I read on the news today that friends of Britain’s Prince William would make negative comments about ‘manual doors’ when they see his ex Kate Middleton. Where does this phrase come from and why is it considered an insult?
Answer 1
“Cabin crew, doors for manual control and cross-checking” is the usual phrase. “Manual doors” means that an aircraft has landed and instead of opening them automatically in an emergency, they will open normally without triggering the escape slide. It would be inconvenient to open the door and inflate the gutter when not needed.
In this case, it’s a reference to Kate’s mother, who was a flight attendant which William’s stylish friends obviously thought was too common for them.
answer 2
A gentleman opens a door for a lady. “Doors for manual” means “Let her open the door herself”.