Most irritating person near you on a flight.
Aug 14th, 2003, 08:20 PM
#62
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I never cease to be amazed at the people who seem to be so very proud of being hateful and judgmental, as if it were a point of superiority to be contemptuous of others.
I sat next to an extremely obese person on a regional jet, and while my first thought certainly was "uh-oh" because I already hate those gorawful teeny planes, my next thought was that if _I_ was feeling cramped, how incredibly uncomfortable my seatmate must be! I wanted to say something sympathetic but couldn't think of how, exactly, to put it -- so all I could say was "gee these regionals are horribly cramped." If that was you, jor, know that not everyone is as spiteful as some who posted here.
My nominee for most irritating? Not just one but about a dozen golfers who seemed to be on the staff of a golfing magazine just coming from some junket. They were riproaring soused before they even got on the plane, and although some had the grace to pass out, I was "blessed" with the company of three who thought they were hysterically funny and irresistably sexy, all for my benefit -- lucky me. They took turns hanging over my seat and breathing flammable fumes into my face. The attendant sent them back to their seats 2 or 3 times and -- idiot! -- bribed them with another drink. They just kept coming back or calling to me from their seats.
(If you want to debate about US health problems with large social costs, you could start with alcohol.)
I sat next to an extremely obese person on a regional jet, and while my first thought certainly was "uh-oh" because I already hate those gorawful teeny planes, my next thought was that if _I_ was feeling cramped, how incredibly uncomfortable my seatmate must be! I wanted to say something sympathetic but couldn't think of how, exactly, to put it -- so all I could say was "gee these regionals are horribly cramped." If that was you, jor, know that not everyone is as spiteful as some who posted here.
My nominee for most irritating? Not just one but about a dozen golfers who seemed to be on the staff of a golfing magazine just coming from some junket. They were riproaring soused before they even got on the plane, and although some had the grace to pass out, I was "blessed" with the company of three who thought they were hysterically funny and irresistably sexy, all for my benefit -- lucky me. They took turns hanging over my seat and breathing flammable fumes into my face. The attendant sent them back to their seats 2 or 3 times and -- idiot! -- bribed them with another drink. They just kept coming back or calling to me from their seats.
(If you want to debate about US health problems with large social costs, you could start with alcohol.)
Aug 14th, 2003, 08:44 PM
#63
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Thank you Degas, St. Cirq, et al.
Cig, the last thing I wanted to do was appear unkind. It is always wrong to engage in "fat-bashing."
But this being a travel board, my point was that a person who is large enough to overlap seriously into another's seat should have to pay for two seats.
Of course none of us is perfect. But don't your rights stop where another person's start (especially on a plane!)?
Cig, the last thing I wanted to do was appear unkind. It is always wrong to engage in "fat-bashing."
But this being a travel board, my point was that a person who is large enough to overlap seriously into another's seat should have to pay for two seats.
Of course none of us is perfect. But don't your rights stop where another person's start (especially on a plane!)?
Aug 14th, 2003, 08:55 PM
#64
That may true if we have a staff aboard who is insentive to what's unconfortable for you, or for the fat person, or the person with a disability who asks for a seat that will make those around them less unconfortable, only to be told , Sorry can't be done. I wasn't picking on you just giving my feelings. mor
Aug 14th, 2003, 09:05 PM
#65
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I can't help but add my two cents in from lots of time flying for business...
Things I find irritating are things people can't help. Maybe some people need to fart (for fear of bad stomach cramps or something), or snore.
After all these years, the "oozer" drives me a bit batty. No, this has nothing to do with being large. This is usually a businessman/woman who thinks it's his right to take the entire armrest, and spread his/her legs into your area. I also love it when they read papers and spread the paper so wide, you can read all the stories too.
Of course the MOST irritating is the cute guy sitting next to you who is married.
Things I find irritating are things people can't help. Maybe some people need to fart (for fear of bad stomach cramps or something), or snore.
After all these years, the "oozer" drives me a bit batty. No, this has nothing to do with being large. This is usually a businessman/woman who thinks it's his right to take the entire armrest, and spread his/her legs into your area. I also love it when they read papers and spread the paper so wide, you can read all the stories too.
