Matt's Rant on Air Travel- as a Frequent Flyer: or, Considerate Air Travel for Morons

[MattB]

Just got back from the People's Socialist Republik of Kalifornia yesterday.
Every time I fly, I lose more and more faith in my fellow man, even more so than what I experience on the job. Here are several simple truths that should be well known, but aren't for some reason:

1. You're not the center of the universe. Other people matter.
2. You’re supposed to be a grown adult. Don’t cut in line, and don’t try to board first with your two fifteen -year-old “tots.” Have some integrity.
3. (And this is a biggie) Find your seat, stow your crap, and park your rump, and do it quick. You’re not picking out furniture. Taking your sweet time while 100 other passengers wait is unconscionably inconsiderate.
4. When the flight attendants tell you to get off your phone, get off the dang phone. You’re holding up the flight for 100+ other people.
5. CONTROL YOUR CHILDREN!!!!!
6. Don’t grab the seat back of your neighbor in front to support all of your body weight as you maneuver into your seat, sling-shotting them forward when you let go.
7. Many passengers try to sleep on flights. Stop the loud talking, belly laughing, and horsing around.
8. The restrooms have locks on the doors. Use them. I’ve had enough traumas for a lifetime.
9. When the doors are opened at the end of the flight, grab your crap and get your rump off the plane. 100 + passengers are waiting for you.
10. I’m sure I’ve forgotten something. It’s very simple. Have some consideration for others around you, and behind you.

[skyrick]

Every time I fly, I lose more and more faith in my fellow man, even more so than what I experience on the job. Here are several simple truths that should be well known, but aren't for some reason:

1. You're not the center of the universe. Other people matter.
2. You’re supposed to be a grown adult. Don’t cut in line, and don’t try to board first with your two fifteen -year-old “tots.” Have some integrity.
3. (And this is a biggie) Find your seat, stow your crap, and park your rump, and do it quick. You’re not picking out furniture. Taking your sweet time while 100 other passengers wait is unconscionably inconsiderate.
4. When the flight attendants tell you to get off your phone, get off the dang phone. You’re holding up the flight for 100+ other people.
5. CONTROL YOUR CHILDREN!!!!!
6. Don’t grab the seat back of your neighbor in front to support all of your body weight as you maneuver into your seat, sling-shotting them forward when you let go.
7. Many passengers try to sleep on flights. Stop the loud talking, belly laughing, and horsing around.
8. The restrooms have locks on the doors. Use them. I’ve had enough traumas for a lifetime.
9. When the doors are opened at the end of the flight, grab your crap and get your rump off the plane. 100 + passengers are waiting for you.
10. I’m sure I’ve forgotten something. It’s very simple. Have some consideration for others around you, and behind you.

I would add to that:

11. Don't throw both your oversized, so-called "carry-on" and your laptop, backpack or other item in the overhead storage bin. The smaller item is supposed to go under the seat.
12. Before you get in the security line know which items need to be put in the bins; we shouldn't have to wait for you to open your suitcase, open your toiletry bag, pull out your aerosols and liquids only to realize you don't have them in a plastic bag.

[Kerry]

Can I also add one:

13. Sit in the seat number that is on your boarding ticket. Just because you don't like the middle seat doesn't mean you get to self-upgrade.

[PennyQuilts]

Until about 50 years ago, eating out, flying in a plane and going to a movie with kids was an "event." You dressed up, put on your best manners and you knew your parents would wail on you if you disturbed people around you. Kids didn't act like heathens so the wailing rarely happened but if it did, people around would nod approvingly. Parents would have dropped through the floor in shame if their kids acted like savages in public.

Life changed and a generation of lazy, exhausted (think two income/single parent), guilt-ridden, negligent parents gave birth to a wave of boorish narcissists. The narcissists have come of age and pretty much ruined public life for everyone else. Unfortunately, they have continued to breed and have given birth to children who are savages in every sense of the word. They make their narcissistic parents seem merely uncivilized.

[Richard at Remax]

The airlines screwed themselves (minus southwest) when they started charging for bags. the carry on bags seem to be getting bigger and bigger. which leads to almost every flight being delayed cause they have to check thier back on the jetway.

As for people talking, I had a guy behind me talk for 45 minutes straight on my way to houston last week on a dark thirty AM flight. People gave him the worst looks and he didnt even realize it. Off in lala land.

The overall lack of common courtesy is amazing.

[MattB]

Looks like we're all on the same page here... so where the hell do these people come from?

[Kerry]

Looks like we're all on the same page here... so where the hell do these people come from?

Southern California and the San Francisco Bay Area. They are the most important people in the world. If you don't believe me just ask them.

[MattB]

Southern California and the San Francisco Bay Area. They are the most important people in the world. If you don't believe me just ask them.

I travel all over the country, though, and encounter them everywhere. It's like loading sheep onto a trailer. I've always said a couple of USMC drill instructors could have that plane loaded, with everyone seated, in two minutes.

[Kerry]

I travel all over the country, though, and encounter them everywhere. It's like loading sheep onto a trailer. I've always said a couple of USMC drill instructors could have that plane loaded, with everyone seated, in two minutes.

