Airplane Etiquette - A question
 

Not a big deal, but I wanted to see what you guys thought about this common situation on the airplane. I was on a flight out west a couple of days ago and the flight path took us over the Rockies. Since I don't get to see this very often, I wanted to be able to look out of the window as we passed over. I was in the middle seat, and shortly after we took off, the person next to me in the window seat promptly slammed the window shade down and dozed off. I didn't want to disturb the person by raising it again, but felt like he should have asked if anyone minded if he closed it. My friend says that its the perogative of the person sitting by the window to close the shade, but I disagree, since others may want to enjoy the view. What do you think about this?

his seat, his window<BR><BR>

I don't think it is necesary for the person in the window seat to ask the other people in the row if they mind if the shade is closed. A lot of people reserve the window seat so that they can sleep and not be bothered by the other people moving around or whatever. Besides, from the middle seat you can't really see anything out the window unless you lean over the person in the window seat. If I am coming home from a business trip or something and want to sleep, the last thing I want is someone leaning over me trying to see out the window. Next time you fly, reserve a window seat.

I agree with the others. As a frequent business travel I always reserve the window seat usually the same seat on my flights.<BR><BR>I want to snuggle up in the corner, and mind my own business without disruption for the flight. <BR><BR>Not to be impolite but when you do this on a day in day out business, the business travellers are paying the bulk of airtravel costs.<BR><BR>My suggestion (and I have done this) is to get up and go to another vacant seat to view the scenery temporarily, or go to the back of the plane where there is usually a window you can look out on.<BR><BR>Sorry but I'm partial to my seat/my window!

I basically agree, but it does bother me when people at a window seat do NOT close the window shade when a movie is shown -- even after flight attendants ask everyone to close the shades. On some flights, I've seen flight attendants take matters into their own hands and close all shades themselves. On other flights, attendants leave it up to the passenger and many shades remain open. If you want to watch the movie and your neighbor's window shade is open, it really washes out the movie screen. (This all depends on where you are sitting, time of day, and position of screen, of course.) <BR>If I pay for headphones and want to watch the movie, I should be able to do so. What happens in this case?

Well, if you buy the &quot;my seat, my window&quot; argument, then it would be the right of the person sitting by the window to leave it open throughout the movie, even if it makes it difficult for others to see the screen. For my part, I don't agree that the person in the window seat &quot;owns&quot; the window.

Of course it is appropriate to be courteous. But ultimately the window is the control of the window seat person.<BR><BR>I have never seen where windows wash out the movie screen. If a flight attendant ever told me to close my window while I wanted to have it open to get sun...I'd tell her to stuff it!<BR><BR>Good question though!<BR><BR>OK - I have a new one for you...one that really bugs me and I have faught and won this one on several occasions.<BR><BR>What if your bin above is completely full??? and you have no room for items?<BR><BR>Don't you have a right to 1/3 of the overhead?

No, you have no right to bins overhead near your seat.<BR>You are guaranteed a seat, and the airline will transport your bags.<BR>But if the bins fill up before you get there, they must be stowed below in storage, or in bins over other seats.

It does seem as though there should be alloted space for carry-ons. Why don't planes have assigned spots? Seems as though it would allieviate much stress.

OK - well for instance, American says you can take on 2 carryons. Ie. one under the seat and one in the above. So if the bin above you is full than SOMEONE is hogging the bin (bin hogs)<BR><BR>There is no way in hell I am going to check my laptop or briefcase in cargo! I have sucessfully won this several times,a nd they stored it in first class or back near the galley, but then again it PAYS to be Platinum level!<BR><BR>People should not put up with this, the airlines should enforce the rules on the BINHOGS!

If the airlines had better and faster baggage service there would be no fighting over the overhead bins. <BR><BR>As for the window I think that it is up to the person sitting there to control. Courtesy and consideration are nice but I never expect it. I travel all the time and try to get aisle seats.

DEATH TO BINHOGS!!

It's not fair that those who board the plane first, perhaps only because they are seated in a high-numbered row, can take up bin space in rows well ahead of them as they board. This means that the people who board last, because they are nearer the front, often do not get bin space. I wish flight attendants would monitor this more closely and insist that people put only one of their carry-ons in the bin. The other goes under the seat, or gets checked if its too big. People should try to limit themselves to the bin space above their row if it all possible.