Of course the MOST irritating is the cute guy sitting next to you who is married.
Aug 14th, 2003, 11:03 PM
#66
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I was on a flight recently, and this skinny little person was so irritating. Despite the fact that we paid the same amount for our seats, she somehow thought that she could have her seat all to herself and not share it with me. After all, I need more than one seat and why should I be discriminated because I need more than one seat. Do you know that I actually overheard her say to her other skinny little friend that she was annoyed because 1/4 of her seat was taken up by my right thigh..hey, is it my fault they don't make the seats large enough for me? What a selfish b***h, I have a right to fly just like she does, and anyway, she was so little, she didn't need all of her seat!!!
I am glad to hear that on this board there are people compassionate enough to want to sit next me, and I ask all of you next time you see me go through the aisle (okay..I'll confess, barely making it through the aisle), that please volunteer to change seat with the skinny little twit and you and I can share seats together for 5 hours or so!
I am glad to hear that on this board there are people compassionate enough to want to sit next me, and I ask all of you next time you see me go through the aisle (okay..I'll confess, barely making it through the aisle), that please volunteer to change seat with the skinny little twit and you and I can share seats together for 5 hours or so!
Aug 15th, 2003, 12:42 AM
#67
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Miss Eve. You forgot to mention the time you had to fly while sitting next to a man with a "pants tent"! Wasn't that from the Turbulance thread?
I am of average size, but do find that airline seats are getting smaller and smaller or am i getting...well in anycase I am always worried about "flabbing" over into someone elses personal space. I just cannot relax unless I have full control over both arm rests.
Back to the "irritating" post, Once I flew to Rome from L.A. on Alitalia. The flight was full of people of Arab decent. The men would not sit down for take off, put their seats in an upright position, take their feet off of other passengers headrests or listen to anything that the flight attendants were trying to say. I was too young back then to be offended. I had never seen adults behave this way and mostly watched in shock at their antics. The hostesses were besides themselves. The plane was packed with unruley passengers. One of the hostesses was so upset and pegged me as a sympathetic ear. She bluntly told me in front of everyone on board (she was British) never to take any Alitalia Flights on a Thursday from L.A. to Rome because the ultimate destination was Tel Aviv or something like that. She also warned me not to use the facilities for the entire trip. It was a really rough flight. Once we finally got up in the air, we never saw the hostess except for the meals. Don't think anyone would get away with that kind of behavior today.
I am of average size, but do find that airline seats are getting smaller and smaller or am i getting...well in anycase I am always worried about "flabbing" over into someone elses personal space. I just cannot relax unless I have full control over both arm rests.
Back to the "irritating" post, Once I flew to Rome from L.A. on Alitalia. The flight was full of people of Arab decent. The men would not sit down for take off, put their seats in an upright position, take their feet off of other passengers headrests or listen to anything that the flight attendants were trying to say. I was too young back then to be offended. I had never seen adults behave this way and mostly watched in shock at their antics. The hostesses were besides themselves. The plane was packed with unruley passengers. One of the hostesses was so upset and pegged me as a sympathetic ear. She bluntly told me in front of everyone on board (she was British) never to take any Alitalia Flights on a Thursday from L.A. to Rome because the ultimate destination was Tel Aviv or something like that. She also warned me not to use the facilities for the entire trip. It was a really rough flight. Once we finally got up in the air, we never saw the hostess except for the meals. Don't think anyone would get away with that kind of behavior today.
Aug 15th, 2003, 06:53 AM
#68
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The obese issue is one of those things that isn't going to go away. But what irritates me most is that airlines know well that not all of their passengers fit the standard seat, and yet continue to ignore the problem and leave it up to the passengers to fix it as best they can. It is unfair to both the obese passenger and their seatmates. Also dangerous - a seatbelt is made to snugly fit when it stretched across a person seated in one seat, not when it is stretched across two. As for Maitaitom's being obliged to go and stand, that left him not only uncomfortable, but at risk if there should have been turbulence.
I don't know what the answer is, but there's gotta be a better one than what we all live with now.
I don't know what the answer is, but there's gotta be a better one than what we all live with now.
