V-Flyer

This was the return leg on Rainbow Lady – she was a vast improvement on African Queen on the outbound flight.

Boarding was quick and we had a flight time of 7 hours 7 minutes.

It was a slightly eventful flight for the wrong reasons. Just after take-off and levelling out I popped to the toilet. When I returned there was a young family at the back of PE and the Mum says to me "you missed it" she was laughing and smiling. I asked what and she said you'll Husband will tell you!!! I sit down and the guy across the aisle says to me you've missed it and was laughing!!! Again I was like missed what, so my Husband turns to me and says I've had a run in with the woman in front of you. My first thought was oh my god we've got 7 hours with these people what on earth has happened .

Anyway, Husband says, the woman in front of me - she was an Emirate lady travelling with her 3 daughters (who were sat across the aisle). The Daughter at the end turned to him and said shut the blinds. Mr C said no its a day flight I am looking out. She says again shut the blinds now, again Mr C says no. Next minute the Mother sits up and says shut the blinds now, so Mr C says no I'm sorry but I won't be shutting them. She says my daughters want to sleep so shut them. Mr C says no again if they shut their eyes they won't see the light. She says you're a very bad man, Mr C replies with we'll you're stuck with me for 7 hours and puts his head phones in

When I return from the toilet they were talking to each other in Arabic, the man across the aisle says don't shut the blinds they just don't like it that they aren't being pandered to.

Anyway next minute a stewardess is called up and they are complaining we won't shut the blinds. The female crew member was fantastic and said basically it’s a day flight the blinds don't need to be shut. Daughter 1 is getting really irate and demands to speak to the manager. The FSM comes up after a few minutes and the same conversation takes place. FSM ends the conversation by saying I'm not discussing this anymore and walks away.

The family get more and more diva like throughout the flight. Demanding the crew get their bags down for them. On one occasion one crew member said I'll do it once we've done the drinks run and Daughter 1 didn't like it. When the crew member came back to get her bag she said "about time". I know the crew are trained to deal with these situations but how they kept their cool and patience I don't know.

Anyway about half way through the flight the FSM comes up to the guy across the aisle and asks him down the Upper Class bar. They were gone a while, when he returns he says the family had basically complained about everything and the crew wanted an independent statement from a passenger.

The Mother insisted on reclining her seat back so much that I couldn’t see my TV but I wasn’t too fussed as I had my ipad and stuff to watch on it and once this was blatantly pointed out to her by her Daughter she sat up.

Anyway the food was a bit hit and miss this time round, and I ended up with beef again. But the staff came round with plenty of drinks hot and cold. In fact Mr C managed to spill a hot coffee on me which again the crew dealt with quickly and efficiently.

All in all it was one of the most sociable flights we’ve ever had talking to other passengers and having a giggle. Shame it was at the expense of difficult passengers that made it that way.

The crew were amazing and incredibly professional some of the best I have ever encounted on a VS flight and I have emailed VS to say so.

Thanks for the TR
Wow those other passengers were really nice people
I would have been quite annoyed indeed
Your husband did well IMO.

Wonderfully handled by the crew! Thank you for posting. I do love a bit of camaraderie by the rest of a cabin over a difficult passenger!

Their manners, or lack of them, speaks volumes about them! What happened to the word, "Please"?

Well done to the crew too. I've been on some flights where the crew have come round and slammed down the blinds regardless