ANNOYING THINGS PEOPLE DO ON PLANES

[IanUAE]

schmalex said:

Yep. From 23A - my usual seat on the Emirates aircraft.

They really are cracking aircraft

Wherever possible, I choose an A380 over a 777, more space and much quieter.

I normally take a window seat so I don't get disturbed if other passenger next to me wish to use the wash room.

I have 8 confirmed and with potentially another 4 flights in October.......

[GT03ROB]

schmalex said:

I always chuckle at the business people on the little comimuter hops who steadfastly refuse to watch the safety brief, or deliberately don’t look out of the window during takeoff and landing, despite taking furtive glances.

Regardless of what aircraft I’m on, I always count the rows to the nearest exit and check the seat / seat pod so I know where my life vest is in case of emergency. I also like looking out of the window, as I spend enough time caged up in the bloody things!!!

Yeah the safety related stuff gets my goat too. The missus was a trolley, so knows these briefings by heart, she always pays attention, always counts rows. She said it always used to piss her off people not paying attention, as ultimately those people were putting her & the other crew at risk as well as other passengers.

[BrabusMog]

GT03ROB said:

schmalex said:

I always chuckle at the business people on the little comimuter hops who steadfastly refuse to watch the safety brief, or deliberately don’t look out of the window during takeoff and landing, despite taking furtive glances.

Regardless of what aircraft I’m on, I always count the rows to the nearest exit and check the seat / seat pod so I know where my life vest is in case of emergency. I also like looking out of the window, as I spend enough time caged up in the bloody things!!!

Yeah the safety related stuff gets my goat too. The missus was a trolley, so knows these briefings by heart, she always pays attention, always counts rows. She said it always used to piss her off people not paying attention, as ultimately those people were putting her & the other crew at risk as well as other passengers.

If I'm flying a route I don't usually fly or I'm on an aircraft I don't usually fly, I will pay attention. But I fly at least twice a month, usually 6 times a month, on the same route, on the same aircraft and usually in the same seat, so for that flight I am afraid I don't give the briefing my undivided attention.

I do look out the window if taking off when it's dark, though. For some reason looking at the ground lit up is very satisfying.

[nonsequitur]

schmalex said:

I always chuckle at the business people on the little comimuter hops who steadfastly refuse to watch the safety brief, or deliberately don’t look out of the window during takeoff and landing, despite taking furtive glances.

Regardless of what aircraft I’m on, I always count the rows to the nearest exit and check the seat / seat pod so I know where my life vest is in case of emergency. I also like looking out of the window, as I spend enough time caged up in the bloody things!!!

We had a captain who would do a PA prior to the safety video.

' Ladies and gentlemen the film you are about to see will win no Oscars, It concerns your safety on this flight. It is very important, so please give it your complete attention. Thank you.'

[HoHoHo]

nonsequitur said:

schmalex said:

I always chuckle at the business people on the little comimuter hops who steadfastly refuse to watch the safety brief, or deliberately don’t look out of the window during takeoff and landing, despite taking furtive glances.

Regardless of what aircraft I’m on, I always count the rows to the nearest exit and check the seat / seat pod so I know where my life vest is in case of emergency. I also like looking out of the window, as I spend enough time caged up in the bloody things!!!

We had a captain who would do a PA prior to the safety video.

' Ladies and gentlemen the film you are about to see will win no Oscars, It concerns your safety on this flight. It is very important, so please give it your complete attention. Thank you.'

I think the latest safety video on BA is quite good

[schmalex]

BrabusMog said:

GT03ROB said:

schmalex said:

I always chuckle at the business people on the little comimuter hops who steadfastly refuse to watch the safety brief, or deliberately don’t look out of the window during takeoff and landing, despite taking furtive glances.

Regardless of what aircraft I’m on, I always count the rows to the nearest exit and check the seat / seat pod so I know where my life vest is in case of emergency. I also like looking out of the window, as I spend enough time caged up in the bloody things!!!

Yeah the safety related stuff gets my goat too. The missus was a trolley, so knows these briefings by heart, she always pays attention, always counts rows. She said it always used to piss her off people not paying attention, as ultimately those people were putting her & the other crew at risk as well as other passengers.

If I'm flying a route I don't usually fly or I'm on an aircraft I don't usually fly, I will pay attention. But I fly at least twice a month, usually 6 times a month, on the same route, on the same aircraft and usually in the same seat, so for that flight I am afraid I don't give the briefing my undivided attention.