Aug 15th, 2003, 07:03 AM
#69
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I want to go on record as saying that I wasn't trying to "bash" the overweight person I was sitting next to on my flight (in fact, that person didn't win my "most irritating" award. Kayla, the soccer mom who's husband absconded with the dog groomer took that honor.).
I was merely pointing out that moving to make yourself more comfortable if you happen to be uncomfortable as a direct result of the person sitting next to you (as Maitaitom did on his flight) should not be considered the evil to end all evils!
Look at it this way, what if I said, "On this one flight, I was sitting next to a totally drunk guy who passed out with his head on my shoulder and his hands in my lap. So I politely got up and moved to another seat." Would all you people who are commenting about being "kind and sensitive to everyone" be like, "Well, jeez, Jennie! I guess you just think you're little miss perfect just because you're sober and don't bother other people with your drunkeness! Some people are alcoholics you know, which is a disease and they can't help it! How insensitive and unkind you are!"
Somehow I doubt it.
So . . . what's the difference really? Some people ARE alcoholics, which IS a disease, and have a difficult time with sobriety. However, some people just have no self-control (like the three young people sitting in the exit row in one of the other posts) and get drunk and act like jerks and, as a result of this bad habit, make things uncomfortable for those who come into contact with them.
By the same token, some people have slow motabolisms and can't help being overweight. But, then again, some people think McDonald's is the only food there is and that pointing the clicker at the television constitutes excercise and, sometimes, by virtue of THEIR bad habits make things uncomfortable for those who come in contact with them.
Now no, I have no way of knowing which it was for the large woman I found myself sitting next to. That (among other things, most notably being that I'm not a heartless bully) is why I did not complain or make a fuss about my predicament. I got up and moved so that I (and, most likely the person I was sitting next to who now had two seats to herself!) was more comfortable. Period. The fact that this makes me a bad person in some of your eyes is totally beyond me.
Jennie
I was merely pointing out that moving to make yourself more comfortable if you happen to be uncomfortable as a direct result of the person sitting next to you (as Maitaitom did on his flight) should not be considered the evil to end all evils!
Look at it this way, what if I said, "On this one flight, I was sitting next to a totally drunk guy who passed out with his head on my shoulder and his hands in my lap. So I politely got up and moved to another seat." Would all you people who are commenting about being "kind and sensitive to everyone" be like, "Well, jeez, Jennie! I guess you just think you're little miss perfect just because you're sober and don't bother other people with your drunkeness! Some people are alcoholics you know, which is a disease and they can't help it! How insensitive and unkind you are!"
Somehow I doubt it.
So . . . what's the difference really? Some people ARE alcoholics, which IS a disease, and have a difficult time with sobriety. However, some people just have no self-control (like the three young people sitting in the exit row in one of the other posts) and get drunk and act like jerks and, as a result of this bad habit, make things uncomfortable for those who come into contact with them.
By the same token, some people have slow motabolisms and can't help being overweight. But, then again, some people think McDonald's is the only food there is and that pointing the clicker at the television constitutes excercise and, sometimes, by virtue of THEIR bad habits make things uncomfortable for those who come in contact with them.
Now no, I have no way of knowing which it was for the large woman I found myself sitting next to. That (among other things, most notably being that I'm not a heartless bully) is why I did not complain or make a fuss about my predicament. I got up and moved so that I (and, most likely the person I was sitting next to who now had two seats to herself!) was more comfortable. Period. The fact that this makes me a bad person in some of your eyes is totally beyond me.
Jennie
Aug 15th, 2003, 07:37 AM
#71
I've been on more than my share of long haul flights, but one of the worst was due to some incredibly inconsiderate flight attendents, not passengers.
It was an overnight flight on Northworst from the US to Europe. I had the misfortune of being seated right next to the galley, which was understandably a bevy of activity during mealtime. What blew my mind was the flight attendents who continued to chatter non-stop, at full volume for the ENTIRE flight, with absolutely no consideration for the passengers trying to get some sleep.
I arrived in Europe more exhausted than usual, with an airport layover and another six hour flight to look forward to.
