Typically I don’t write about ”mile high club” stories, as I know there are other blogs that cover that more passionately than I do. However, I’ll make an exception here, because it’s the crew that was acting the most out of line, and not the passengers who were actually engaging in the behavior.
Continue reading: SWISS Crew Films Passengers Having Sex On Flight, Distributes Video
Share your questions, experiences, and thoughts below.
So that stupid couple got away from doing sex on an airplane, just because the pilot recorded the footage?
Mile high club members, better hope someone to record your intercourse footage so the airline gets carried away by that and thus forgive your misconduct.
I don't understand why the focus is on the attitude of the cabin crew, and not on the attitude of the passengers. Everywhere in the world, any type of sexual activity during a flight is prohibited, and passengers who engage in such behavior have even been taken to court. This article seems to encourage people to be permissive about such actions, rather than addressing the issue as a matter of awareness to prevent it from happening again. It is a lack of respect...
@ Jefferson -- Generally passengers aren't taken to court for trying to join the mile high club. In most circumstances, passengers will just be told to knock it off, and it only becomes an issue if they don't follow crew member instructions.
I'm not excusing the passengers trying to join the mile high club, though it doesn't sound like they were actually causing harm to others. Meanwhile filming other people having sex without permission and then distributing it online is a much more unethical activity, if you ask me.
@ Mason -- People joining the mile high club do generally get away with it, unless they repeatedly don't follow crew member instructions. Well, at least in most countries.
It is illegal not to crew members' instructions. Particularly with regard to . . . uh . . . what?
The fact that people are defending the crew here is such a shame. The pax is the least of the problems here (off course they should not be doing this, and there behavior is poor) the fact that cabin crew were missing from front galley for so long and the cockpit crew were recording this and sharing it on WhatsApp group is a much bigger issue, both ethically and professionally. In fact they can also very well face various privacy law violations if this occurred in a Lufthansa flight.
This blog has been more upset over the placement of a bare foot, which is arguably less problematic than the biohazard dimension of this potential exchange of bodily fluids in a galley (i.e. nearby where food and beverages are prepared).
Highly doubt a cabin crew would actually give permission for this *extremely inappropriate* behavior.
@ Jyoti -- I've been more upset about bare feet? I don't really write about bare feet, unless I'm missing something, so I think maybe you're referring to another blogger?
And I'm not excusing the behavior of passengers, but a crew watching and filming is way worse than the actual act. Even if they didn't give permission in advance, they clearly were fine with it when it was happening, or else they could have stopped it.
Could there be anything more wrong going on here? A couple fornicating in a food prep area (ick), flight attendants absent from their duties, pilots filming the deed with commentary, and putting it on the web. Good thing there wasn't some nasty turbulence.
Extremely unprofessional actions by the crew, especially since it was filmed in the cockpit and at least one (possibly both) of the pilots were in on it.
Most passengers don't know there are multiple cameras on commercial aircrafts nowadays..
There's a camera around the cockpit door, and they're also installed on first/business class cabin with suites with 50"+ shells for FAA's direct view requirement.
The only area without a camera is econom / premium economy class cabin and lavatories.
If you really wanna join mile high club, do it in the lavatory. And take the risk to be busted by the FA and to join no-fly list.
I highly doubt anyone would get on a no-fly list over something this minor. Not with a European airline.
You're right, "banned by the airline" would be the correct wording.
You wouldn't be on a no-fly list by the government, but the airline can ban you from flying.
The crew was definitely wrong here, but you are letting the passengers off way too easily. In another comment, you say "it doesn't sound like they were actually causing harm to others." The galley is an area for food prep; exchanging bodily fluids is not OK. And what if a child walked into the area? It is fine to focus on the crew, but it almost sounds like you are defending the passengers here. There are no good people in this situation.
@ NK3 -- I hear you, and I'm not trying to give the passengers a full-on pass. My point is simply that a countless number of people join the mile high club on flights every single day, so that's hardly anything new. A crew watching, filming, and distributing videos, is hopefully something that almost never happens. That's why I'm covering this, and am giving the crew a hard time.
Exactly correct! Everyone sucks in this one (I couldn't resist - but it is true).
