The internet is full of people ranting about their airline horror stories, though this one might just be in a league of its own (and if you’re not interested in reading about bizarre rants, please skip this post — I think the headline made it clear what this is about). The good news is that I have a constructive suggestion for the person ranting, to hopefully prevent this in the future…
In this post:
Passenger accuses British Airways crew of attitude over water
A TikTok user who struggles with opening bottles went on a rant about what happened on a recent British Airways flight, saying she was “too stunned to speak.” She starts her three plus minute video by saying “not to be a Karen, but I had some attitude from a BA air hostess,” and she “kind of wants to get it off [her] chest.”
When flying short haul economy on British Airways, they hand out water bottles, “with like three drops of water in them,” and she finds these bottles “particularly hard to open.” She also acknowledges that she’s “actually really $hit at opening bottles,” and when she’s with others, she asks them to open bottles for her.
On a flight last year when she was handed the bottle, she asked the flight attendant “do you mind unscrewing the bottle please, like, they’re really difficult to open?” The flight attendant was kind, and offered to open it for her, acknowledging they’re difficult to open, and claiming that people ask for help all the time.
Fast forward to last week when she was on a flight to Switzerland, and she was in a window seat. She was handed the bottle, but the guy next to her was asleep, and since she “didn’t want to cause a commotion,” she had no way to drink the water. She ended up “giving [herself] a headache, because the rush leaving the airport, getting home, all of that, [she] didn’t drink enough water.”
So on the flight home, when she was handed the bottle, she said “would you mind unscrewing the bottle, please?” The flight attendant “gave a bit of an attitude,” and said “sorry, what?” So she repeated herself, and the flight attendant responded “is that hard?” The flight attendant also reportedly “spoke to [her] as if she was a child,” and “it was so condescending.”
The flight attendant ultimately unscrewed the bottle and said “it’s not that hard,” and she “just felt like there was no need for the attitude.” She then poses the question of “what if I had broken my wrist and was like doing rehab, and couldn’t use my wrist.”
By the way, credit to anti-influencer Daadi Snacks for flagging this. Goodness, you don’t want to be on the receiving end of his coverage.
My take on this British Airways water bottle situation
Okay, real talk, I have a few thoughts on this. First of all, Brits love their sarcasm and dry humor, so I’m not surprised to hear a British Airways flight attendant responding in this way, and it hardly sounds like her response was the most offensive thing on earth. I’ve certainly had British Airways flight attendants show much more attitude than that.
Second, based on the TikToker’s version of events, it sure seems like she should’ve done a better job explaining the situation. When the flight attendant happily helped the first time around, she explained that she has trouble opening the bottles, and that’s why she was asking for help. Meanwhile in the most recent situation (when the incident happened), it sounds like she just asked her to unscrew the bottle, with no explanation. It seems like some better communication would go a long way.
Now, I’m not sure what to make of her general issue with opening bottles. Does she actually some sort of problem that prevents her from opening bottles, or has she just become a diva, and thinks other people should always do it for her? It’s not clear…
Lastly, given her major issues with opening bottles, it seems like there’s a really easy solution, and she should take matters into her own hands a bit more. Why isn’t she traveling with a reusable bottle that doesn’t have a cap that needs to be unscrewed? Heathrow has plenty of water fountains with free water, and this seems like the easy solution, and minimizes her risk of dehydration.
Bottom line
A British Airways passenger who struggles to open bottles wasn’t happy with how she was spoken to by a flight attendant, after she asked her to open her water bottle. The request as such isn’t unreasonable, but it sounds like she should’ve done a better job explaining why she needed it.
For that matter, this seems to be a repeated problem for her that leads to dehydration. If she’s not capable of opening bottles, I really think she should invest in a reusable water bottle, which doesn’t have the same issue. After all, Heathrow has plenty of water fountains.
What do you make of this British Airways water bottle rant?
Generally, the people posting on Tik Tok are either mentally ill, unemployable or just need to get a life.
We have found the Karen who is behind AeroB13a.
Upon reading I first thought she may have a problem with her hands such as arthritis.
However I have to say that on my three most recent flights I was struggling to open the bottle of water. One was impossible to open. The crew tried and could not. Coincidentally I purchased a bottle a couple of hours ago , and it is also impossible to open. I took it back and they replaced it.
With new Heathrow liquid rules can you not just bring your FULL reusable water bottle?
Recent experiences with flight and ground crews across the board highlight the potential risk involved with any interface from customers. The similarity with prison wardens increases steadily.
Most AirPorts have water Fountain to refill water bottles . It is rude and frown upon, when customers come with GIANT water bottles onboard and ask the crew to fill them up. Some airlines prohibir the crew from reillint any container not provided by the airline fu to sanitary reasons . This is awkward socially during the beverage service , when we provide them with two cups of water for them to fill their bottles...
Most AirPorts have water Fountain to refill water bottles . It is rude and frown upon, when customers come with GIANT water bottles onboard and ask the crew to fill them up. Some airlines prohibir the crew from reillint any container not provided by the airline fu to sanitary reasons . This is awkward socially during the beverage service , when we provide them with two cups of water for them to fill their bottles we get a lot of attitude and hand signals that are rude. So it is the entitlement.
I’m all for sensationalist articles. Even if just for fun, let alone to get clicks and revenue.
But this may take the medal for worst “nothing” article of all time.
“Girl can’t open water bottle and asks for help. “
Please Ben, this is bottom of the barrel stuff.
I enjoyed it Mick. If I don’t care for an article I scroll on by. I believe that’s now a feature available for everyone.
Heathrow doesn't have a lot of anything. But a couple of drinking fountains is two more than many European airports. Now they have converted them so that they also can be used to fill bottles. So if you just want a drink, you stand in line behind a couple people with two or three bottles to fill.
I just experienced this on BA. Go to the gym every day and even I had a little trouble!
I have it on good authority that TikToker Michelle Joseph once spent 3 hours staring at a can of orange juice because the label said "concentrate."
Seriously you need to try open these bottles of water!
Seriously then do a repeat on this article.
BA should have changed suppliers long ago
Has BA never heard of arthritis?
Just stay off TikTok; most of it is just drama, and most of that is fake anyway.
British Airways is a lousy airline, full stop. There's nothing really premium about it.
What an interesting topic to write about on this blog. I’m just so glad I spent time reading it. So informative and well written. Exactly the type of high quality content I come to this blog for.
Oh no, blog doesn’t provide exactly the article a reader wants 100% of the time. Huge blog crime occuring.
To be fair, they are significantly harder to open than regular water bottles. My partner (a healthy woman in her early 30s) struggles to open it as well and asks me to do it.
But claiming that this caused her a headache seems a bit farfetched...
A headache is a very common symptom of dehydration. Dehydration is equally common on aircraft due to the prolonged exposure to a dry atmosphere, which is why people are encouraged to drink plenty of water.
All of this said - her solution to this was, quite literally, in her own hands.
What amused me most is her question over what would have happened if she had broken her wrist. Yeah - people opening bottles are doin that all of the time when the caps are tight. Not.
The new design bottles with the attached cap for recycling purposes are harder to open than the older ones. I look superficially very fit but find it hard to open them due to a neurological condition, which is a bit embarrassing when I have to ask someone for help. I’m sure there are many other groups of peoples (e.g. the elderly, people with arthritis) who feel the same.
"TikTok user who struggles with opening bottles"
What a personal mission statement lol