Comments on: EgyptAir to American passengers: “Bl*w me!” http://www.elliott.org/blog/egyptair-to-american-passengers-blw-me/ The travel troubleshooter. Fri, 19 Mar 2010 06:07:02 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: MME http://www.elliott.org/blog/egyptair-to-american-passengers-blw-me/comment-page-1/#comment-8185 MME Thu, 24 Jan 2008 03:21:11 +0000 http://www.elliott.org/blog/egyptair-to-american-passengers-blw-me/#comment-8185 I am sure in his infinite wisdom, Joe F meant that Egyptians don't use the Latin alphabet, not the Roman alphabet. In the Roman alphabet, the I equals the J and the V equals the U. Also, only capital letters are used in the Roman alphabet. Rant on, Joe F, but please get your terminology straight -- it tends to undermine intolerant, xenophobic posts. I am sure in his infinite wisdom, Joe F meant that Egyptians don’t use the Latin alphabet, not the Roman alphabet. In the Roman alphabet, the I equals the J and the V equals the U. Also, only capital letters are used in the Roman alphabet.

Rant on, Joe F, but please get your terminology straight — it tends to undermine intolerant, xenophobic posts.

]]> By: David Benson http://www.elliott.org/blog/egyptair-to-american-passengers-blw-me/comment-page-1/#comment-8167 David Benson Wed, 23 Jan 2008 15:49:37 +0000 http://www.elliott.org/blog/egyptair-to-american-passengers-blw-me/#comment-8167 Of course it's a coincidence! And those of you who took the whole thing seriously and presumed to lecture everyone else about Egyptian culture need to quit taking yourselves so seriously. Jeesh. Of course it’s a coincidence!
And those of you who took the whole thing seriously and presumed to lecture everyone else about Egyptian culture need to quit taking yourselves so seriously.
Jeesh.

]]> By: David http://www.elliott.org/blog/egyptair-to-american-passengers-blw-me/comment-page-1/#comment-8165 David Wed, 23 Jan 2008 14:46:34 +0000 http://www.elliott.org/blog/egyptair-to-american-passengers-blw-me/#comment-8165 We don't use that expression in the UK - at least not the verb. We have a saying - not used so much these days - "blow me down" = I'm surprised / you could knock me over with a feather. We don’t use that expression in the UK – at least not the verb. We have a saying – not used so much these days – “blow me down” = I’m surprised / you could knock me over with a feather.

]]> By: Joe F. http://www.elliott.org/blog/egyptair-to-american-passengers-blw-me/comment-page-1/#comment-8164 Joe F. Wed, 23 Jan 2008 13:56:41 +0000 http://www.elliott.org/blog/egyptair-to-american-passengers-blw-me/#comment-8164 It has been proven time and time again that Islamic nations have no sense of humor. Egypt is an Islamic democracy with all of the trappings of control that one expects in a nation dominated by religion of one form or another at the official government levels. Further, this type of comment from an Islamic nation would be subject to the harshest punishments if proven that it was intentional. The only reasonable explanation is that the Fare Basis Code is a simple amalgam of letters intended to be explainable internally. Some clerk somewhere, in a nation which speaks Arabic [which does not use the Roman alphabet] came up with an acronym which fit the fare. I have NEVER heard anyone in the middle east EVER use that term with the US part. Take it for what it is - and add a smile to your day. It has been proven time and time again that Islamic nations have no sense of humor. Egypt is an Islamic democracy with all of the trappings of control that one expects in a nation dominated by religion of one form or another at the official government levels. Further, this type of comment from an Islamic nation would be subject to the harshest punishments if proven that it was intentional.

The only reasonable explanation is that the Fare Basis Code is a simple amalgam of letters intended to be explainable internally. Some clerk somewhere, in a nation which speaks Arabic [which does not use the Roman alphabet] came up with an acronym which fit the fare. I have NEVER heard anyone in the middle east EVER use that term with the US part. Take it for what it is – and add a smile to your day.

]]> By: Christopher Elliott http://www.elliott.org/blog/egyptair-to-american-passengers-blw-me/comment-page-1/#comment-8161 Christopher Elliott Wed, 23 Jan 2008 11:26:29 +0000 http://www.elliott.org/blog/egyptair-to-american-passengers-blw-me/#comment-8161 The more I read up on this, the more I'm convinced that this is a coincidence. An interesting coincidence, nonetheless ... The more I read up on this, the more I’m convinced that this is a coincidence. An interesting coincidence, nonetheless …

]]> By: Mark http://www.elliott.org/blog/egyptair-to-american-passengers-blw-me/comment-page-1/#comment-8154 Mark Wed, 23 Jan 2008 03:48:52 +0000 http://www.elliott.org/blog/egyptair-to-american-passengers-blw-me/#comment-8154 Some of us travel for a living. I'm in the military and I fly extensively throughout the Middle East. So, two things: one, I hate the airlines too, and hate flying, but don't have a choice, and two, the Egyptians don't speak English, and don't use our alphabet, and don't understand our slang phrases, so the acronym is almost certainly a coincidence. Some of us travel for a living. I’m in the military and I fly extensively throughout the Middle East. So, two things: one, I hate the airlines too, and hate flying, but don’t have a choice, and two, the Egyptians don’t speak English, and don’t use our alphabet, and don’t understand our slang phrases, so the acronym is almost certainly a coincidence.

]]> By: Justin http://www.elliott.org/blog/egyptair-to-american-passengers-blw-me/comment-page-1/#comment-8149 Justin Wed, 23 Jan 2008 01:15:10 +0000 http://www.elliott.org/blog/egyptair-to-american-passengers-blw-me/#comment-8149 Brett over at Cranky Flyer found something similar last summer: http://crankyflier.com/2007/07/25/fun-with-fare-basis-codes/ funny stuff Brett over at Cranky Flyer found something similar last summer:

http://crankyflier.com/2007/07/25/fun-with-fare-basis-codes/

funny stuff

]]> By: G.Ro http://www.elliott.org/blog/egyptair-to-american-passengers-blw-me/comment-page-1/#comment-8146 G.Ro Wed, 23 Jan 2008 00:50:32 +0000 http://www.elliott.org/blog/egyptair-to-american-passengers-blw-me/#comment-8146 Thanks for the relevant, response, Terry! Thanks for the relevant, response, Terry!

]]> By: Terry http://www.elliott.org/blog/egyptair-to-american-passengers-blw-me/comment-page-1/#comment-8132 Terry Tue, 22 Jan 2008 21:32:12 +0000 http://www.elliott.org/blog/egyptair-to-american-passengers-blw-me/#comment-8132 I don't work for the Airline Industry, (I am a probation officer) so take this for what it is. I have said it before, I won't fly anymore - there is nothing so important that I can't drive to any destination in this hemisphere. If people can afford vacations in exotic places, they can charter or eat the **** sandwich and put up with the nonsense that comes with flying the US carriers. So, people should quit whining, and flying, and watch the airlines get their act together. I don’t work for the Airline Industry, (I am a probation officer) so take this for what it is.

I have said it before, I won’t fly anymore – there is nothing so important that I can’t drive to any destination in this hemisphere. If people can afford vacations in exotic places, they can charter or eat the **** sandwich and put up with the nonsense that comes with flying the US carriers.

So, people should quit whining, and flying, and watch the airlines get their act together.

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