Despicable action from the passengers but even worst from the crew. As soon as they saw on their cameras what was happening they should have immediately called the FA and ask them to intervene. Watching it and recording should be enough to get them fired.
Oral sex does not qualify for the mile high club - only intercourse.
Please check page 13 of the rule book!
There's a lot of focus on how long the cabin crew was missing from the galley. But we're talking about sex, here. They only need to be gone for like... what? Two... maybe 2 and a half minutes?
Clause 6 of page 13 does allow oral sex to be eligible for the MhC if “ the act is carried out without the use of any extra intervention including but not limited too toys or HANDS”
I have to agree with the posters below.
The crew acted poorly - and posting the video is in incredibly poor taste even if legal; but it's the passengers who were the original problem. Were the passengers reprimanded too?
How times have changed...
Swissair DC-9 some 50 years ago. One of the pilots, not realizing his P/A is on, tells the other: "You are in command, I am going to have a coffee and then f*ck the hostess" (that's how they were called then), which everybody in the cabin could hear.
A VERY flustered F/A then ran towards the cockpit door, at which point I (seated near the aisle) stopped her to say "Don't run, Miss... He said he was going to have a coffee first".
This is a true story.
Reminds me of the photos that emerged of the CX flight attendant performing oral sex on the captain of a 744 in the cockpit.
I think when you have sex public, any expectation of privacy goes out the window. Personally I don’t have a problem with the crew sharing the video, that’s the consequence of the couple’s action.
I actually have no issue with people getting it on in a plane - in private. I mean FFS go and do it in a bathroom where no one else has to see...anyone could have walked into that galley. A kid for example.
The two that were putting on a display should be prosecuted.
I strongly doubt having sex in the lavatory would have any consequences with any European airline. It is not illegal and is not putting anybody at risk. In case sex is performed in public, it would possibly qualify as exhibitionsm and a ban by the airline might be the consequence. In this case, nobody was supposed to be watching, therefore it probably doesn't qualify as exhibitionism.
"A countless number of people join the mile high club on flights every single day." Huh? Yeah, it does occur, but you make it seem like every time you turn around, it is happening. Usually when I need to use a restroom on a plane, there is a line. I have flown millions of miles and have never seen 2 adults exit a restroom. Making it sound like it is a super frequent occurrence is normalizing the bad behavior of these passengers.
Is sex on a plane really prohibited everywhere? What about the Emirates A380 shower suites? They're private, nudity is clearly permitted, and you're allowed to have 2 people in there for 30 minutes (thereby leaving you 28 minutes to shower afterwards).........
Asking for a friend, obviously.
Slow news day, eh?
Ben I’m surprised you haven’t written a post about yesterday’s intriguing email from Ankur Jain. There was a lot to unpack there… mortgage payments alone is worth a story methinks.
I realize European countries are different on this point, but at least in the USA, you have no reasonable expectation of privacy in a public space like a plane, and so consent is not needed to film (because our laws can be silly, assuming no audio).
Pilots involved should be terminated. This was completely handled inappropriately. Recording and then posting it on the web. Good luck getting another job boys. Maybe RyanAir will hire you.
In the UK sex in public is not illegal per se. If people have sex in public - say, outside late at night in a location no one could reasonably be expected to witness it (behind some dense bush for example), they are not committing any crime.
However, this kind of location (an aircraft galley) where there is a real potential that someone could have walked in on them and seen them would be prosecuted as 'outraging public decency'.
Just had a quick google of the situation regarding sex in public in Switzerland and it seems the law is quite similar. Not illegal, but if someone witnesses it and takes offence you can be prosecuted.
In a plane in the air of course, the Captain is 'the law' and he seemingly thought it a good idea to film it instead.
@ Redacted -- Story coming about that soon as well, stay tuned! And no, this has been anything but a slow news week, so can't attribute this post to that.
>> Everywhere in the world, any type of sexual activity during a flight is prohibited,
I believe you've made that statement up out of whole cloth. I don't know of any law that specifically targets sexual "activity" on airplanes, nor have I ever seen airline policies that specifically discuss the issue. Clearly, it's not prohibited on SWISS or the pilots would have taken some action to stop it.
