Pressing the call button

[BadgerBoi]

In some awkward cramped Y seats I've been known to elbow the call button by accident on occassion. Of course that's when the FAs actually do come...

I must admit to enjoying these occasional insights as to what happens on The Other Side of the Curtain

 

[dajop]

Whether I use the call button (on medium-long hauls) does depend on whether the staff are regularly "patrolling" the cabin, or disappear completely after the meal service. If the former, I tend to not use the call button so much. If the latter, particularly if not occupying an aisle seat, the call button (in theory) can come in handy. Although , unsurprisingly there also tends to be a correlation, if it is the type of airline or staff where they disappear they often will respond after 5 mins with daggers out .... but on the "patrolling the cabin" type airlines a call button request tends to be met with a warm and immediate response.

 

[TomVexille]

I think Air NZ has this feature on its new 777s.

Doesn't Virgin America have a system like that?

And on at least some A320s

NZ does have this system built into the IFE, as does VX. In fact I've even read somewhere (might have been AFF) that a VX FA refused to bring someone a coke until he ordered it through the seatback screen.

As for using the call button. It all depends on the airline I'm on.

 

[straitman]

:shock:

another enhancement!! I'm already quite happy with the service from the F drinks menu thank you very much.

.... even when you are not flying in 'F' :!:

 

[MEL_Traveller]

I don't usually press the call button.
When I flew JAL in Dec I was shooed away from the galley and asked to use the call button. On last months CX flight I was asked in the galley if my call button wasn't working.
Fair to say I have now gotten over my awkwardness

Ahhh... QF has the best of both (for a change)... don't answer the call button AND get a sour look when you go to the galley

 

[JohnK]

If the cabin crew regularly patrol the cabin there isn't much need for the call button.

Personally I like to go for a walk but what appears to happen more and more these days is the lights are turned off in the cabin even on day flights and cabin crew disappears. In that type of situation I would use the call button 2-3 times.

 

[vertisol]

I think my record was 4 presses in an attempt to get an infants seat belt as promised at the front door upon embarking. Each time met with "of course" but no one returned.. I finally got one when the CSM came back through on a mission for something else, spotted our loose child and asked us to put #1 son into the infants seatbelt. At least it gave me an opportunity to explain how the previous 10 minutes had unfolded.

After that we were quite well looked after, I've never had so many offers of pillows...

 

[markis10]

I have been on a few flights where the button seemed not to work, recently EK ex SIN was one example. I have also been on flights were they were faulty, with one memorable occasion a false alarm every few minutes.

 

[drron]

In some awkward cramped Y seats I've been known to elbow the call button by accident on occassion. Of course that's when the FAs actually do come...

Doesn't have to be Y.I have done it when trying to sleep in J on QF and once in F on AA.

 

[TonyHancock]

.... even when you are not flying in 'F' :!:

They taste even better when sitting in Y!!

 

[Ewing]

In 2 weeks I will reach 30 years old without ever having pressed a call button.

I do however love the system on NZ where you can order drinks/etc from your screen

 

[Mal]

Oh I've pressed it on certain airlines and recognise the scowl and / or disdain that I get on certain airlines. How dare I disturb the precious staffers. Approaching the galley can be just as dangerous. If you disturb some gossip sessions, you will be blacklisted for the rest of the flight.

 

[serfty]

In 2 weeks I will reach 30 years old without ever having pressed a call button.

I do however love the system on NZ where you can order drinks/etc from your screen

When it is turned on and they pay attention to it.

In the early days when Air new Zealand introduced it, after a honeymoon peeps the crew seemed to develop a level of resentment and the times it was available began to shrink.

 

[suze2000]

I have a friend who's a pilot and she describes the FAs as "doing the forehead walk" - where they walk down the aisles and look just above people's heads to avoid making eye contact, and thus avoid having to actually serve them. To circumvent this, I wave my hand in the air. They can't ignore THAT.

 

[boomy]

I have a friend who's a pilot and she describes the FAs as "doing the forehead walk" - where they walk down the aisles and look just above people's heads to avoid making eye contact, and thus avoid having to actually serve them. To circumvent this, I wave my hand in the air. They can't ignore THAT.

Or you can stench your leg into the aisle and see what happens

 

[Happy Trails]

Or you can stench your leg into the aisle and see what happens

I think they would turn their nose up at that.

 

[AIRwin]

I think they would turn their nose up at that.

Or fall flat on their nose?

 

[seanpodge]

I don't see what the problem is. If airlines don't like it I'm sure that they could have them disabled or uninstalled. It's probably much better to use it at night, when you don't want to disturb other, usually sleeping, passengers, especially if you're not in the aisle seat and the cabin crew isn't doing regular patrols, probably for similar reasons.

The call button is there for a reason!

Exactly. As long as you're not going over the top with it, then there's no reason why passengers can't use it to ask for some water, a snack, et cetera. Personally, as someone who likes the window seat but forced to fly in Y, it can be more polite to my seatmate(s) than climbing over them just for a glass of water. If I was in the aisle and close to the galley though, most of the time the FAs are casual enough to let you walk up and ask. On a UA flight they even let you just stroll on in and take whatever you wanted.

In some awkward cramped Y seats I've been known to elbow the call button by accident on occassion. Of course that's when the FAs actually do come...

Some of the earlier model AVOD remotes had the call button rather poorly positioned and made it very easy to press the call button by accident. Flying a bit with SQ recently, I've noticed that their remote is now stowed in the seatback and the call button is slightly recessed to prevent such issues.

 

[PLANT]

Yes I have read the thread......In business VA pressed and surprised how bloody long it took to get to me that was AU-LA!
Also pressed in Premium and still long time to arrive.
No one in the galley in Premium....what am I paying for in Business grrrrrr.
They are there and should be answered pronto.....otherwise why have them?