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Airline Etiquette - PLEASE!

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Airline Etiquette - PLEASE!

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(@bluwater)
Posts: 2026
Noble Member
Topic starter
 

Dearest airline travelers.....a simple request.....

When you are flying and not in first class, why oh why do you recline your seats ALL the way back? Do you have any idea how squished that makes the person behind you?

Some of the hardware on seats on the airlines are very worn - and the seats probably go back farther than intended. It is really hard to eat from my tray, use my laptop, watch a video on the DVD player, etc...if not impossible.

If you are a heavy person, your seat will really go back too far if you recline all the way. Please, have a heart! The man in front of me last night was a really big guy - and he did a full recline. His seat was really going back too far on one side. My knees were pushed into his back. Couldn't he feel it? Don't you KNOW when you are reclined too far? To add insult to injury, he was in the exit row and and had NO seats in front of him...and a large space between him and the wall - where the flight attendant's jump-seat was. Good grief....with all of that room, why crush me?

Please, please.....let's stop doing the full recline in coach. There simply isn't room for it anymore. A slight recline? Sure. But, IMO, the full recline is just rude!

Be a conscious flier and understand that we're all going to be uncomfortable for a while. Let's not make it worse for each other.

Not all planes are packing us in by design - so I realize that reclining is just fine on some planes.

Just my pet peeve and one that I always forget to mention once I am off of the plane.

 
Posted : February 27, 2007 5:19 pm
(@linda-j)
Posts: 844
Prominent Member
 

I must be flying on the wrong planes. I've never been in a seat that reclined more that 3-4 inches. When the person in front of you reclines, you have little choice but to recline too.

 
Posted : February 28, 2007 7:36 am
(@beer_hunter)
Posts: 100
Estimable Member
 

Since we are talking about flying, I have a question. I am a big guy, I am 6-7 and I weigh around 375-400 lbs. Will I have trouble flying? I have never flown, but my friends say that I will be in trouble because the planes are not built for my size. I don't think I am huge, just big, will I need to get an extra seat? I don't really want to spend the extra for first class, but I don't want to feel like I am riding in a VW bug. Do the arm rests lift up? My wife is 5-2 and I could steal some of her seat if it is possible. Please advise.

Thanks,
Beer_Hunter

 
Posted : February 28, 2007 9:08 am
(@promoguy)
Posts: 630
Honorable Member
 

Airline service and space is just like it has ever been

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bKqQgNZylLw

 
Posted : February 28, 2007 9:43 am
(@donnap)
Posts: 36
Eminent Member
 

Add my complaint for the recliner too. I one time measured and had less than 6 " from my nose to the back of the seat in my face.

 
Posted : February 28, 2007 10:44 am
 TRLK
(@TRLK)
Posts: 1
 

My biggest pet peeve when it comes to flying is when people huddle around the baggage conveyer. They stand RIGHT up on it, and nobody else can get their luggage off because they are in the way. They create a wall around the luggage conveyer that is like a fortress! There is not enough room for everyone to stand right next to the conveyer, so it is polite to stand back a little bit until you see your luggage. That way, people can actually get to their bags. I always say ‘excuse me’ to the people who glue themselves to the conveyer when I’m getting my luggage, but I sometimes get nasty looks for invading ‘their’ space.

This happens every single time I fly (which is about once a month).

 
Posted : February 28, 2007 11:21 am
(@Hanna)
Posts: 1
 

Seat reclining voted worst airline habit
February 08, 2007
Article from: AAP

INCONSIDERATE seat reclining has been voted the number one annoying habit of air travellers in a new air etiquette survey.

Seat kicking, screaming kids and bad body odour were also high on the list.

 
Posted : February 28, 2007 11:21 am
(@new-englander)
Posts: 59
Trusted Member
 

Beer_Hunter-

My boyfriend is 6'5" and about 350lbs. He always tries to get the emergency exit row aisle seat. There are pros and cons to this. The emergency exit row arm rests generally don't move, but there is a lot more leg room and his legs aren't as crushed. The arm rests on the regular seats generally do move and if there's no one next to him, he can spread out. (He sometimes needs a seat belt extender- that is hit or miss, but you can just ask the flight attendant for one if needed.) Also, some airlines offer an upgrade to first class for a fee of $50-$100 if there are seats available at flight time. I know that US Air does this and I think you can start calling 24 hours before the scheduled flight. Check their website.

Unfortunately he is never really comfortable unless he is in first class.

New Englander

 
Posted : February 28, 2007 11:25 am
(@landlockedbeachlover)
Posts: 285
Reputable Member
 

As long as we're bit@*ing, I have another pet peeve I'd like to add if I may. If I have headphones on, my head in a book or on my laptop doing work- - this means I DON'T WANT TO HAVE A LONG CONVERSATION WITH YOU - - certainly past "hello". I travel a lot for work, and I can't tell you how many times I get a chatterbox next to me for 3-4 hours that simply can't pick up on these subtle (?) cues.

