Las Vegas "Stag & Hen flights"

[Neil]

Originally posted by Jon B
Afraid I don't believe the hype about binge drinking and the declining standards in the UK. The Press would have you believe we're going to 'hell in a hand cart' but it's no worse now than it was twenty years ago in most town centres in the UK. In fact with the relaxation of the licensing laws it's actually better as you don't get everyone spilling out onto the streets at the same time.

As for the issue of drinking to excess on planes, well just hand out cards which the passenger must read prior to receiving their boarding pass stating that rowdy or drunken behaviour won't be tolerated at all and that the airline reserves the right to refuse return passage if an individual causes a problem and / or take action to refer the individual to the relevant authorities at the point of arrival - Any subsequent costs incurred by taking action to be charged to the passenger

Jon B

Jon - nice thought/idea - its a shame that it would make no difference. People my age, and especially those in their late teens, seriously have a major lack of respect for rules/laws etc today. It is something I can only see getting worse, the amount of "air rage" incidents has increased quite dramatically and you only have to go on an Easy Jet (or similar) flight to Amsterdam/Ibiza etc to see how much of a problem it is.

The solution..... I don't know, it annoys me that action doesn't seem to be taken by the CC, but then I guess they aren't Police officers and it isn't easy taking on a large number of rowdy guys, so maybe they turn a blind eye for an easier life.

Neil

[Decker]

Originally posted by sailor99
It seems somewhat bazaar to go to a Muslim country for your stag party.

Well most other non muslim countries don't have bazaars... [:o)]

Originally posted by Attitude23

Originally posted by Jon B
Afraid I don't believe the hype about binge drinking and the declining standards in the UK. The Press would have you believe we're going to 'hell in a hand cart' but it's no worse now than it was twenty years ago in most town centres in the UK. In fact with the relaxation of the licensing laws it's actually better as you don't get everyone spilling out onto the streets at the same time.

As for the issue of drinking to excess on planes, well just hand out cards which the passenger must read prior to receiving their boarding pass stating that rowdy or drunken behaviour won't be tolerated at all and that the airline reserves the right to refuse return passage if an individual causes a problem and / or take action to refer the individual to the relevant authorities at the point of arrival - Any subsequent costs incurred by taking action to be charged to the passenger

Jon B

Jon - nice thought/idea - its a shame that it would make no difference. People my age, and especially those in their late teens, seriously have a major lack of respect for rules/laws etc today. It is something I can only see getting worse, the amount of "air rage" incidents has increased quite dramatically and you only have to go on an Easy Jet (or similar) flight to Amsterdam/Ibiza etc to see how much of a problem it is.

Neil - Once a couple of people face huge fines for the costs incurred word will spread rapidly, if they're not able to pay, then let them rot in some far off prison.....
Makes me sound like a G.W Bush supporter when I advocate zero tolerance on this level, DOH! Take me out and shoot me now!

As for Easy Jet, well the air rage usually kicks off with the scramble for seats when boarding:D

Jon B

Hi Jon,

I think I should clarify my point a bit more. I absolutely agree that the UK's attitude to boozing up on a Friday hasn't suddenly got worse in the last five years or so, but what I would say is that our drink-and-fall-over attitude hasn't improved in the last twenty years, either! Basically, our unhealthy attitude to booze in this country has remained pretty constant - the only change is that you can quaff a sugar-coated pseudo-"soft" drink instead of having to choke down a bottle of Thunderbird...[:$]

But where things categorically have changed, is the affordability of air travel. It's what, three, four hundred quid to get to Las Vegas now? That's puts it within the budget of pretty much anyone who cares to go there and has the ability to save up for it. This is not imply that poor = chav = drunken lout, but the very affordability of air travel leaves it open to be a glorified pub-crawl with a significant minority.

Darryl

PS. As to what to do about it. Well, don't all US-bound flights have a gun-totin' air marshall on board these days?

Originally posted by randalf

Hi Jon,

I think I should clarify my point a bit more. I absolutely agree that the UK's attitude to boozing up on a Friday hasn't suddenly got worse in the last five years or so, but what I would say is that our drink-and-fall-over attitude hasn't improved in the last twenty years, either! Basically, our unhealthy attitude to booze in this country has remained pretty constant - the only change is that you can quaff a sugar-coated pseudo-"soft" drink instead of having to choke down a bottle of Thunderbird...[:$]

Hi Darryl - No probs, wasn't making a huge point when I quoted from your earlier post, just that the UK has always had this culture.... I'm sadly old enough to remember Watneys Red Barrel and the 80's thing for Newcastle Brown Ale, makes even the cheapest wine seem palatable

You're right though, the availability of cheaper air travel sadly allows the export of some of the UK's finest drinkers to far off places.

Back to my original point.... make everyone aware of the rules when checking in and follow through on the threatened action to the fullest extent of the law (if a passenger chooses to ignore) and you may go someway to stopping the problem.

Jon B

Originally posted by Decker

Originally posted by sailor99
It seems somewhat bazaar to go to a Muslim country for your stag party.