I've never experienced such blatantly inconsiderate treatment from airline personnel, and I've vowed to never fly Northworst again.
It was an overnight flight on Northworst from the US to Europe. I had the misfortune of being seated right next to the galley, which was understandably a bevy of activity during mealtime. What blew my mind was the flight attendents who continued to chatter non-stop, at full volume for the ENTIRE flight, with absolutely no consideration for the passengers trying to get some sleep.
I arrived in Europe more exhausted than usual, with an airport layover and another six hour flight to look forward to.
I've never experienced such blatantly inconsiderate treatment from airline personnel, and I've vowed to never fly Northworst again.
Aug 15th, 2003, 07:40 AM
#72
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I was on my way back from Spain and I was sitting behind this man with horrible BO!!!! I don't know what he had been marinating in before he got on the plane, but he was a mixture of beer, smoke and dried baby spit-up all rolled into one. It was a horrible 9 hours. His hair was long and stringy and I was afraid it would fall into my meal (which, by the way, I could HARDLY EAT, with that stench).
Aug 15th, 2003, 07:44 AM
#73
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This funny post has taken an odd turn. I don't care why someone is obese. Heck, by current medical stats I think I am technically obese, though I fit in my own seat. The point is: If you need bigger shoes, because you have big feet, you buy them. You may have to pay more for them, but so be it. If you are a big person, and need a bigger seat, buy two. As someone said, your rights end where my seat begins. Life isn't fair. We all have our challenges and medical issues. We all pay for them in different ways.
By the way, I would take issue with the idea that reclining your chair, which is what they are designed to do, is somehow rude.
By the way, I would take issue with the idea that reclining your chair, which is what they are designed to do, is somehow rude.
Aug 15th, 2003, 07:48 AM
#74
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> "I don't care why someone is obese. Heck, by current medical stats I think I am technically obese, though I fit in my own seat. The point is: If you need bigger shoes, because you have big feet, you buy them. You may have to pay more for them, but so be it. If you are a big person, and need a bigger seat, buy two. As someone said, your rights end where my seat begins. Life isn't fair. We all have our challenges and medical issues. We all pay for them in different ways." <
Amen, Bitter!
Amen, Bitter!
Aug 15th, 2003, 08:19 AM
#76
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It would be the guy who was talking extremely loud on an international flight.
It was during the time of the flight when they close the shades because folks are trying to sleep. God forbid this guy actually talk in a low tone....no he was basically shouting his conversation to another person.
I was a few rows from him and felt like I was sitting right next to him. He was so rude and clueless.
It was during the time of the flight when they close the shades because folks are trying to sleep. God forbid this guy actually talk in a low tone....no he was basically shouting his conversation to another person.
I was a few rows from him and felt like I was sitting right next to him. He was so rude and clueless.
Aug 15th, 2003, 08:52 AM
#77
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Could someone post a link to the reclining/rude thread? My husband was raised to feel reclining the seat in coach was rude, while I believe if you bought the "airspace" around your chair, you should be able to use it.
I'd be interested to read that thread. Cheers!
I'd be interested to read that thread. Cheers!
Aug 15th, 2003, 09:54 AM
#78
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I realize I haven't flown nearly as much as many of you likely have -- especially those who fly for business -- but I've been very fortunate in that I cannot ever recall sitting next to a truly irritating person.
Re: <i>The obese issue is one of those things that isn't going to go away. But what irritates me most is that airlines know well that not all of their passengers fit the standard seat, and yet continue to ignore the problem and leave it up to the passengers to fix it as best they can. . . . I don't know what the answer is, but there's gotta be a better one than what we all live with now.</i>
Well if there's an answer, surely someone must know what it is, right? Any suggestions? What would <i>you</i> do if you ran an airline? How would you accomodate not only obese people but others, like very tall people, who don't fit easily into "standard" seating? If you installed some wider seats or seats with more legroom, would you charge more for these than for standard-size seats?
