Flying long-haul in Economy class is never much fun. Now Cathay Pacific has potentially made the experience a whole lot worse with the airline’s newly configured steerage class seats that feature a three-four-three arrangement on their Boeing 777-300 ER.
Earlier this month I travelled in Seat 40G, an aisle seat on this aircraft, and, for the first time in over three decades of long haul travel, found myself seated next to The Passenger from Hell! She had commandeered the entire, very small, overhead compartment and refused to compromise. Once the issue had been resolved by a male steward, I took my aisle seat, only to find that this same lady passenger in Seat 40F had placed her right foot firmly in my foot well.
I asked her politely to move her foot but she started screaming loudly, for the second time in five minutes (and we were not even airborne yet), that she had paid for her ticket and needed room to stretch out.
This seemed odd as, in the fuss about the overhead compartment space, I noticed that she was considerably shorter me – and I stand a mere 1.63m tall.
She refused to move her foot and I began to wonder how embarrassing such a situation would be for two strangers of the opposite sex seated like that. Or even how two burly rugby players en route to the HK Rugby 7s would enjoy playing “footsie” in this way?
A short time into the flight I discreetly asked a cabin crew member just whose feet should be placed in the foot well of Seat 40G. Her reply was shocking. She told me that she did not know the answer to my question since the 10 seats across layout was a newly configured arrangement.
I suppose I was foolish but, on a long-haul flight, seated next to an oddball passenger, I did not want to make fuss (fearing for my own personal safety) so I just sat for 12 hours like “Jake the Peg, with me extra leg.”
There was another problem with the lady in Seat 40F after we had landed and I stood up to open the overhead compartment. After waving a shiny new British Passport around asking me to look at it, she jumped onto my vacated seat and jumped down into the aisle. When she touched my head I hot-footed it off that plane as fast as my own two feet could carry me!
Happily, for my return journey to Hong Kong, having told the Cathay Pacific Ground Staff about my terrible experience on the outward journey, I was upgraded to Premium Economy. Thanks Cathay Pacific!
I later filled in an online complaint form about having to sit for 12 hours with an extra leg in my foot well. That is when it became apparent that some Cathay Pacific staff members do not seem to regard the inconvenience of an extra leg as a problem. Here is an extract from the reply I received from Cathay Pacific Customer Relations staff:
It’s concerning to know that you were unable to relax and didn’t had a comfortable flight due to disturbance caused by the neighbouring passenger. We do realise that passenger look forward to a restful flight and we regret for the disturbance onboard. I appreciate that it can be upsetting when people behave in an inconsiderate way. On occasions where passengers cause any sort of disturbance or behave in a manner that affects the comfort of others, our cabin crew are trained to intervene as it is their duty to ensure that passengers feel comfortable during their journey. I sincerely apologise for the inconvenience and discomfort caused on this occasion.
I realise the situation you experienced was not an ideal one and it is possible that on this occasion we did not get it right despite the best efforts of our team.
What, no follow up? No written letter to the offending passenger explaining the importance of polite behaviour on a long haul flight?
I appreciated the upgrade to Premium Economy but, readers be warned: there are Passengers from Hell across the globe just waiting to cause inconvenience to others by getting a little too close for comfort in these newly configured seats.
My question remains: Whose feet go where in economy seats on Cathay Pacific’s newly configured Boeing 777 300 ER?
Jill
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