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Posts: 902

Shifu

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Q: Chinese who fight over aircraft seats

I take two trips a year between China and the UK and the thing I seem to see more and more of is this. A group of Chinese get on the plane wander up and down the aisle looking fairly blank, dragging oversized hand luggage with them, trying to figure out where their seats are.  One of them decides on the seat where he is going to sit and claims, the rest of the group all then settle into seats near the first one. Then someone turns up clearly telling one of them they are in the wrong seat, at that point the whole group join in and a glorified argument breaks out as to who should be sitting where. The cabin crew try to sort it all out and are immediately ignored, ten more minutes of arguing and they finally start to settle down. The last time I flew we even had one Chinese still wandering the aisle looking for the seat he wanted  while we were moving down the taxiway.

 

Why do they do this, every boarding card has a seat number why not just use it. Is it they can't read or is it another example of Chinese arrogance (some Chinese not all) who seem to think they can pick whatever seat takes their fancy. If you want better seats then pay for business or first don't piss off the rest of us in economy. Any thoughts on this?

 

 

11 years 39 weeks ago in  Transport & Travel - China

 
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Can't say I've ever experienced this problem before to the degree stated.  I use American Airlines between Shanghai and either Chicago or LAX.  Usually they will go to their assigned seat (eventually, after deciphering the very complicated seat numbering system *sarcasm*).  Thankfully I'm usually one of the first ones getting on the plane, so I can grab my seat without having to tell some squatter to scram.

 

The biggest problem I see is Chinese people that are part of the last boarding group trying to board together with First Class, Business Class, Frequent Flyers etc.  Luckily the Shanghai crew doesn't put up with that shit, and make them get back in line, even after the offenders do that cute trick of playing stupid.

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11 years 39 weeks ago
 
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Can't say I've ever experienced this problem before to the degree stated.  I use American Airlines between Shanghai and either Chicago or LAX.  Usually they will go to their assigned seat (eventually, after deciphering the very complicated seat numbering system *sarcasm*).  Thankfully I'm usually one of the first ones getting on the plane, so I can grab my seat without having to tell some squatter to scram.

 

The biggest problem I see is Chinese people that are part of the last boarding group trying to board together with First Class, Business Class, Frequent Flyers etc.  Luckily the Shanghai crew doesn't put up with that shit, and make them get back in line, even after the offenders do that cute trick of playing stupid.

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11 years 39 weeks ago
 
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The last flight I took from Guangzhou was delayed and then switched gates, while we were waiting, one Chinees guy came up and started yelling at the female gate attendant, then threw his suitcase at her and walked away.The girl took off. Security never came.We boarded and took off.

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11 years 39 weeks ago
 
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I only had a small problem once. I forget it if it was to or from China (my first trip), but a girl thought she was supposed to sit in my seat, and couldn't figure out how the seating arrangement worked? She couldn't speak any English, but then some relative of hers came along and corrected her. Maybe she'd never been on a plane before.

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11 years 39 weeks ago
 
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Governor

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I pay extra on my flights to get the seat I prefer. Once I found a guy sitting there and he did not seem to understand the numbering system for seats. I got the cabin staff to remove him, they asked me why I wanted to sit there.. I told them it was because I had paid for it specifically. He was moved eventually but there was some serious reticence from the Chinese guy and the Chinese cabin staff.

 

I get seat hijackers a lot on trains. I show my ticket and seat number, and ask for their ticket, then tell them to move as I put my belongings on the table in front of them.. They all move eventually

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11 years 38 weeks ago
 
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Governor

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What is the point of being in the early boarding group (having a reserved seat)? Boarding lounges are a much more comfortable than Economy classes. All you do on the plane is trying to ignore other peoples stupid ways of storing luggage and hoping not to get hit by falling pieces... 

cooter:

You've never been one of the last people on the plane, only to find all of the storage compartments for carry-on luggage are already full?  This is the biggest reason for me...I can put my stuff where I want it, and get settled in before the locust swarm comes buzzing though...

11 years 37 weeks ago
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11 years 38 weeks ago
 
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Shifu

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I've experienced this problem all the time on buses and trains, but never on a plane.  If someone tried to take my window seat on a long haul flight I paid a ton of cash for, I'm pretty sure I would be the one causing the huge scene.  It seems most of the time people flying are used to the western way of transportation, whereas locals taking the train or a bus are used to the "musical chairs" way of life in China.  So far I have been lucky, but I'm sure domestic flights are a different story.

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11 years 38 weeks ago
 
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Also, they always wait until takeoff, then go check if the business/first classes are free, and if they are, they just take it (because obviously paying for an economy seat means you're allowed to take higher quality seats at your convenience), and no matter how many times the stewards tell them to go back, they keep on coming back. I've seen this every time I took the plane.

If they had the "standing" ticket like in a train, I'd understand the urge to find a seat. But come on, on an international plane where they should give a good image of their country... 爱国 my ass...

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11 years 38 weeks ago
 
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Every flight I've had I have seen confusion, but never an argument or fight. I think it's maybe just some of them, especially older ones, maybe aren't as familiar with the roman alphabet. 

 

What I do love is on Air Canada flights when they stand up after landing as the plane is on the taxi way and the flight attendants give them hell. If there's one thing you don't do in Canada, it's disregard transport Canada rules!

cooter:

You know, I've always seen the "stand up early" thing on domestic flights in China, followed shortly thereafter by grabbing their luggage and running to the exit door....I mean, it's expected.  But on all my international flights, both coming to China and going back to the US, I NEVER saw anyone doing this (American Airlines).  I was always quite surprised by this.

11 years 37 weeks ago
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RachelDiD:

They seem to time it perfectly to all stand up right after the speaker says 'please stay seated until the plane has come to a complete stop.' Followed, of course, by opening the storage compartments so that loose baggage can come crashing down on seated passengers if the plane takes a sudden turn or something.

8 years 19 weeks ago
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11 years 38 weeks ago
 
Posts: 583

Shifu

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Ahh., This is big problem..they fight  to board as well as to de board.. it is flight man.. everyone has reserved seat..once you have boarding pass, air line will not leave you in the airport..after 100 timee announcement that while airplane is in taxi mode, dont stand up..but still as soon as plane lands..they stand up that they have to jump from air plane..

 

Same thing i experience in Lift everyday, they will not allow you to come out ..but they will enter first in the lift/elevator

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8 years 19 weeks ago
 
Posts: 759

Shifu

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i was middle seat on a flight from HK to Toronto (yeah, a long flight indeed). fairly large man on my left, average sized man on my right. im fairly large myself.  after i thought the doors were closed, i noticed 3 open seats...so i got up and moved to the window seat. Great, awesome, now i wont be cramped. 2 minutes later, 3 young chinese females show up, and say its their seats. (darn it, looks like crampo city for the flight to Canada :(

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8 years 19 weeks ago
 
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Governor

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I've never had any issues personally with any Chinese passengers. Apart from once when some old guy spat on the seat next to me like he was on the streets and then sat down on the seat and fell a sleep, disgusting.

 

Apart from that no issues at all! Which is why I always fly emirates!

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8 years 19 weeks ago
 
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