The news has been reporting some pretty terrible instances of airplane rage. Aside from jet lag, the worst thing about travel these days (unless you are rich and can travel First Class) is the airplane ride. Airlines are making more money in so many more uncomfortable ways. They're charging extra for luggage, don't provide meals, charging for blankets?, etc. The absolute worst thing they're doing is putting more seats into cabins and giving you far LESS leg room. It's sometimes a challenge to just get into your seat.
If someone in front of you reclines all the way, you have to recline a little too or you won't have room to move. On long flights, I have to recline a bit if I'm to have any chance of dozing. Now I hear that they've come up with devices being sold to attach to the seat back tray that would prevent the person in front from reclining at all.
Apparently there was a woman who was so angered at this device being attached by the person in back that she threw water on him.
Ummm...now that's rather extreme.
I've not encountered that kind of rage by anyone yet on a flight, but maybe it will happen more now that airlines are packing people in like sardines for 5-10 hours.
OK... now I AM feeling a bit of a rage, but it's at the airline carriers who are only interested in how much more money they can squeeze out of people... literally.
If someone in front of you reclines all the way, you have to recline a little too or you won't have room to move. On long flights, I have to recline a bit if I'm to have any chance of dozing. Now I hear that they've come up with devices being sold to attach to the seat back tray that would prevent the person in front from reclining at all.
Apparently there was a woman who was so angered at this device being attached by the person in back that she threw water on him.
Ummm...now that's rather extreme.
I've not encountered that kind of rage by anyone yet on a flight, but maybe it will happen more now that airlines are packing people in like sardines for 5-10 hours.
OK... now I AM feeling a bit of a rage, but it's at the airline carriers who are only interested in how much more money they can squeeze out of people... literally.
I once was on a long flight where the very large man in front of me reclined his seat all the way back and then complained because my knees kept hitting the back of his seat! I was completely pancaked into my seat! And I'm short. I wondered how in the world a tall person could have sat there. Air travel used to be fun, but it's been a long time since then.
ReplyDeleteWe travel by air very infrequently and when we do, I buy the tickets so far in advance and at such low cost that we are usually at the very back of the plane in what I call, steerage. Often, our seats are the last ones, next to the wall and so there is no reclining of any kind. Fortunately, because we do travel so little, our flights are usually of short duration, at the most 3 hours, so I can manage. Terry has to have an aisle seat due to his long legs on those long flights, but he prefers the window seat. I cannot read, watch a movie, or look out the window due to motion sickness. I do not eat, drink, or even breath much, as I got a very nasty bacterial infection when I drank a glass of apple juice that had ice in it. The ice was the suspect carrier.
ReplyDeleteLOOK, I'm able to comment again. Who understands these things!
It's a difficult choice. I seldom recline except on very long flights, but my husband needs to recline a bit to be even a little comfortable. Maybe I'm on different airplanes, but those I've traveled on recently have seats that hardly recline at all--a very few inches. I am really annoyed by the major airlines and their lack of customer care/service. I guess they have us trapped--there are not many options for traveling long distances.
ReplyDeleteI don't fly much, but now my friends are retiring and moving, visits require air travel. Not looking forward to it.
ReplyDeleteYup the airplane ride is just awful, almost torture. I dread it so much, which is why we book long vacations. As we get older, it will only get harder to manage. I wish our home was not stuck in the middle of the Pacific lol
ReplyDeleteL...w
There is not much room on planes and first class is expensive!
ReplyDeleteGreat post, Kay....I used to love to fly, but am more and more reluctant to get on a plane. We were planning a trip that we found out was going to be 10 hours in the air, and we have cancelled. I'm a little too claustrophobic to be in a plane that long. And you are right that they are charging for everything. Southwest Airlines seems to still be flying as in the past.
ReplyDeleteKay, Love flying despite discomfort because I feel like bird. Amazing experience.
ReplyDeleteEven in the old days we used to call it "flying sardine class."
ReplyDeleteMakes me a little glad I've never been on an airplane
ReplyDeleteYou've never flown on an airplane??
DeleteI am feeling quite smug now about my fear of flying. Don't feel I am missing a thing.
ReplyDeleteThankfully, I'm short and don't really need too much space when I'm on an airplane. This means I don't generally recline. I do get annoyed when others invade my space though.
ReplyDeleteI have a five hour flight coming up this Sunday. I hope the person in from of me doesn't recline because I like to have my tray table down all the time. I gets me very irritated when the person in front of me suddenly reclines all the way and throws all the stuff I have on my tray table into my lap. They ought to at least have a warning beeper or something. I never recline my seat.
ReplyDeleteWe have a trip to Europe coming up in October, a very long flight and then a connecting one. I will most likely try reclining to doze during the overnight flight, but mostly I can't sleep on planes.
I personally find the pain starts the second I walk through the doors of the airport when it is a busy time, like around holidays.
ReplyDeleteYeah...I was surprised the last time I flew overseas (ten years ago!) that they've begun "nickel and dimeing" for everything! Headphones, blanket, pillow...were all charged extra!
ReplyDeleteI really don't like the tight seats. We have to advocate more for more space. I don't know haw large people manage in these seats.
ReplyDeleteI don't usually recline even on long flights. I can't sleep anyhow when flying. When the person in front of me does so without even a backward glance at the discomfort they are causing, I have to admit I'm a tad irritated but it certainly isn't worth getting into an argument about it. I feel sorry for people who are very tall and whose legs barely fit into those spaces. I suppose there will be more and more incidents of flight rage as long as people keep flying and the airplanes keep squeezing every inch out of our freedom of movement. As long as they get their money I don't think they care do you?
ReplyDeleteI have only flown once (to Germany and back in April) and it wasn't an issue at all. I reclined slightly but before I did I asked the person behind me if it was ok. I think that most of these situations could be avoided if people just practiced politeness and consideration.
ReplyDeleteI must confess. When we flew to Florida last year, we flew first class. I let George make the reservations. We had to change to date, and he discovered that flying on Monday first class was the same price as flying in the back on any other day. No charge for baggage, and they fed us all the way across the country. We had leg room, but it was just old style leg room from a few years ago. They are even cheating the first class folks too.
ReplyDeleteI don't recline at all. thank you for sharing about the thing to prevent seats from reclining.
ReplyDeleteI am not a frequent flyer so my recent trip to LA was my first flying experience in a long time. Plus I have NEVER flown first class nor have I ever priced a ticket. That is why I was shocked when the airline notified me with great excitement that I could upgrade to first class on my recent flight for only $237. My whole ticket to LA was only $495 for a 2 1/2 hr flight Who would jump on that bargain???
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