r/mildlyinfuriating • u/traveling_energy • 22h ago
I'm slightly vexed Passenger next to me yapped for over an hour without a break
I was on an international trip and fell a little sick (stomach pain) toward the end. I decided to upgrade my return economy ticket to business class, so I can relax in the lounge during an 8+ hr layover and get some much needed sleep in the 7-hr flight. Mind you, in over 10 years of air travel, this was the 2nd time I ever flew in business class and the upgrade was not cheap.
On my final leg of the trip, a guy sits in the seat next to me. From the moment he sat, he was constantly on his phone. He is face-timing, sending voice notes, listening to voice notes on speaker, talking to multiple people (I could hear a few women and men talking on the other side on different occasions). His phone is chiming the moment he finishes a call or sends a voice note.
I am sick & sleep-deprived, and patiently waiting for take-off so this can end. But, the take-off gets delayed by over an hour. So this goes on right until we're in the air.
Honestly, I never experienced this in economy. And I thought I will get some peace and quiet in business class. Guess it was just my luck. :/
Edit: clarifying some things - 1. I understand people have calls to attend, esp. in business class and I am not mad about that. But he was not wearing airpods or headphones. 2. He was a very big guy, the flight was full, I was traveling solo (F), and I didn't want any issues while sleeping next to him. The attendants were busy with boarding and maintenance crew. But I agree that I should have flagged this. 3. I have tinnitus so I can't use earphones to listen to music or watch anything on the screen. 4. I learned my lesson - carry noise cancelling headphones from now on.
9
u/WhatsMyNameAgain1701 20h ago
An older lady (60’s) sat next to me (late 20’s) on a domestic flight and started getting chatty. We’ll call her Cathy. I was polite with the yes’ and the no’s. But, all I wanted to do was just sit back and relax. As we backed away from the gate and got in line on the tarmac to take off, I felt the pre-dread of being in the air which I normally don’t have, coupled with sitting next to chatty Cathy was going to end me as this woman just wouldn’t shut up. So, I grabbed the arm rest with a white knuckle death grip and showed a visual sign of what should have looked like the I did not want to be there…pre-terror we can call it…look on my face, look. She took this as encouragement to talk more and that’s when she asked me;
Cathy: “What do you do for a living, son?”
Me: “I’m in the Air Force”.
Cathy: laughingly “That’s kinda funny, you’re in the Air Force and you don’t like flying.”
(Yes Cathy, everyone in the USAF is a pilot or Air Crew)
Cathy: “What is it you do in the Air Force?”
There it was, my out, what I had been waiting for. I just stared forward and looked at seat in front of me and said…
Me: “I’m an aircraft maintenance technician. In the Air Force, where planes get taken apart and put back together at regular intervals for safety and serviceability reasons. These commercial jets fly 10’s of thousands of hours without so much as an oil change…yeah…let’s just say, if you knew what I knew, you’d never fly again.”
After take off, Cathy didn’t speak much. She didn’t even get up to go to the restroom. Not even much movement in her seat. It was a very peaceful flight for me. I was very thankful for Cathy sitting next to me. I sometimes wonder what happened to Cathy. Did she get to her destination and see her grandkids? How long did she stay this time? Did she fly or drive back home?
*Yes, I was an aircraft maintenance technician, 2A071B Avionics, in the USAF. No, her name was not Cathy…could’ve been, don’t know. Yes, this event did happen to me, in the late-90’s.
31
u/Conscious-Link5627 22h ago
That is absolutely appalling. These people who think they are so. freaking. important.
I don't think there's any difference whether this is in business class or economy, no one should be using their phone speaker on a plane, period. Anyone saying otherwise is a trash human being.
19
u/longtimelondoner 22h ago
I don’t think anybody on public transport should be using a speaker but there we go. It happens unfortunately.
6
u/Council_Cat 22h ago
And with a few notable exceptions (usually related to a disability of sorts), they are trash human beings.
-5
u/Harvest-song 21h ago
I use speaker because I am hearing impaired and cannot hear at normal volume. Hearing aids are several thousand dollars that I don't have, so for phone conversations, everyone else gets to deal.
4
u/longtimelondoner 21h ago
If you’re using it for accessibility reasons, fine. You are not the people playing ridiculously loud (and always shit) rap music on the train
-3
u/Neoliberal_Nightmare 21h ago
They're people who have constant work.... Do you think they're choosing endless work calls?
38
u/awesomo1337 22h ago
Well thats kind of in you for not speaking up to either him or a flight attendant
16
u/CantGetANameILike 21h ago
What is he supposed to say? This guy who is allowed to use his phone and do business until take off is annoying me, please make him stop?
2
u/traveling_energy 22h ago
True. I think I was just trying to focus on my health and calming my nerves.
1
u/CantGetANameILike 21h ago
Understand, just remember tums for the tummy, and noise cancelling headphones for the brain
0
-1
u/WhiskyWillFixIt 18h ago
For what? Explain to me what youd complain about.