LOL - I still remember the day I went from reception to basic training via the cattle car. Not only could a drill sergeant do it in 2 minutes, but they can could teach you how to pack properly so everything you need fits in a single carry bag that fits under your seat.

[soonerliberal]

1 more for Oklahoma: If you are over 250 pounds, don't sit in a middle seat. It makes a 2 1/2 hour flight a living hell for your neighbors.

[Kerry]

1 more for Oklahoma: If you are over 250 pounds, don't sit in a middle seat. It makes a 2 1/2 hour flight a living hell for your neighbors.

That just isn't Oklahoma. Some airlines are making over-weight people buy two tickets.

[MattB]

1 more for Oklahoma: If you are over 250 pounds, don't sit in a middle seat. It makes a 2 1/2 hour flight a living hell for your neighbors.

Or the window seat or you (The 250lber) will also be miserable... kind of sucks if you're not 11 years old, for whom the seats were designed.

[redrunner]

Another for Oklahoma:
14: Even though this is probably your first time on a plane, this is not pep rally. Just because you're departing or landing in OKC does not mean you can start yelling "Boomer!, Sooner!"
15: One carry-on and one personal item means one carry-one and one personal item. Don't look surprised when the flight attendant calls you out when you're holding a medium carry-on suitcase, laptop messenger bag and your purse and you have no place to stow them.

[Kerry]

I have landed in New York City only to hear all the New Yorkers on the plane start clapping and cheering.

[Jersey Boss]

Airlines should consider childless flight options and charging for carry ons in bins or eliminating them.

[MattB]

I disagree there. Why shoudln't one be able to carry on? I often fly to stay overnight. Its ridiculous for me to have to stand in an extra line and pay to check my bag when all I'm carrying is a back pack.

[Stew]

Flying sucks. It's just the way it is. It has nothing to do with the passengers or consideration. Trust me you're the target of just as many as you targeted.

Don't hate the playa hate the game.

[MattB]

Flying sucks. It's just the way it is. It has nothing to do with the passengers or consideration. Trust me you're the target of just as many as you targeted.

Don't hate the playa hate the game.

You're wrong. There's a way to show consideration for others in whatever you do.

[Kerry]

...and there goes the nice discussion.

[Drake]

A Southwest flight attendant had a good one this weekend -

"OK, it's the time that even the really important people have to turn off their electronic devices"

LOL. Bravo

[Kerry]

I was on a Delta flight and the flight attendant had announced two times for people to turn their devices off. However, there were still some people using their devices. On the third annoucement she simply said, "Our instruments indicate that there are still two people using their phones. I just want to let all the other passengers know that these two people are keeping us from leaving." About 8 people turned their phones off at the same time.

[MattB]

I had a Delta flight booked for me (Never again) for a writer's conference in Memphis, once. The aircraft was about the size of a city bus inside, and they had my 6' 250lb butt assigned to a window seat next to an A-1 nut boy. The guy wouldn't get off of his cell phone and began talking to himself in quite an animated way after they finally made him turn it off. He then began forcefully swearing to himself for about 15 minutes after that. One of my worst flights ever. (Not to mention they lost my luggage and I had to suffer the humiliation of showing up at the conference the second day in the same clothes)

[SkyWestOKC]

I can certify that there are no instruments on board any civilian aircraft that detect whether or not personal electronic devices are in use. The idea that it causes interference with navigation systems is also not 100% true. Cell phone signals travel on a completely different frequency range and wavelength than that of the instruments. The in-flight wifi signal does not interfere with navigation systems, nor does the main signal to the wifi-ground station or satellite station. And that signal is much stronger than any cell-phone, and carries a ton more bandwidth. It is a safety issue, though, to have non-anchored objects scattered about the cabin. Sudden decent, emergency landing, rejected (aborted) takeoff, crash, runway over-run, etc. can exert many G-forces of deceleration which could potentially send these objects flying through the cabin and possibly striking other passengers at fatal or injuring velocities. That's why you can have them out and on above 10,000 feet. You have a far less likely chance of encountering G-forces that can send these objects flying through the cabin at altitudes higher than 10,000 feet. Navigation is just as important at high altitudes as it is at lower altitudes, and in congested airspace, precise-to-the-second navigation at high altitude is imperative. Using the reasoning of the FAA and the airlines, electronics and personal devices should never be used during a flight.

[ljbab728]

Using the reasoning of the FAA and the airlines, electronics and personal devices should never be used during a flight.

And I would be perfectly fine with that. I think everyone could survive a few hours without the electronic fixes that seem to rule their daily lives.

[Kerry]

Myth Busters did an episode on cell interferance with aircraft controls and totally busted it, however, they caved to government pressure and called it plausable. There are 2 reasons they don't want you using cell phones in flight. First, it would be crazy inside the plane if 130 people were all on the cell phones and second, all the calls would be free because the plane is flying through the cell towers faster than the billing system can keep up.

If there was even a 1% chance a cell phone could bring down a aircraft they wouldn't be allowed on the plane.