Well most other non muslim countries don't have bazaars... [:o)]

Yes, well I guess my spelling of bazaar did rather souk.
[:#]:D

[Darren Wheeler]

Originally posted by Jon B

Originally posted by randalf

I'm sadly old enough to remember Watneys Red Barrel

Now that is showing your ages. Probably still remembers buying the mainstay of weddings etc. A Party 7!!! ;)

The only container to defeat the laws of thermodynamics. Without fail the beer was about 10 degrees warmer than the room. [:0]

Originally posted by Jon B

Originally posted by randalf

Hi Jon,

I think I should clarify my point a bit more. I absolutely agree that the UK's attitude to boozing up on a Friday hasn't suddenly got worse in the last five years or so, but what I would say is that our drink-and-fall-over attitude hasn't improved in the last twenty years, either! Basically, our unhealthy attitude to booze in this country has remained pretty constant - the only change is that you can quaff a sugar-coated pseudo-"soft" drink instead of having to choke down a bottle of Thunderbird...[:$]

Hi Darryl - No probs, wasn't making a huge point when I quoted from your earlier post, just that the UK has always had this culture.... I'm sadly old enough to remember Watneys Red Barrel and the 80's thing for Newcastle Brown Ale, makes even the cheapest wine seem palatable

You're right though, the availability of cheaper air travel sadly allows the export of some of the UK's finest drinkers to far off places.

Back to my original point.... make everyone aware of the rules when checking in and follow through on the threatened action to the fullest extent of the law (if a passenger chooses to ignore) and you may go someway to stopping the problem.

Jon B

From what my parents tell me the culture hasnt gotten any worse in the last twenty years but the thing that has changed, in my view, is that as a world we have advanced at such a rapid rate that we have more sources of information so therefore we are more aware. After all the news 24/7 culture we live in, internet forums etc etc make it alot easier for us to be aware of things- if it wasnt for this topic I would have had no clue that the LAS flights had this "problem".

The same can be said for the "rule braking" that has increased. Society has become so developed that we now catch more people and the mass media culture, we have means we are more aware of things happening.

Shocked that DXB is going the way of LAS- I have been hoping to get out to DXB prior to the masses arriving- looks like I have missed the boat on the front!

I think the written rules is a great idea, after all often when the verbal warning is given out people often arent listening.

Hello again,

Ah, Newcastle Brown Ale! Last one I had of them must have been over ten years' ago at the old Student Union Bar!

You know, I'd respect Virgin more if they didn't *****foot around the issue and were to instead give upfront - but polite - warnings about an expected standard of behaviour. I'm sure a suitably competent wordsmith could be employed to pen a parapgraph of text that could be handed out to all Las Vegas flyers with their boarding pass. (Very much like Jon's suggestion.) All it would have to say in essence is:

"We're going to give you a great trip to Vegas, booze for those that want it. However, we've had problems with people drinking to excess on this route recently and we have a duty of care both to our crew and fellow passengers to curtail this behaviour. To that end, we're going to enforce regulations that are already in place more vigourously and will refuse booze to those that we believe have had too much. Helping yourself is also verboten, but we'll happily fetch extra for those that ask nicely. Have a great flight, but bear in mind we WILL have the cops waiting for you, ready for your immediate deportation if you fancy playing up."

Now, my stab at the content is not exactly diplomatic but a suitably softened version would have a twofold advantage:

1. It warns the idiots.
2. It reassures the rest that Virgin aren't wiping their hands of the problem.

As with anything of this nature, I'd expect a small number of respectable flyer-types to take umbrage at receiving such a flyer, what with them being well, respectable flyer-types. But most people should be capable of making the logical leap that receiving such a flyer doesn't assume guilt on the part of the recipient.

But what would be worse? A couple of people snitty over a piece of paper, soon forgotten if the service is good? Or several people vowing never to fly that route with Virgin again after 10 hours in an impromptu boozer?

Darryl

hiya - have flown from lgw to las quite a lot over the past years - ever since they started the flights up.

i always remember some of the first crew saying how bad it was on these flights and we would be better of flying lax, because of the behavior of some of the passengers, and then the subsequent poorer service we would get from the crew (they were too busy dealing with stuff and also limiting alcohol.)

However too be honest never have come across any problems - apart from once, when all alcohol was stopped - including in upper, (though the crew did secretly allow us some beers).

If you fly to las, avoid the weekends and fly premium if you can.

otherwise - fly Lax if you have a couple of weeks out there.

Originally posted by randalf

I'm sure a suitably competent wordsmith could be employed to pen a parapgraph of text that could be handed out to all Las Vegas flyers with their boarding pass.

GJ perhaps? [}:)]

[preiffer]

Originally posted by radar

Originally posted by randalf
I'm sure a suitably competent wordsmith could be employed to pen a parapgraph of text that could be handed out to all Las Vegas flyers with their boarding pass.

GJ perhaps? [}:)]

If so, I'd place a bet on the word "peasant" being used at least twice in the first paragraph... [}:)][:w]

Originally posted by preiffer
If so, I'd place a bet on the word "peasant" being used at least twice in the first paragraph... [}:)][:w]

Along with liberal doses of Claryesque innuendo, not that I intend to suggest the poster in question is a liberal[}:)]