 
Posted : February 28, 2007 11:46 am
(@island_mom)
Posts: 1
 

Beer_Hunter - I can sympathize! I'm 'only' 5'11", and sometimes can barely fit my knees in front of me. However you asked about fitting yourself on a plane, and if your wife's seat is the only one you share, I think you're fine. But I have to say I'm never pleased when someone I don't even know tries to take up any of my personal space.

I would love to have some kind of little divider that I could pull up from the armrest to the seatback, to make sure that I get the entire space I paid for. Especially in the summer when someone with sweaty bare arms plops down next to me. ewwww

 
Posted : February 28, 2007 4:45 pm
(@margy-z)
Posts: 313
Reputable Member
 

Ohhh, LandLocked - your post brought back memories. I used to make the AA LaGuardia to O'Hare run quite a bit when I worked for Citibank and I would put headphones on whether or not I was "plugged in" and listening to anything. After a couple of days of boring meetings listening to all of the windbags I worked with (those were the days of "benchmarking" and "TQM" initiatives - yawn, yawn) the last thing I wanted to do on the way home was listen to Chatty Grandma on her way to visit Sonny and the No-fault Grandchildren (sounds like a folk group, doesn't it?) All I wanted to do was kick back (but not recline, lol) with a beer or three. Anyway, when folks would try to keep talking to me I would just look vague (not much of a stretch for me), shake my head and point to my headphones. Geesh - thanks for the memory and the laugh.

 
Posted : February 28, 2007 7:36 pm
 mell
(@mell)
Posts: 43
Eminent Member
 

Okay -- things that bug us.

Let's recap here:

Seat Reclining
Smelly Feet
Sweaty Arms
Chattering
Cramming
Screaming
Kicking
Snoring

Have I left anything out?

Maybe it's time for us to get together and buy our own private jet! What do ya think gang?

🙂

 
Posted : February 28, 2007 7:39 pm
(@margy-z)
Posts: 313
Reputable Member
 

Mell - don't forget about those that leave the bathrooms nasty - - how would you sum that up in one word??

 
Posted : February 28, 2007 7:47 pm
 mell
(@mell)
Posts: 43
Eminent Member
 

Two words maybe?

How about?

Lavatory Fouling.

 
Posted : February 28, 2007 7:52 pm
(@promoguy)
Posts: 630
Honorable Member
 

I am actually a free market kind of guy, but I have to tell you that sometimes I question the free market when it comes to the airlines. It seems that when the airlines were regulated, things seemed to be a bit better.

Gawd, I hate to bite my tongue when I wrote that!!!

 
Posted : February 28, 2007 8:00 pm
(@bluwater)
Posts: 2026
Noble Member
Topic starter
 

Ok, THIS new website is for us!!! Here's the stroy on them - I just heard this advertised on the radio today. I would select a seatmate who is completely void of the ability to speak. It doesn't say you can select the person behind whom you sit. I would love to select someone like the folks here who agree that reclining is bad, bad, BAD.

http://abcnews.go.com/Travel/story?id=2744132&page=1

From the article:

"Dec. 21, 2006— So many aspects of air travel are out of your control — the quality of the food, delays, your seatmates. But wait, not so fast.

Airtroductions, a new social networking site, actually lets you choose your seatmate. Like other social networking sites, all you need to do is create a profile and search among a list of potential matches"

 
Posted : February 28, 2007 9:37 pm
 Barb
(@barb)
Posts: 100
Estimable Member
 

Steve
LOL, though my husband would be happy with that he doesn't expect someone to do so. I would prefer he sit on the wing He is really a teddy bear that sulks lmao

 
Posted : March 1, 2007 3:43 am
(@chris-at-work)
Posts: 1138
Noble Member
 

Not sure about that Blu
Could be a lot like on line dating where they build themselves up and use someone else's picture LOL. Be careful of what you wish for as you may just get it...or NOT.

 
Posted : March 1, 2007 7:43 am
(@bluwater)
Posts: 2026
Noble Member
Topic starter
 

Chris,

I don't care what they look like, I just want someone who doesn't talk and isn't under 5 to sit next to me. But, I agree about internet dating - not a good idea, IMO. It is a world of liars and cheaters - and weirdos.

 
Posted : March 1, 2007 8:32 am
(@BLAME THE AIRLINES)
Posts: 1
 

While agree about courtesy on airplanes, I think it is important to let the airlines know we are unhappy with the shoddy treatment and accommodations. I object to the recliner in front of me, but the airlines are at fault for putting us in an uncomfortable situation. On one long flight the person in front of me reclined and I was forced to push my seat back so I wasn't squished. The passenger in front of me started screaming at me. It was embarrassing and painful to take that abuse. Who's fault was it? The Airlines, for putting us in seats that were to close and too small.

 
Posted : March 1, 2007 12:02 pm
(@AAFly)
Posts: 1
 

Who's fault was it? The Airlines, for putting us in seats that were to close and too small.

And I coulda sworn that it was all those folks clammering for cheap seats so the airlines pack passengers in like sardines to make the trip profitable!

 
Posted : March 1, 2007 5:57 pm
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