I do look out the window if taking off when it's dark, though. For some reason looking at the ground lit up is very satisfying.

Personally, I would still have a quick look around to count the rows and get the general gist of who is where as things may have changed since the last time you were on. There may be a person of limited ability sitting in the aisle seat that could block escape / a parent with 2 young children in an adjacent row etc. For me, spending 10 seconds to have a quick glance around and a feel under the seat for the life vest tab is a small investment if you do survive going into the ground like a dart.

I do LH or ULH 3 or 4 times a month. Pretty much always on Emirates and pretty much always in seat 23A or 23K. If I hear the bloody lady talking about Dubai Expo 2020 on the IFE one more time, I think I’m going to explode, but I’ll always have a quick check on my route to the exits and how to access the life vest in the pod.

[BrabusMog]

schmalex said:

BrabusMog said:

GT03ROB said:

schmalex said:

I always chuckle at the business people on the little comimuter hops who steadfastly refuse to watch the safety brief, or deliberately don’t look out of the window during takeoff and landing, despite taking furtive glances.

Regardless of what aircraft I’m on, I always count the rows to the nearest exit and check the seat / seat pod so I know where my life vest is in case of emergency. I also like looking out of the window, as I spend enough time caged up in the bloody things!!!

Yeah the safety related stuff gets my goat too. The missus was a trolley, so knows these briefings by heart, she always pays attention, always counts rows. She said it always used to piss her off people not paying attention, as ultimately those people were putting her & the other crew at risk as well as other passengers.

If I'm flying a route I don't usually fly or I'm on an aircraft I don't usually fly, I will pay attention. But I fly at least twice a month, usually 6 times a month, on the same route, on the same aircraft and usually in the same seat, so for that flight I am afraid I don't give the briefing my undivided attention.

I do look out the window if taking off when it's dark, though. For some reason looking at the ground lit up is very satisfying.

Personally, I would still have a quick look around to count the rows and get the general gist of who is where as things may have changed since the last time you were on. There may be a person of limited ability sitting in the aisle seat that could block escape / a parent with 2 young children in an adjacent row etc. For me, spending 10 seconds to have a quick glance around and a feel under the seat for the life vest tab is a small investment if you do survive going into the ground like a dart.

I do LH or ULH 3 or 4 times a month. Pretty much always on Emirates and pretty much always in seat 23A or 23K. If I hear the bloody lady talking about Dubai Expo 2020 on the IFE one more time, I think I’m going to explode, but I’ll always have a quick check on my route to the exits and how to access the life vest in the pod.

I'm usually just flying short haul, Gatwick to Göteborg, and usually seat 1A, 1C, or 1D (very cheap to book front row with Norwegian Airlines) and I'll always be aware of my surroundings, but as the exit door is usually right next to me, I don't feel the need to watch the cheesey video as we taxi to the runway.

[nonsequitur]

schmalex said:

BrabusMog said:

GT03ROB said:

schmalex said:

I always chuckle at the business people on the little comimuter hops who steadfastly refuse to watch the safety brief, or deliberately don’t look out of the window during takeoff and landing, despite taking furtive glances.

Regardless of what aircraft I’m on, I always count the rows to the nearest exit and check the seat / seat pod so I know where my life vest is in case of emergency. I also like looking out of the window, as I spend enough time caged up in the bloody things!!!

Yeah the safety related stuff gets my goat too. The missus was a trolley, so knows these briefings by heart, she always pays attention, always counts rows. She said it always used to piss her off people not paying attention, as ultimately those people were putting her & the other crew at risk as well as other passengers.

If I'm flying a route I don't usually fly or I'm on an aircraft I don't usually fly, I will pay attention. But I fly at least twice a month, usually 6 times a month, on the same route, on the same aircraft and usually in the same seat, so for that flight I am afraid I don't give the briefing my undivided attention.

I do look out the window if taking off when it's dark, though. For some reason looking at the ground lit up is very satisfying.

Personally, I would still have a quick look around to count the rows and get the general gist of who is where as things may have changed since the last time you were on. There may be a person of limited ability sitting in the aisle seat that could block escape / a parent with 2 young children in an adjacent row etc. For me, spending 10 seconds to have a quick glance around and a feel under the seat for the life vest tab is a small investment if you do survive going into the ground like a dart.