Re: <i>The obese issue is one of those things that isn't going to go away. But what irritates me most is that airlines know well that not all of their passengers fit the standard seat, and yet continue to ignore the problem and leave it up to the passengers to fix it as best they can. . . . I don't know what the answer is, but there's gotta be a better one than what we all live with now.</i>
Well if there's an answer, surely someone must know what it is, right? Any suggestions? What would <i>you</i> do if you ran an airline? How would you accomodate not only obese people but others, like very tall people, who don't fit easily into "standard" seating? If you installed some wider seats or seats with more legroom, would you charge more for these than for standard-size seats?
Aug 15th, 2003, 10:23 AM
#79
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MissEve:
I understood your complaint to be about your boss's behavior in taking advantage of her role as your superior in order to do thaings that she could not get away with if sitting next to someone whose livelihood didn't depend on staying in her good graces. She was being a not very decent person, and my impression was that you were complaining about the mean, manipulative way she used her power over you, not about her body type.
Jennie:
Though I can't speak for them, I really don't think that the people who viewed some posters on this thread as judgmental and contemptuous of others were referring to you.
Capo:
Airlines might install armrests that cannot be lifted up unless the people on both sides on the armrest operate the controls. They might also offer extra-wide and extra-long seats, at an extra price. And, a not-quite-serious suggestion: There might be a try-out box, similar to the boxes we can use to determine whether our carry-ons are small enough to fit. The way it would work is that a passenger would try sitting in this seat box, with unyielding walls, to see whether he could fit in a "normal" seat space. There might be samples of the extra-wide and extra-long seats, too, and a passsenger who doesn't fit would pay extra on the spot for a larger seat. This is not a serious suggestion, though.
Or, all seats could be made more spacious, and, in exchange for this upgrade, meal service or certain other amenities could be eliminated.
I understood your complaint to be about your boss's behavior in taking advantage of her role as your superior in order to do thaings that she could not get away with if sitting next to someone whose livelihood didn't depend on staying in her good graces. She was being a not very decent person, and my impression was that you were complaining about the mean, manipulative way she used her power over you, not about her body type.
Jennie:
Though I can't speak for them, I really don't think that the people who viewed some posters on this thread as judgmental and contemptuous of others were referring to you.
Capo:
Airlines might install armrests that cannot be lifted up unless the people on both sides on the armrest operate the controls. They might also offer extra-wide and extra-long seats, at an extra price. And, a not-quite-serious suggestion: There might be a try-out box, similar to the boxes we can use to determine whether our carry-ons are small enough to fit. The way it would work is that a passenger would try sitting in this seat box, with unyielding walls, to see whether he could fit in a "normal" seat space. There might be samples of the extra-wide and extra-long seats, too, and a passsenger who doesn't fit would pay extra on the spot for a larger seat. This is not a serious suggestion, though.
Or, all seats could be made more spacious, and, in exchange for this upgrade, meal service or certain other amenities could be eliminated.
Aug 15th, 2003, 10:27 AM
#80
" If you installed some wider seats ...."
Kind of gives a new meaning to "wide body jet".
Actually capo, you pose an interesting question. Even though I had a good time chatting with the flight attendants on my flight, I certainly was at more risk had there been some sort of weird turbulance.
My guess is that if you charged someone for a wider seat, there would be a lawsuit that says you are discriminating against a weight-challenged person.
The situation I found myself in on that flight to Miami was an anomaly. Most overweight people present no problem to their seat neighbor. There are not a lot of circumstances where someone weighing in the 400 - 600 pound range is going to take up a good part of two seats.
I do think that if someone is that big, however, for the sake of safety they should tell the airline. Maybe the airline could offer them two seats for a minor upcharge.
Kind of gives a new meaning to "wide body jet".
Actually capo, you pose an interesting question. Even though I had a good time chatting with the flight attendants on my flight, I certainly was at more risk had there been some sort of weird turbulance.
My guess is that if you charged someone for a wider seat, there would be a lawsuit that says you are discriminating against a weight-challenged person.
The situation I found myself in on that flight to Miami was an anomaly. Most overweight people present no problem to their seat neighbor. There are not a lot of circumstances where someone weighing in the 400 - 600 pound range is going to take up a good part of two seats.
I do think that if someone is that big, however, for the sake of safety they should tell the airline. Maybe the airline could offer them two seats for a minor upcharge.