Julie<BR><BR>I long ago gave up hope for what you have suggested. The flight attendants seem not to be there as 'hall monitors' so we are on our own to be civil and cooperative with each other. It is a lot to expect but if we want the Flight Attendants to do it they should get hazardous duty pay.<BR><BR>The best advice is to either fly consistently on one airline so that you get preferred boarding or to always request a seat at the back of the bus. The only other alternative is to check your bags and allow an extra 20 minutes on the arrival end.

If people (regardless of how much or how little they fly )wouldn't try to bring every damn thing they own as carry on baggage there wouldn't be a bin hog problem.

arf<BR><BR>amen

Julie - - - how right you are!!! I have been bitching for years that if they would load the plane from front to back there would be much less problems. The people seated at the back put their stuff in the bins in the front so they don't have to haul them all the way to the front when they leave. That leaves the bins in the back for the people in the front to try to get back there when the plane lands. What a traffic jam!!!<BR><BR>Now the airlines, in their infinite wisdom (joke), have started boarding by groups instead of rows and people and stuff are all over the place. Makes you wonder if they have any logical thinking people running the show.

Hmm. If the window goes with the seat, and thus entitles the occupant to ownership, then how about the floor, the arm rests, etc. If parts of the airplane belong to the person in the nearest seat, thus entitling them to control that space, then can I as the occupant of the aisle seat bar the window seat occupant from exiting to the rest room? I can if you subscribe to the theory that seat assignment determines airplane section ownership.<BR>It is either that or you explain to me how sitting in the window seat entitles control over the shade, but sitting elsewhere does not entitle control over floor space. What is the difference?<BR><BR>Sounds to me like the guy in the window seat wants his ownership rights, but also wants to deny any control over over anything that might bother him/her.<BR><BR>We also seem to be in a biddin war here, if one subscribes to the theory that the more one pays to ride, the more parts of the airplane you control.<BR><BR>I really don't think there is any etiquette. You get away what you can.<BR>I quit being caught up on etiquette when I road next to a young man who was complaining like heck because he and his new wife were in aisle seats on different rows, one in front of the other. He spent the trip reaching forward and squeezing her on her breasts. She sat there giggling like a first class idiot. I don't think either of them would win any prize for etiquette, decorum, taste, or maturity.<BR>I finally said something to the flight attendant about the squeezing. She said something to the boy. He told the flight attendant to go do something obscene, and so it went.<BR><BR>As for the luggage bins. First on, first in. Last on, tough luck.<BR>I got my fill on my most recent flight out of LGW. Some bumpkins got on with 5 foot tall Christmas trees and fully expected to store them in the overhead bins. They even asked people to remove their carry-on pieces, which were small steamer trunks to begin with, so they could store their trees unbent.<BR><BR>So the bottom line, airline eqiquette has gone the way of most other etiquette in the USA which now seemingly tolerates ringing cell phones in church.<BR>

I know, rode. And bidding, not biddin.<BR>I sometimes spell phonetically.<BR>You know, the Straights of Gibralter!!<BR>Or a strait man.<BR>

Does anyone remember the story about the 300lbs pot belly pig United let on in first class because it was a &quot;health&quot; related pet accompaning the passenger.<BR><BR>First of all I can't believe they actually didn't put her (apparently she herself was approximately the same weight)on a flight by &quot;accident&quot; to Omaha Nebraska!<BR><BR>Now if I were in first class and a pig was sitting accross from me, I'd demand they light up the f&amp;%$ barbecue and do a Cuban Pork roast!<BR><BR>If you don't know the story, just as they were landing, the piggy got aggitated and was running up and down the isles of the aircraft.<BR><BR>When they reached the gate, the stewardess and flight crew could not control the pig, and a group of people and crew managed to get the pig off the plane by throwing a head of lettuce out the door and it chased after it.<BR><BR>This is true, if you don't believe me do a search on the internet.<BR><BR>I saw it on CNN and FOX news.

With the new no-locking-your-luggage rules, the amount of carry-on luggage we all try to sneak on will go up. (and the bin space available down) Who wants their stuff stolen since the can't lock their bags!!!

