I was over at TND, and Dogette mentioned her mom had a run in with a lovely individual on a plane that managed to spread out in to her mom's limited space... This wonderful soul also decided to get off the plane last, thereby attempting to hold up mom... This got me to thinking...
Once upon a time, I flew a lot... I mean a LOT!!!... Why?... Well I was doing installation work on a retail store chain that was putting in this fancy audio/video/lighting system... That's not important right now though... The point is, I spent almost as much time in the air as I did on the ground... I knew the airports east of the Mississippi like I knew the halls of my high school... Hell I knew aircrew by name in some cases... What that meant was I learned a lot about the ups and downs of flying... Security wasn't as tight then being pre 9/11, so it was less of a hassle, I can't imagine trying to do what I did then, now...
After a while, you get used to the etiquette of flying... Simple things like don't hog the arm rests... Don't have a 45 minute conversation with someone while you're standing in the aisle... Don't try to fit 6 pieces of designer luggage in the overhead... Etc... I simply have never understood people that don't get it...
For me, I always try to book a seat in an emergency exit row... I'm tall, and the additional leg room makes life way better on the plane... Then you get a couple choices on some planes... If there are two exit rows together (like over a wing most times) you can pick either one... The one further back will let the seat recline fully... That's nice, unless you have a kid behind you kicking the chair... If you pick the front row though your seat doesn't recline much if at all, but you will be free of anyone kicking your chair since children can not fly in an exit row... I learned to sleep sitting up, so I go for the front row... I also go for the window... No, I don't really care about watching the ground go whizzing by... The window does a couple things... First I can close the shade regardless of what the other people in the row want... Some times of day, you can get murdered by the sun shining in that window... Second, there isn't a flight in the US long enough for me to need a bathroom break, so I sit down, pass out, and don't get kicked by someone that forgot to use the john before we left... Also, you don't get hit by the beverage cart, and there's almost no chance of getting a drink spilled on you... This is minor, but I'll also be the first one off that plane pending we actually need that emergency exit... I don't worry so much about needing it, but I worry about someone that can't actually get the thing open if we do need it... I know I sure as hell can open the door, and get it out of the way...
Also, bring yourself a light sweater, or fleece... The plane is almost never warm, and if you're in a window seat, the wall is cool... Murphy's law also states that the idiot next to you will manage to get their air conditioning duct to blow on you when you are already cold...
When the plane lands, allow me to say RELAX!!!... Why the hell do people start standing up while the flight crew takes remedial door opening 101?... I can't imagine why the door takes so long to open, but it does, so just chill... Once they get it open and start moving, then go ahead and get up, grab your luggage, and get moving after the row in front of you has moved out... Don't sit there like some idiot with people passing you in the aisle... Don't chat to the flight crew on the way out the door, they really don't care how your flight was, and the people behind you are about to make sure even if your flight was good, your departure will be bad...
Simple folks... Why don't more people get it?
All true! I'm the same way about knowing *I* could handle the door, too. And the chit-chat with the attendants on the way out is always a bad idea. I wish people would say their sing-songy fake BUHBYE just like the attendants do and just keep MOVING.
Posted by: dogette at December 27, 2005 04:43 PM