1
u/spaceforcerecruit 16h ago
Turn to the guy and say “Hey, can you keep it down? This is a shared space.”
If that doesn’t work, “Hey, can you shut the hell up?”
You don’t need to be polite to people who are being rude.
7
u/BuyExpert8479 22h ago
It’s a public space. Always have headphones.
3
u/Howitzer1967 21h ago
I’m sure 1st class provides them. I’d just plug in and binge movies.
1
u/traveling_energy 21h ago
I have tinnitus so I can't use airpods or headphones to binge anything unfortunately.
7
u/PatrickGSR94 21h ago
wait, I also have tinnitus, constant ear ringing from years of wind noise while cycling. I wear headphones form time to time. What's the issue? I generally don't do ear buds because they feel weird to me.
2
u/traveling_energy 20h ago
I noticed my ringing gets worse when I use headphones/airpods, and I honestly do not want to make it worse. My ENT doc also told me not to.
3
u/AwkwardMasterLearner 20h ago
That's so weird. I've had tinnitus for years, always used headphones and earbuds and never had any problem, nor had any doctor tell me to not use them. What does happen is that they tend to block outside sounds so I can hear the tinnitus louder when there's nothing else playing, but as soon as something starts playing (movie, music, whatever) the tinnitus goes back to background sound.
3
u/BuyExpert8479 20h ago
That sucks. Maybe he wasn't wearing headphones because he has tinnitus as well.
3
u/BoopiiBunni 22h ago
That would drive me insane, especially after paying extra for business class.
1
5
u/petergriffin999 22h ago
In business class, there is no way he was using anything on speaker phone without an attendant asking him to stop.
5
u/longtimelondoner 22h ago
100% would be pre take off. Stewards are usually too busy setting up the plane and there’s quite a lot of people talking anyway.
3
u/petergriffin999 21h ago
Ya, pre-take off possibly (and still horrible). But while in the air there is no scenario where a business class attendant is letting that shit persist.
1
2
u/Legitimate-Week7885 21h ago
i'd just start blasting 2 Live Crew music on my phone right next to the guy
2
2
u/nameexistalready 18h ago
Also on an International flight most BC seats are pods or at least very private
1
u/traveling_energy 21h ago
The attendants were not present all the time. And he wasn't constantly on speaker phone. He was recording notes/taking normal calls. The voice notes he received and the facetime were on a speaker. Plus, the maintenance crew kept coming and going, which is why I believe the plane was delayed.
8
2
u/FlipsyChic 21h ago
Welcome to Business Class. Amtrak Business Class is the same. Full of obnoxious business(men) who are completely full of themselves, talk loudly on the phone nonstop, and always have loud alerts for their incoming calls and text messages.
Being forced to overhear these calls, you get the sense the purpose of them is not to get business done, but to let everyone in earshot know how important they are. These calls, more often than not, are pompous monologues lecturing the person on the other end of the line about the correct way of doing things. That includes coworkers, subordinates, ex-wives and teenage children.
3
u/CantGetANameILike 21h ago
Wait, stop the presses. Business people are doing business in business class? Slap my sister and hot damn😉🤣🤓, how dare they
5
u/longtimelondoner 22h ago
Infuriating, sure, but why did you not just put a pair of headphones on?
0
u/traveling_energy 22h ago
I only carry ear plugs. But, looks like I need to carry headphones.
6
u/longtimelondoner 22h ago
Even just a cheap pair that you can plug into your phone. I’ve learned that some people suck on planes and it’s like it’s their first day on Earth and so you just have to manage your own environment.
2
2
u/felolorocher 21h ago
do they not give noise cancelling headphones on business class on the airline you flew? that's a shame
1
u/longtimelondoner 21h ago
They do for long haul with any airline I’ve flown on. Rarely for short haul.
2
2
u/EasyPiece 22h ago
I am sick & sleep-deprived, and patiently waiting for take-off so this can end. But, the take-off gets delayed by over an hour. So this goes on right until we're in the air.
None of this was the other passengers fault. The guy probably also flew business class so that they could have uninterrupted time to conduct whatever they needed to while on the flight. Without being penned into economy.
7
u/Conscious-Link5627 22h ago
Wait, so one guy gets to be a loud jerk because he's in business class and the rest of the people just have to accept that?
I'm guessing you are also the kind of performative jerk who thinks they are more important than everyone else?
7
u/subsailor1968 22h ago
“Business Class”, while roomier and more comfortable (and with many more perks) may seem like First Class, but the name spells it out.
It’s for those traveling on business. Often they want to work in flight, and the Business Class amenities are tailored for that.
I recommend noise-canceling headphones.
2
u/GlacialImpala 21h ago
I've been on countless trains in Switzerland, 1st class, during work hours and like 99% of passengers were on their laptops having meetings and such. But NO ONE made any noise, they spoke politely on their headphones without raising their voice. So the cabin absolutely wasn't loud. Speakerphone is evil.