Sherri<BR><BR>They can steal my stuff if they want and I'll be happy to go to the mall and get new duds.

I agree with Bob Brown on this. Sitting by the window does not mean that you control the window shade. As far as I'm concerned, each passenger controls their individual seat, their tray table, the space under the seat in front of them front of them, the light/air/call button above their seat (and whatever other seat amenities you may have in first/business class), and the arm rest that is not located between two seats. Everything else is shared. Other passengers on the row have just as much right to look out of the window as does the person seated next to it. This situation is just a symptom of the lack of common courtesy that exists today, that makes people feel that they needn't think of anyone but themselves. Airplanes seem to bring out the worst behavior in some people.

I had a similar situation over Thankssgiving Jaime. We had an early morning flight from Tampa to Phoenix. I normally reserve aisle if I'm by myself so I don't have to climb over people and disturb them during an inevitable trip to the back of the plane, or center and aisle if I'm with my husband, as I was this trip. The person in the window seat brought the shade down before the plane left the ground. <BR><BR>Our flight path from east to west in the early morning hours meant the sun was at our tail, not shining directly onto this person's face disturbing her nap or whatever. It was almost as if she was saying, &quot;I'm too cool to look out the window&quot;. I could care less about watching the inflight movie and though I had reading material, it was annoying that she had not considered anyone else in her decision to close the shade. It IS nice to look up from what you are doing and glance out the window for a while, and reassuring when the flight is bumpy. I disagree that you have to lean over the window passenger to see from the window. Yes if you want to look directly down, obviously, but certainly you can see plenty just gazing out and down and I would never consider leaning all over a stranger to see! That's silly.<BR><BR>Our flight was direct. As we continuted west the pilot commented that the city shining off the right wing was Dallas, where we lived for 17 years, where our son still lives, and an area we are tremendously fond of, still. I would have loved to have looked out at the area. Finally I got irritated enough to ask her if she minded lifting the shade a moment, explaining the reason. She was happy to do so...hadn't even thought anyone might be interested in looking out the window explaining she flies that route almost weekly. <BR><BR>It is not that I never or rarely fly, but I don't fly for business and don't fly weekly, so it is enjoyable and helps pass time to be able to look at passing scenery. Jaime, it would have been a treat to see the Rockies. Next time ask. A window is not owned. A seat is, one unshared armrest is, the leg space directly in front of your seat is, but that's it. Common courtesy dictates that you be considerate of something which impacts the enjoyment of EVERYONE in your row.<BR>

I agree you could ask the person next to the window to raise the shade so you can look at whatever, but the person next to window has rights on the shade. If you want the view, get a window seat. It's presumptuous to think that everyone in the isle has the right to tell the person next to window how to regulate the shade. I've never had a flight attendant tell me to lower a shade, and I can't say I've ever seen the incoming light wash out the movie screen. Folks, those windows aren't that big! Sounds like nit-picking to me. Bottom line, you want the view, buy the window seat.

I try to eat some food that makes me gassy before flying. I usually can make the people around me get up for a brief time which allows me to lift shades and rummage thru their belongings.

OK Rich, next time I will, and will disrupt you coming and going when my morning coffee goes to work. &quot;Oh sorry, you were sleeping? So sorry, but couldn't wait any longer!&quot; You would prefer that to a considerate approach...&quot;anyone mind if I lower the shade&quot;? Other than the ease of getting out, I'd far prefer the window seat. I've taken the other out of consideration for you all! Fine, I'll jump on the &quot;Me First and Foremost&quot; bandwagon too.

Just wondering, if the person at the window does ask about the shade, what are they to do if the one person says open and one says closed?<BR><BR>

I travel every other week and enjoy the highest status on my preferred carrier.<BR>When I book a window I am planning to work on my laptop and I will shut the shade without asking anyone else.<BR>Usually the airline blocks the seat next to me and I can honestly say that in all my travels I have never had someone look at me as if they wanted the shade open. If it should ever happen, I would probably just trade seats, unless it was a middle seat.<BR>I'm not that difficult to work with, you know.

I'm clausterphobic, fly a lot, and usually get the window seat. The couple times I haven't and the window person closes the shade, I explain my situation and they are always happy to open the shade.

