American Expats in BA - Look at the Bright Side

"Johny" said:
It's much more pleasant being away from the center of the human explosion if it comes.
So you'll get away from the human explosion... by moving to Argentina?!? Wow. THAT is optimism...
 
The three morons running for supreme office:
http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/bba33fe6-f8da-11dc-bcf3-000077b07658.html
The separation of presidential politics from the troubles assailing the US economy is now verging on the surreal. With banks collapsing, the dollar reeling, the Federal Reserve making up new rules as it goes and observers discussing a new Great Depression, the presidential candidates are still on scripts they wrote a year ago. The main problem is either the North American Free Trade Agreement (Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton) or high taxes and excessive regulation (John McCain). If delivery from this ordeal depended on any of the contenders saying something intelligent about it, prudence would require that the entire country be written down to a nominal sum.
 
Johny, I wouldn't call it optimistic I would call it realistic. I've been in unpleasant situations a few times in certain countries back in the past when all hell broke loose - Riots in the streets, Government declaring Marshall Law -that type of very unpleasant stuff and , yes, it's much better to be away.... Numerous countries away if not even further than that.... half way around the world isn't a bad idea. It's no fun when societies TOTALLY break down and the authorities can do WHATEVER they want. Makes a big difference being somewhere else. Trust me, Dudester
 
"Dudester" said:
Johny, I wouldn't call it optimistic I would call it realistic. I've been in unpleasant situations a few times in certain countries back in the past when all hell broke loose - Riots in the streets, Government declaring Martial law -that type of very unpleasant stuff and , yes, it's much better to be away.... Numerous countries away if not even further than that.... half way around the world isn't a bad idea. It's no fun when societies TOTALLY break down and the authorities can do WHATEVER they want. Makes a big difference being somewhere else. Trust me, Dudester
I agree. The USA has 300m people art the moment. If and when things break down, the major cities will be worse than any science fiction movie has so far portayed such things.
This is from Greg Palast's "Armed Madhouse":
... There are few complaints, certainly none expressed openly after the Health Insurance Riots of 2009 when the last licensed union members were "removed" to Guantanamo. "Orange Suit City" is now America's eighth largest metropolis, "safer and more prosperous than ever."
Still, every morning, the Rio Grande chokes with swarms of obese, illiterate Texans wading across to their 70-cents-an-hour jobs in the maquiladoras of Juarez.
Now, more than ever, America is the Lord's land. Wal-Mart super-mega stores have metastasized into monumental "Retail Cathedrals" where true believers in cheap and disposable appliances come to pray and pay.
... And back in the USA, after curfew, one can hear the screams and cries of the tots in the workhouses, locked behind the menacing signs, NO CHILD'S BEHIND LEFT.
 
I can't think of a single time I've had a substantive conversation with a flight attendant, nor can I think of any opportunity for one other than possibly a minute or two waiting to get into the bathroom. I am typically trying to sleep and they are typically working. Do you have meaningful convos with people of other nations on your flights, and if so how does this work? Do I approach you when you are buckled into that chair during especially non-turbulent moments and chat you up? Or should I stay buckled into my window seat and you'll come to me and talk from the aisle?
"kre8ivelyXposed" said:
Since I am a Flight Attendant for American and fly to BA once a week for my work trip, I have to say that I am continually astounded at the Americans on my flights who just want to be pacified by doing Soduku puzzles and playing video games on our 777 "entertainment" on demand aircraft rather than read anything even remotely informative. I doubt half could even answer how many American troops have died in Iraq (or for that matter Iraqis killed). Nor could they answer likely much about their flight destination (Argentina) other than that a) the exchange rate is fairly favorable against the dollar b) Evita was an important Argentine historical figure who later became a movie musical of the same title played by the ever so inspiring Madonna or c) Argentina has pretty good beef.
I realize that we all go on vacation to "escape" sometimes and many prefer to relax inflight and just be passively entertained, but honestly I have had better and more informative discussions with Argentine taxi drivers than I have had with most of my US passengers onboard my flights to and from BA.
I am afraid that the US is in for more of a rude awakening about some things and their anger and disgust will eventually go far deeper than some of the Americans on my international flights upset that we now charge $5 for beer and wine.
A tad bit jaded here admittedly but still glad that I can experience the best of many worlds! And am certainly glad I have bought an apartment in BA should the US show continue to become even more of a spectacle than it already is.
 
