Boorish passenger behavior doesn’t just happen on board the aircraft. It happens into the supposedly rarified air of airline members’ only clubs. But just as passengers have gotten worse in the air, as air travel has democratized, so too has behavior inside the lounges.
In airport lounges people shovel food and drink into their bags, and stick their feet up on the furniture, going to sleep on couches, and generally acting as though these ‘nicer’ spaces are U.N.-administered refugee camps.
One airline passenger saw another’s behavior, and decided to take reform into their own hands. The man was laying down with his feet up on a couch inside a United Airlines club. And that’s verboten.
There are two reasons everyone should know that feet don’t belong on the furniture inside an airport United Club:
- Anyone alive after 1982 should know the simple maxim: “No Shirt, No Shoes, No Dice”
- United actually has signs that instruct passengers not to put their feet on the club furniture.
As this passenger pondered what to do he considered waking up the man “gently” and asking him to remove his feet from the sofa, and he considered pointing out the behavior to club staff.
Instead he came up with something better. He moved the no shoes allowed sign onto the couch this man was sleeping on and took a photo.
Credit: Ari
What would you do if you saw a passenger sleeping with their feet on the furniture in an airport lounge?
Some of you might defend the man, but (1) it’s explicitly not allowed – lounges aren’t nap rooms; (2) he’s taking up more space than necessary inside a lounge and lounges have gotten crowded; and (3) you probably wouldn’t do this at the home of an acquaintance?
I always grab a couple waters and a sugar free Red Bull from the Flagship Lounge for my flights. Didn’t know this was frowned upon?? Sometimes a few pieces of candy too. I also just got CK. So I’m new to Flagship access.
There’s a small town with a few busybody complainers that constantly talk to the city council. As a result, the city council has passed lots of legislation banning stuff. You can get fined if you leave your garbage can 24 hours (so if the pick up is early morning on Tuesday, if you put it out at 1 pm Monday, you can be fined at 1:01 pm on Tuesday). They are also trying to ban leaf blowers. They ban cutting trees or impose huge costs. They want speeding traps. They ban many types of fences. If they ran the United Club, the man in the socks would be executed.
I’m not sure how the sleeping guy will ever see this picture of himself, unless he subscribes to Gary’s column. ??
@Michael – I was more referring to something like this https://viewfromthewing.com/watch-passengers-first-class-lounge-stuff-20-cans-beer-chips-bags/
Grab a bottle of water on the way out no problem.
@derek: Please give a referral.
@Derek. A woman noticed a lot of speeding going on in her neighborhood. She called the police to complain. A couple of days later she was running late and got caught in her own speed trap.
The average traveler nowadays is a clueless, fatuous boor. Banging others with their leaden backpacks, muffin tops showing over their polyester yoga pants or sweatpants while mindlessly surfing facebook for the latest one-sentence news story.
I get the upgraded coach seat which is suppose to come with food. Lately it’s about 50% of the time so I take a banana apple or some snacks with me.
“…as air travel has democratized” Off topic, but I’ve seen more travel folk using that language and yet I fail to see how air travel has become more “democratized.”
How is the democratic process involved in flying? Do we vote on pilots? Flight attendants? Who sits in first/business/coach class? Was air travel previously authoritarian — with government officials choosing who can or can’t fly? If anything, we’re arguably more authoritarian now (post 9/11).
Air travel is certainly cheaper, meaning it’s more open to people of all income levels, but that’s not the same as more democratic.
Hello all,
Once again as society continues the race to the bottom, we are seeing this behavior more and more.
It would really help if management would take charge and do the job they are hired for.
In a five star hotel last month, we called the front desk as the smell of dope was drifting down the halls and into the rooms. Reply was there wasn’t much they could do but they would “look into it”.
I traveled to China 1990s, and I remember this types of behaviors at Shanghai Rail Stations. Now the stations nowdays are state of the art in China, but in the 90s they were still almost WW2 surviving station. Traveler with large travel bad, sleeping outside stations, smoking, spitting, and clipping for nails were commons. Wow, never suspect people in US airports are getting to be like that now too.
