[leadman]

My first boss i started to travel with 20 odd years ago was one of the worst I have ever come across. A period where the lounges just started to appear he effectively demanded table service, never offering a thank you or please. Often getting into arguments because he was not being served, and getting away with it! But it was even worse in the air; travelling in J/F the mode of communication for his "gin and tonic(s)" was to click his fingers to the attendants! I was often ashamed, but i always made sure the staff knew i didn't believe in his methods, increasing the decibels in my "thank you" and "please".

 

[Pushka]

..... because we can?

Of course. There's lots of things in life we can do but don't do.

Like I said, I always say please, Thankyou and clear the plates in the lounge so it's not messy.

If I thanked everyone I come into contact with a box of chocolates I'd be lugging around a sack of chocolates. I'm just wondering why the need particularly here.

 

[ozbeachbabe]

My first boss i started to travel with 20 odd years ago was one of the worst I have ever come across. A period where the lounges just started to appear he effectively demanded table service, never offering a thank you or please. Often getting into arguments because he was not being served, and getting away with it! But it was even worse in the air; travelling in J/F the mode of communication for his "gin and tonic(s)" was to click his fingers to the attendants! I was often ashamed, but i always made sure the staff knew i didn't believe in his methods, increasing the decibels in my "thank you" and "please".

What a shocker. As the saying goes "you can tell a lot about a man (or woman) by the way he treats somebody he doesn't need".

 

[harvyk]

What a shocker. As the saying goes "you can tell a lot about a man (or woman) by the way he treats somebody he doesn't need".

I do believe there is an interview technique where you have the interview at a restaurant or cafe and monitor the persons interaction with the wait staff.

 

[jetlagger]

I also notice how ill mannered some people are in certain lounges. So many times not even a simple thank you or appreciative gesture towards the lounge staff for the drink or table clearing service.
Quite rude really.
I also notice how many people can't even be bothered to mention a thank you when deplaning on many full service long haul airlines. The crew have been usually working very hard to please the passengers & many people I have witnessed just walk off glancing toward the floor without even a simple thank you gesture.
Certainly & evidently, not a very good upbringing &/or example to their children often following behind.

 

[JohnK]

Being polite uses up too much energy. Much easier to be rude.

Oh and society accepted rudeness right from the time it started drumming into young people that it was OK to be themselves without needing to follow rules or stereotypes.

 

[Pushka]

I do get tired of the "being themselves" reason for nasty behaviours. Not just from young people either.

 

[TonyHancock]

Please and Thank You.....cost nothing...worth a fortune.

 

[NFF]

Not getting acknowledged didn't bother me when I was working behind the counter. I didn't take it personally.

 

[drron]

Everyone is human.There is no excuse for being rude.My greatest compliment ever was from my son in Maitland-"dad why do you know every homeless person".
Basically because you treat everyone the same.