Blake,
Feel free to approach me/us (Flight Attendants) using good discretion (not while I am in the middle of offering chicken or beef or selling inflight duty free products), but rather when everything is DONE and the lights are down. We Flight Crews take turn with inflight rests on the long night flights to BA and US/Europe. There are usually one or two of us in the galley kitchens late at night monitoring events or waiting for the next inflight heart attack or "special need" (strong sarcasm just for effect here!).
We have many Flt. Attendants who are both geniuses and idiots just like the passengers and general populace. Watch especially for the Flt. Attendants who speak foreign languages, appear a bit more sophisticated, or might be reading the newspaper rather than PEOPLE magazine during our down time as they might be a bit more interesting. TRUE CONFESSIONS: I am sometimes too jetlagged to read Charles Dickens or Foreign Policy magazine so you might see me reading some "lighter fare" for a diversion even though I would think I am half way intelligent with a Master's Degree and speaking 3 language fluently! But I do like occasional smut mags just so I can maintain some semblance of cocktail chatter should I need to make more small talk at the respective social affair.
Most of us are jet lagged out of our minds due to working the all night flights to BA and trying to sleep partially during the day in BA. AA crews from Miami and Dallas only stay downtown in BA for 12 hours before returning back to Miami that same evening. Crews from Chicago and New York stay in BA two days since the flight times are longer from those cities. It would be "cruel and unusual punishment" should AA require those crews to fly back to Chicago and NYC the same evening after arriving that very morning. But AA management has been known to be "cruel and unusual" in establishing its flight crew rules and paycuts (after 9/11) so this caveat is subject to change!
And by all means, don't start the conversation by stating, "I am a frequent flyer. My ear phones or seat functions are not working so well, is there an open seat in First Class or Business Class for me?" We HATE this line above all as 1) everyone is a "frequent flyer" now; and, 2) The US airlines got out of the customer service business about 10-15 years ago and only really care about their top elite (2%) passengers who consistently pay the big bucks regularly to AA. We are just in the transportation business now (moving you from point A to point B). Everything else is just marketing and hype from the airlines.
HAPPY FLYING!
 
k8x, you sound like one of the most interesting people I've ever "met" in BA. :) What is the third language? Italian? French? Or are you rightfully counting Spanish and Castellano as dos?I imagine insane stories pertaining to "special needs" told over extremely fine 3-peso per bottle red wine in some swank yet underground Palermo joint when suddenly a group of Chinese and Dutch walk by our table. They recognize you, smile and laugh, run over to exchange hugs and kisses, and you all start chattering happily in Dutch and Chinese. Twenty-five minutes later you return to our table and you say to me, "I guess technically it's FIVE languages." Just then some Papua New Guinea aboriginal tribesmen appear at the door....
 
K8
Right on I am a million mile plus customer on 6 airlines and AA was the very first to abandon the customer and you are right. It's the transport business just like the trains a century ago. And look where they are now.
=
"kre8ivelyXposed" said:
Blake,
Feel free to approach me/us (Flight Attendants) using good discretion (not while I am in the middle of offering chicken or beef or selling inflight duty free products), but rather when everything is DONE and the lights are down. We Flight Crews take turn with inflight rests on the long night flights to BA and US/Europe. There are usually one or two of us in the galley kitchens late at night monitoring events or waiting for the next inflight heart attack or "special need" (strong sarcasm just for effect here!).
We have many Flt. Attendants who are both geniuses and idiots just like the passengers and general populace. Watch especially for the Flt. Attendants who speak foreign languages, appear a bit more sophisticated, or might be reading the newspaper rather than PEOPLE magazine during our down time as they might be a bit more interesting. TRUE CONFESSIONS: I am sometimes too jetlagged to read Charles Dickens or Foreign Policy magazine so you might see me reading some "lighter fare" for a diversion even though I would think I am half way intelligent with a Master's Degree and speaking 3 language fluently! But I do like occasional smut mags just so I can maintain some semblance of cocktail chatter should I need to make more small talk at the respective social affair.
Most of us are jet lagged out of our minds due to working the all night flights to BA and trying to sleep partially during the day in BA. AA crews from Miami and Dallas only stay downtown in BA for 12 hours before returning back to Miami that same evening. Crews from Chicago and New York stay in BA two days since the flight times are longer from those cities. It would be "cruel and unusual punishment" should AA require those crews to fly back to Chicago and NYC the same evening after arriving that very morning. But AA management has been known to be "cruel and unusual" in establishing its flight crew rules and paycuts (after 9/11) so this caveat is subject to change!
And by all means, don't start the conversation by stating, "I am a frequent flyer. My ear phones or seat functions are not working so well, is there an open seat in First Class or Business Class for me?" We HATE this line above all as 1) everyone is a "frequent flyer" now; and, 2) The US airlines got out of the customer service business about 10-15 years ago and only really care about their top elite (2%) passengers who consistently pay the big bucks regularly to AA. We are just in the transportation business now (moving you from point A to point B). Everything else is just marketing and hype from the airlines.
HAPPY FLYING!
 
Blake are you a stalker?
"Blake" said:
k8x, you sound like one of the most interesting people I've ever "met" in BA. :) What is the third language? Italian? French? Or are you rightfully counting Spanish and Castellano as dos?
I imagine insane stories pertaining to "special needs" told over extremely fine 3-peso per bottle red wine in some swank yet underground Palermo joint when suddenly a group of Chinese and Dutch walk by our table. They recognize you, smile and laugh, run over to exchange hugs and kisses, and you all start chattering happily in Dutch and Chinese. Twenty-five minutes later you return to our table and you say to me, "I guess technically it's FIVE languages." Just then some Papua New Guinea aboriginal tribesmen appear at the door....
 
Quoting "ghost":
"Right on I am a million mile plus customer on 6 airlines . . . and you are right. It's the transport business just like the trains a century ago. . . ."
Railways a century ago were significantly more comfortable than airlines today. Writing as one who remembers . . . .
 
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