Not defending this particular person. I had been on a 30 hour flight thru 4 airports, that in the last one, I just passed out in the lounge, not knowing in which part of the world I was. So I c/wouldn’t pass judgment w/o knowing the circumstances.
WORDS RELATED TO DEMOCRATIZE
adjust, even up, communize, compare, coordinate, emulate, equal, equate, establish, even, handicap, level, match, parallel, regularize, rival, smooth, socialize, square, standardize
Based on the above, I believe Gary’s use of the term, relative to air travel, is appropriate.
@ Gary. LOL! You nailed it. “generally acting as though these ‘nicer’ spaces are U.N.-administered refugee camps.” I’m reminded of the woman in the LHR Admirals Club loading up, and I mean Major League loading up, not some Rookie act, with EVERYTHING being offered.
@L3. I suspect that would be Lakeway and/or The Hills, TX. We get a tad bit fixated (anal) about some of these City/HOA/POA ordinances and rules. But most residents seem to appreciate the consistency in enforcing rules.
I cannot understand that in such a clear cut case of Club rules violation, that the Staff would not (gently) waken the client, to inform him of the necessity of not lying down on the couch…space which is designated for seating, not sleeping.
Wow. Looks like Indian Airports. Except that the Guy would be a local politician and you cannot do much here.
A red-hatter…’nuff said.
That’s one of the many reasons I don’t go to airport lounges…. Too crowded and takes too much time. I’d rather spend the money and just grab a chair at the Chilli’s, or other chain restaurant like place at the airport.
To be candid, I don’t know why people visit the lounge any more.
Gross! But please say The man was lying down, not laying down.
I’m about to cancel both my Citi Aadvantage Executive card and my Chase United card. Both have lounge privileges. Neither are worth it. Yes, lounge staff are extremely helpful during IRROPS or weather – IF you can get one to help. Lounges are short staffed. My recent AA flight at IAH has a mechanical. The lounge staff were overwhelmed and the line was out the door. No luck getting a live human on the ExPlat hotline. I just sat in the terminal and waited. Why pay money for lounge access?
@Daffy. What is a “red hatter?” Please enlighten me. I’m eager to learn how you can determine the value of a human by the color of a hat.
Most miss the actual point and resulting reactions for such behavior, to wit; it is always a small proportion of the populace that commit these “infractions”, and, as a result, sometimes draconian measures are put into place which affect everyone in negative ways. In other words, common sense and decorum are no longer found as businesses chase the all mighty dollar.
Just hide the guy’s shoes.
@Ron Lichtenstein. There you go ! We have a winner. 🙂
If an east coast dude is in California for a day and is exhausted while waiting for a red-eye in a non-crowded club at 10:30pm…..I’ll allow it. But yeah, the opposite (10am in a crowded club for example)….nah, not ok…
MIA and some other clubs have quiet rooms with reclining chairs for the purpose of….resting
@DFWSteve
“Red Hatter” = self entitled Trump snowflake.
I would leave the man get his sleep and mind my own maybe he’s really tired . Maybe he missed his flight or whatever reason leave him alone. My flight was canceled from Anchorage to Houston and had to wait on a bench at the airport. I wish I had a sofa to sleep on like that made it 30 hrs later to my bed .
When you have commercial jets run by computers, with nothing attaching control surfaces to what the pilot holds in his hand but electric wires, some guy putting his feet on the furniture is the least of your problems.
You should some a few drops of real coffee cream on his socks, so it starts to sour and his feet will stink.
Rookie mistake. That’s why I always put my feet on the pillows I stole from the airplane, instead of directly on the furniture.
My socks are as clean as your rear end sitting on the couch.
vodkasmoothie – cute, really sage advice…..
I remember when traveling by air was nice. People dressed appropriately, the stewards/stewardesses were all very nice. Now air travel is like traveling on a greyhound bus. People wearing pajamas, slides and I have seen curlers as well. There is hardly any decorum any more. The language and behavior of some is horrible. I like the good old days. When parents actually taught their children respect, correct behavior and manners.
a small percentage of travelers are selfish and/or ignorant (maybe cannot even read the sign?).
same thing happens on the railroad where the policy is “keep your feet off the seat!”
the lounge staff should police this, much like flight crew does (or should do) onboard a plane.
taking some food (equivalent to a meal if none are being served in flight) is not out of line — maybe as a guideline, no more than one can carry in hand(s) vs what can fit in one’s carry on luggage?
and folks, let’s try to keep politics out of this — red, blue and purple all have gross members.