From the fact that those two decided to do that in the galley to the pilot posting the video online... the whole thing is seriously messed up
Come on - that joke is so old and recycled for years
You know, I was on this plane once. And I'm sittin' there and the captain comes on and he does his whole, "We'll be cruising at 35,000 feet," then he puts the mike down but he forgets to turn it off. Then he turns to the copilot and goes, "You know, all I could go for right now is a fuckin' blow job and a cup of coffee." So the stewardess fuckin' goes bombin' up from the back of the plane to tell him the mic's still on, and this guy behind me goes, "Hey hon, don't forget the coffee!"
If you choose to have sex in a public place you run the risk of being overlooked by a surveillance camera. The passengers chose to take that risk, and were recorded. It was cheeky of the pilots to post the recording on WhatsApp, but they weren't the ones bonking in the galley.
Where is the link to the video? How can your words to trusted if we cannot see the video?
This isn't about what you do in bed but in a public setting. And let me tell you, as someone with experience, 2.5 minutes is an eternity for the MHC when every second counts.
The door to the showers on Emirates state that no more than 2 people can use the shower at any one time. so threesomes are definitely out
Firstly yes you do write about bare feet. Secondly allegedly kylie Minogue did it with her then boyfriend the late michael hutchence in first on a qantas flight that also had the prime minister of the day on board, he apparently was amused and thirdly was this video with man and woman or 2 men.
If a passenger choose to have sex in an airplane in the galley, Its because they like sex, adventurous, like risks, adrenaline and like to joint the MHC, it has its risk which are well known including being film by a passenger or a surveillance camera. The passengers chose to take that risk and all the possible consequences. Actually, I think positive, with humor and very good for the pilots and crew, they didn't want to interrupt the passengers and filing a notification and causing a problem to them in exchange for enjoying the free show and sharing this amusing anecdotes to there colleagues, as long as there are no names of reference to the passengers involve. Passengers should be grateful they have a Crew with sense of humor.
I will fly Swiss any time, they´re humans, and in no way there professionalism its compromise.
If You want to join the MHC, know You know the way.
How is it filming something that is recorded wrong? He pointed his phone at the display and just so happen there’s an action going on.
When you act like animals in public you deserved to be recorded and exposed. No permission is needed. It’s not like they’re in privacy of hotel room. Aircraft galley is public space.
I ain’t no lawyer but I am sure any lawyer can defend the pilot in a heartbeat. In fact the passenger need to be charged with exposure and indecency and if in america need to be put in sex offender list.
the real question is... There should NOT be a child in first class, to ruin a 12 hour flight from Bangkok to Zurich
If you have never been party to service worker gossip you've surely been the subject of it.
Looks like you didn't read the post—the part where Swiss says those cameras don't record.
No I’m not. Unless you’re in a private home, hotel room, or a toilet (in most places), it’s reasonable to assume that you’re under some kind of video surveillance. If you don’t want to be recorded doing something embarrassing, don’t do anything embarrassing.
While I agree 100% with what Ben recommends, I must admit that back in the early 90s, I joined the MHC in a spectacular way. Unfortunately, I can’t share the details on a G-rated blog like this, but understand that it involved an overnight flight from JFK to Rome on a 747 in business class, an open bar, and a group of Franciscan Brothers making a pilgrimage to Asissi. True story, not a joke.
Couldn’t do that today!
Were they two gay men? some gays are very messy is well known. Wheter or not they were two men or a men and a woman this is bordeline antisocial and a sign abusive behaviour. Planes are not hotel rooms, people is overly sexualized nowadays, this is beyond disgusting and disturbing. There's no way you can excuse these to individuals, the airline should have reported to authorities, and they should be investigating the alleged crew member who leaked this.
We must protect the right of the mile high club! Don't let them take away all of our fun. Heck, I'll pay for that upgrade!
Pretty sure captain was waiting for the flight to enter Turkish airspace to call them into cockpit and ask if they’ve been to Turkish prison?
Snaps and kudos for lady prepping “receiving area” with champagne. Being a European flight good chance it was French - maybe even Cliquot - classy lady!