Posted on 04/18/2026 4:42:12 AM PDT by daniel1212
Airport lounges were once the destination of a select few. But recently, the premium spaces are becoming increasingly crowded — and chaos is following in some cases.
Stories are going viral about passengers raiding complimentary buffets in lounges, and children wreaking havoc while distracted parents are unfazed.
At one airport lounge in a major New York City airport not long ago, witnesses watched in shock as a couple ordered six signature burgers and multiple orders of buns, the "View from the Wing" blog reported.
Instead of eating the premium patties, the couple stuffed the burgers into a large duffel, adding desserts snatched from the buffet, the blog added.
Then, to conceal the heist, apparently, the couple stashed the greasy plates behind decorative planters, the blog noted.
... "The mores and norms associated with [airport lounges] have changed, and that stands out especially to those whose expectations are built on an earlier era," Leff said....
Another viral incident was captured by a photo of an airport lounge after young children seemed to wreak havoc there.
(Excerpt) Read more at foxnews.com ...
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Hotels are experiencing this same sort of thing with breakfast buffets.
Random people just showing up out of nowhere and daring the hotel employees to challenge them being there.
Random people.
“... “The mores and norms associated with [airport lounges] have changed, and that stands out especially to those whose expectations are built on an earlier era,” Leff said....”
In undiplomatic speech: there are a lot of trashy people flying these days.
The elites in our society long ago moved from “first class” airline travel to private jets. They live in private, secure and gated communities. They vacation on private islands and stay restricted access private hotels. Their lives are completely insulated from the people displaying uncivilized behavior they demand we live with and accept as normal.
Calls to take the wealth of the billionaires are becoming more appealing to the long suffering middle class as the middle class becomes more aware thanks to the internet. In many ways the behavior of the elites is as appalling as the behavior of the worst Spirit Airlines passenger. After all, Carnival Cruise Line never stopped at Epstein’s island.
To me the whole point of lounges were that they were oases amid the high stress environment of the airport. I don’t travel much anymore and given this and so much more about air travel today I’m glad I don’t.
The decline of human behavior once they are assured of access to anything really suggests a pattern. You see it in education, you see it in theaters, on cruises, now you see it at the airport: too much democracy really does lead to destruction. Humans destroy anything they have too easy access to. Only when something is a privilege they have to struggle for do they treat it with any respect. I suppose that’s not a news flash, but watching it in real time really brings it home.
I saw an interview with Piers Morgan recently -- who I think sometimes "says things" that are supposed to sound good but which he may not believe. In any case, Piers spoke about the current situation in the UK. He stated that there are no problems in the UK. Everyone is happy. Everyone is assimilating. There are no rape gangs. There are no confrontations in the streets. Everything is great in the UK -- at least, as far as he can see.
He's definitely living in a gated community, getting chauffeured to his private jet so that he can go off to a private island. From where he sits, everything is A-OK.
Powerful people don't care.
I think there some other good ones, too. Bringing back the use of these antiquated devices as punishment might cause others to think of what they were anticipating before bring ing public shaming on themselves, especially if this punishment were to be extended to several days depending on the seriousness of the crime. Yeah, I know....they’d all get lawyers who would declare it cruel & unusual punishment. Maybe so, but if it does the job then perhaps the lawyers should afforded some of the same. Many people in this country are sick & tired of having to put up with this type of behavior time after time because of inadequate punishment.
Since everything revolves around race now, shouldn’t the racial makeup of these hooligans be a major factor of the story? How many were White and how many were Non White? Were there any Americans?
Slobs should need a permit to be around normal people and a warning where they will be and when.
Re-regulate the airlines.
Manage competition and routes to create airline tiers.
Ensure reasonable profitability.
Mandate standards of carriage and customer experience.
Set and enforce dress codes and conduct for passengers.
Raise ticket prices.
Drive ratchets back to buses.
Bring back pretty stewardesses and dump the frumpy and light in the loafers.
That only works when people have a conscience.
Relax it’s just NYC , their new Mayor is quickly moving them back to the Stone-age
*Was it them again Yogi?*
Yes, it’s always them
The good thing is that the number two target on the IRGC ballistic missile list is New York
“We used to live in an actual society. It meant something.”
Indeed we did. And I miss it terribly. I do what I can on a personal level, but my conduct brands me as an anachronism in many settings.
Correct, and I think a good point.
Yep. As an old guy, I can remember when I always wore at least a sports coat when flying. Women wore dresses or a nice pant suit. Not so anymore. Today they look like they just crawled out of bed or were working in the back yard. Sad.
Alaska Lounge last flight, a couple with kids, that were ill mannered as we’re the parents leaving a mess everywhere. I’m definitely for making lounges 25 and older 🤣
Click-bait headline. One would expect to see a video if the “lounge chaos goes viral.” Instead there are photos only of related sublects.
For example, there is a photo of a buffet with a caption that lets the reader know that the buffet pictured is not the one referred to in the piece. There is a photo of some children with a caption that mentions that there are children behaving in unruly ways. The caption points out that the children in rhe photo are not the kids in question.
Then, leave out the photos, morons! So stupid.
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