Ooooooh, he sure taught the sleepy guy a lesson he won’t be sure to forget! I abet the sleepy guy was thanking his lucky stars that Mr. Tough enforcer stopped short of writing him a sternly worded letter!
Why is it that when a female does the same exact thing in a public place, no one bats an eye.
But when a guy does that, the world is coming to an end.
(Not being sexist or anything … Just saying.)
Michael: If you’re flying first or business anyway, if you don’t grab a Red Bull on the way out, you’ll get all you can drink on the plane. I don’t know what the author has in mind, and I’d see a problem with people grabbing a large amount of food, possibly to give to someone else outside the lounge. But I don’t think that grabbing a can of something is the issue.
As for lounges getting crowded, that’s true of some airlines, but blaming the passengers isn’t the solution. It’s not a place to sleep, but better lounges will have quiet rooms for individuals to rest.
Ref: HOA/Code Enforcers
Never forget that the infamous BTK, whose real name was Dennis Rader, was a code enforcement officer for his municipality. He was well known for using a ruler to measure people’s grass and finding something wrong with the property of people he did not like.
Just sayin’…
Unfortunately it’s just another example of why we can’t have nice things.
At least, probably until 2024 or early 2025, when many of the travelling dregs that acquired premium credit cards that afforded lounge access are attrioned away.
I’m not an elitist. I just grew up with travel manners and an appreciation of everyone’s right to a decent experience.
You can put 2-star people in a 5-star place but that doesn’t mean they’ll act like 5-star people.
Feet on the couch? How about the people that crap and urinate on the toilet seats, don’t flush so we can all ooh and ahh over their work, and also don’t leave any toilet paper in the un-flushed bowl with their trophy? I’m sure they don’t wash their hands either. Just putting those sock covered feet into perspective. But then again, I’ve never seen a sign in any lounge bathroom that says “Don’t act like an animal.”
All I have to say is…thank God for socks.
USA trash People. Only Mainland Chinese are worse than these slobs.
Disgusting behavior
Give his shoes to the admission desk attendant.
“Ron Lichtenstein”. Hiding the shoes. Excellent idea!! “Daffy” not going to reply to you “DFW Steve” because he doesn’t have a response as to how the color of someone’s hat determines they’re behavior. It was just a mindless post.
I have a priority pass to premium lounges. Each one of these lounges have small areas with Lazy Boy lounge chairs where you can take your shoes off and stretch out and sleep. My Airline trips from the USA to Thailand are often 30 hours in length. I really appreciate priority past premium lounges have showers where I can change clothes and brush my teeth. And I’m always stretching out taking off my shoes and taking a nap LOL what the hell is a premium Lounge for?
You don’t see this behavior where lounges come with business class seats and above, instead of being packaged with credit cards.
@Lars: lol my thoughts exactly. This was all about virtue-signaling by the person who took the pic (and vicariously by Gary). It does zero to address either the immediate issue or long-term behavior. Simply asking staff to rectify it would’ve worked.
Leaving the “No feet on the furniture sign” close to the offender is a gentle and not so subtle way of letting this jackass know his actions are not appreciated. However, anyone so crude will simply ignore it again and simply walk away after his nap. Here’s a better idea: Next time grab his shoes and deposit them in the nearest trash bin in the way out of the lounge.
Having year-round access to both Delta and United clubs, I no longer use the clubs (except maybe the LAX United Club) because of the severe over-crowding and poor traveler behavior. Of course, I’m also in the “no recline traveler mode – soneone who actually tries to be considerate to those behind me and not slam my seat into their space. Bottom line, we’ve become a “me, me” society where everything is what I deserve and am owed. We’ve lost consideration for others, and these are the effects. Actually think of others instead of yourself for once.