I do LH or ULH 3 or 4 times a month. Pretty much always on Emirates and pretty much always in seat 23A or 23K. If I hear the bloody lady talking about Dubai Expo 2020 on the IFE one more time, I think I’m going to explode, but I’ll always have a quick check on my route to the exits and how to access the life vest in the pod.

At our annual safety check we were always reminded to check the location of the nearest escape route from your hotel room. Left? right? approx distance from your location etc.

[schmalex]

Likewise.

At risk of a slight digression, there are lots of things that the travellers in my business advised to do, such as:

Take a photo of your room number so that you aren’t carrying the hotel’s cardboard key wallet round with you.

Always have a photo of your passport on your phone (this has got me out of a spot of bother with the authorities in Singapore before, so is definitely worthwhile)

Buy a rubber door jam to jam the door closed at night (especially so with electronic access keys)

Only book a room between 2nd and 7th floors

Never use a yellow taxi in Bogotá

Don’t use the local close protection companies in African nations. Always insist on ex-UK/US/NZ/AU/RSA guys

[matrignano]

schmalex said:

Likewise.

Only book a room between 2nd and 7th floors

Why is that?

[schmalex]

Couple of reasons:

If there’s a fire, apparently, standard hoses can, generally, reach as far as 7th floor

If the hotel gets carbombed you, apparently, have statistally more chance of surviving if you are on 2nd floor or above (this happened in a hotel I was staying in a few years ago ). Fortunately, our travel teams had booked garden view rooms for us as an extra precaution

If you are on ground floor, people can break into your room from outside and nick stuff.

[paulguitar]

schmalex said:

Likewise.

At risk of a slight digression, there are lots of things that the travellers in my business advised to do, such as:

Take a photo of your room number so that you aren’t carrying the hotel’s cardboard key wallet round with you.

Always have a photo of your passport on your phone (this has got me out of a spot of bother with the authorities in Singapore before, so is definitely worthwhile)

Buy a rubber door jam to jam the door closed at night (especially so with electronic access keys)

Only book a room between 2nd and 7th floors

Never use a yellow taxi in Bogotá

Don’t use the local close protection companies in African nations. Always insist on ex-UK/US/NZ/AU/RSA guys

Are you a spy or something?

[Greshamst]

schmalex said:

Never use a yellow taxi in Bogotá

Wish I’d had this advice! Last day in Colombia, had let my guard down as everything had been smooth sailing till then. It was raining, uber was swamped so jumped in a yellow cab, and very stupidly didn’t question that the very nice and charming driver had a convenient card machine for payments...

[DanL]

schmalex said:

Likewise.

At risk of a slight digression, there are lots of things that the travellers in my business advised to do, such as:

Take a photo of your room number so that you aren’t carrying the hotel’s cardboard key wallet round with you.

Always have a photo of your passport on your phone (this has got me out of a spot of bother with the authorities in Singapore before, so is definitely worthwhile)

Buy a rubber door jam to jam the door closed at night (especially so with electronic access keys)

Only book a room between 2nd and 7th floors

Never use a yellow taxi in Bogotá

Don’t use the local close protection companies in African nations. Always insist on ex-UK/US/NZ/AU/RSA guys

My work has a similar list. Don’t suppose your guys use international SOS as the safety advisor?

I put the room number in my phone as a contact, rather than taking a photo...

[schmalex]

Yes. They’re generally pretty good.

The nature of our work brings us in close contact with various agencies so we get an awful lot of practice at keeping ourselves safe and as inconspicuous as possible (possibly the single most important aspect of travel to challenging destinations!)

[DanL]

schmalex said:

Yes. They’re generally pretty good.

The nature of our work brings us in close contact with various agencies so we get an awful lot of practice at keeping ourselves safe and as inconspicuous as possible (possibly the single most important aspect of travel to challenging destinations!)

Happily my work doesn’t send us to particularly dangerous places, although there are some (Pakistan, Beirut, Philippines) where you wouldn’t want to be in the wrong place by accident...

[schmalex]

They’re dodgy enough to be fair!!

I’ll only ever stay in Makati City when in Metro Manila as the hotels round Greenbelt fall within the security zone. Although my clients are all in Angeles City, I’d rather do the trip each day than stay there!!

I won’t do Islamabad without personal security between the hotel and installation I visit.

[paulguitar]

Okay, I was joking about being a spy, but what do you guys do?

[schmalex]

I’m responsible for selling stuff to emerging international markets for a defence business.

It’s not glamorous.

[DanL]

Financial software. Also not glamorous.