I was on a flight to Maui and the couple in front of me had the shade open. It was a a beautiful, sunny day and while the sun did not bother the couple, it was beaming across them into the eyes of a woman in the middle row. After passively-agressively shielding her eyes (melodramatically) and making frustrated noises for two or three minutes, she finally asked if they would put the shade down. The husband did not want to put it down, because he could not read without the extra light (both he and his wife were in their 60s or 70s). The woman being blinded said &quot;But you have an overhead light!&quot; The husband said &quot;It's not enough!&quot; The couple was not rude, just distraught. The husband really wanted to read his book and could not do it if the shade was down. The blinded woman finally got out her sunglasses and tried that for awhile. I can attest that the light was BRIGHT, she ended up holding her hand up to block it, while still wearing sunglasses. She had two children with her, otherwise I suppose she might have asked to move (plane was pretty full). <BR>After a bit, the couple felt so sorry for her that they closed the shade and the husband stopped reading. Eventually the plane changed course and the light changed, so up went the shade and all was well. I had a fun time watching this human drama play out in front of me. <BR><BR>As for binhogs, I can't stand them either. I used to carry on one bag plus a small purse, and not check any bags. I packed LIGHT and it was worth it. However, with the increase of binhogs in the world, I found myself getting more and more nervous before boarding the plane, worrying that I'd have to store my bag 10 rows away from my seat . . . so now I only fly direct, and check my carry-on bag (I still pack light). I love breezing onto the plane with just a small purse. No stress, plenty of leg room. It's worth it.

I try not to carry anything on the plane that will not fit under the seat in front of me. It's just easier that way. I am a premier member with United and I am usually one of the first to board so overhead space isn't an issue, but it is really a pain to get the luggage back down when the plane lands and everyone is trying to get their stuff at the same time.

I fly a lot and have noticed that the flight attendents are policing the people sitting in the back that put their carryons in the overheads in the front of the plane. Thank goodness. Nothing like getting a bulkhead seat to find out the only place for your overhead is in row 38.

oliveoyl must be a troll. nobody would produly admit to being this judgmental and controlling. the only reason you spoke to this woman was because your level of irritation COMPELLED you to do so. assuming this woman closed the shade becase she thought she was &quot;too cool&quot; - a person you had never laid eyes on before? i can just picture you - sitting there fuming until you couldn't take it anymore.

I understant but resent those who request a window seat and then fly the whole way with the shade down, sound asleep. They want to lean against the wall and not be disturbed by someone going to the bathroom, but for claustrophobics, people who need the light, or people who want to catch a glimpse of the view, it's a bad break to be next to one of these guys. Wish they'd take one of those seats at the back of the plane that has no window (e.g., on MD80s).

I think it's a matter of consideration for your fellow passangers. With your ticket, you have &quot;rented&quot; a seat, not the surrounding objects {though I will admit to a certain feeling of propritory when I've booked a window seat}. <BR>It strikes me that we humans are not that far down the evolutionary chain - we all but mark our territory when confronted with new situations.

He/she was a self centered pig who does so much traveling that it has become boring misery. I aslo enjoy looking out over the mountains and everywhere in fact. The person most likely sensed that you wanted to look out the window and dicided he wanted nothing to do with you. Been in your seat!

I once found myself on a very crowded flight from Chicago to Dallas. What I guess was a Texas native had put his cowboy hat in the overhead bins over my seat. I just crammed my carry-on in the bin with it and shut the door. Boy, was he upset! I told him to stuff it, carrying on like a pansy about his hat.

The window shades are supposed to remain open during take off and landing according to regualtion. I'm not sure if that is always enforced though. When we fly If I don't have a window seat, I'll stand and go look out another window or else the little peep hole in the door. One time, and let me tell you, this really chapped my ass. I got on a plane only to find this guy in my window seat. The attendent told him he could sit there and wanted to move me to an aisle seat @ the back of the plane right next to the crapper! When I insisted that <BR>I sit in my rightfully assigned seat, the guy moved but they made it seem like I was being really unreasonable (a lot of eye rolling, faces etc)

What a bunch of lame twits. Arguing over who owns a WINDOW SHADE. If you want a real view of the rockies,Jaime,go there.