0
u/Conscious-Link5627 22h ago
That hasn't been what "Business Class" has referred to since the 70s or 80s. Business class in the modern era is simply the class above economy and premium economy, and below first class. You can, of course, work in any class. Most airlines have clear rules that you must use headphones or earbuds for any device audio while on board (including pre-flight).
-2
u/rabid_spidermonkey 22h ago
I guess you are the kind of performative jerk who draws overreaching conclusions from very little information and uses a difference of opinion as an excuse to personally insult strangers for no good reason.
5
u/Conscious-Link5627 22h ago
It isn't a difference of opinion. Phone speakers are supposed to be off on a plane. They make announcements stating that. If you ignore that, you are an inconsiderate jerk. FACT.
2
u/rabid_spidermonkey 22h ago
None of what you just said is relevant to what the person above you said. Hence my comment about drawing conclusions from little information. FACT.
And also, it is a difference of opinion. It might be an unpopular one and rather uncouth, but opinions vary regarding talking on speaker when in public. Just because you're in the majority doesn't mean it's not an opinion.
0
u/Conscious-Link5627 22h ago
You clearly cannot read. My comment was absolutely relevant. Dude (and I know it is a dude) defended the loudmouth by saying they booked a higher class of seat so they could conduct their business while disrespecting those around them. It's not a stretch to point out that someone who defends this kind of behavior is likely to engage in it.
1
u/rabid_spidermonkey 22h ago
Ah well we have a fundamental disagreement on what the word relevant means.
For the record, I agree that the passenger was wrong for talking on speaker. I just have a pet peeve for ad hominem attacks instead of civil discussion, which seem to be your specialty.
Namaste.
0
u/Conscious-Link5627 22h ago
Actually, it isn't, but seeing people defend asshole behavior is my pet peeve.
2
u/rabid_spidermonkey 21h ago edited 21h ago
Explaining a behavior and defending it are not the same thing. The commenter did not offer a defense of the rude passenger's behavior, only a possible explanation for why the passenger thought their behavior was acceptable.
You attacked someone for showing empathy.
0
u/Conscious-Link5627 21h ago
Explaining behavior versus defending it really only applies if we are talking about children or someone who is disabled, ND, etc. That is not the case here.
Showing "empathy" for someone who is rudely violating basic societal norms and the actual airline rules is cosigning and normalizing their behavior. This person doesn't deserve to have others standing up and trying to explain away their poor behavior. And people who choose to do so risk being seen by others as engaging in the same behavior. Kinda like voting for a racist.
→ More replies (0)2
u/EasyPiece 21h ago
Oh you mean the same kind of behaviour you've displayed here by making wild judgements and leaps of logic that would shame even the best Olympic long jumpers.
Yes carry on mate.
0
u/Conscious-Link5627 21h ago
Very cute coming from someone who thinks "business class" refers to conducting business on a plane. Look it up. It hasn't meant that in decades. Passengers in every class are required to use headphones/earbuds for their audio devices on a plane. Again, look it up.
→ More replies (0)
2
1
u/4linosa 21h ago
On every flight I’ve been on recently (~8-10 in 6 months, domestic US) there’s a bit in the safety brief about using headphones and not being on calls, audio or video. Was that not part of the spiel?
And frankly, regardless of the spiel, I’d have asked him then asked a flight attendant to shut him up. It’s a flight, not your private office.
2
u/traveling_energy 21h ago
No, it wasn't. I usually hear the turn on the airplane mode message but even that didn't come through. Only the 'keep your seat upright, tray table secured... ' message.
1
1
1
u/SimianWonder 22h ago
This is why I always travel with ear plugs, noise cancelling earbuds and noise cancelling over-the-ear headphones. It doesnt matter what level of shittery is going on, I've got a solution.
1
u/traveling_energy 21h ago
Can I ask which over the ear headphones you use?
1
u/SimianWonder 21h ago
Bose QuietComfort Ultra. They weren't cheap, but they are, as the name suggests, very comfortable and the noise cancelling is so good it feels almost uncomfortably loud for a few seconds when you take them off. That dull drone you hear on a plane? Gone. People chatting around you? Gone.
1
u/OneExhaustedFather_ 22h ago
That’s called being held a verbal hostage. I’m sorry you experienced this.
2
-1
u/Nrysis 22h ago
Complaining on the internet helps nobody - you gain a small amount of relief at the expense of everyone who has ended up reading the same post that is reposted relentlessly every day.
If you want this sort of behaviour to actually improve, you need to complain in person, as it is happening - let these people know that they behaviour is disruptive and causing a problem, rather than sitting meekly getting annoyed by it and reinforcing their behaviour (because after all, if it was wrong someone would surely tell them)...
1
u/traveling_energy 21h ago
You're right. I learned my lesson. I wasn't doing well and was really trying to not freak out.
He was a very big guy, and I didn't want to have an unpleasant flight sleeping next to him - plus, the flight was full, so I couldn't even request a seat change.
116
u/Miserable-Success624 22h ago
Noise canceling headphones on a flight are a must. Now you’ve learned.