ANNOYING THINGS PEOPLE DO ON PLANES

ANNOYING THINGS PEOPLE DO ON PLANES

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Shakermaker

11,317 posts

101 months

Wednesday 11th March 2020
quotequote all
This has done the rounds almost as many times as the lease/purchase argument.

People either want to sit down because they are comfortable, or stand up because they were uncomfortable. But that does mean that some people who are comfortable sitting, become uncomfortable with people standing all around them contorted at an awkward position and sticking their arse/crotch too close to your head, or someone who would rather stand up is unable to because the person next to them is comfortable to wait sat down until the last minute before they get up and head to the exit.

There isn't really a defined social etiquette on how to address this situation and it probably isn't that high up on enough people's conscience to address in the future

Munter

31,319 posts

242 months

Wednesday 11th March 2020
quotequote all
Shakermaker said:
some people who are comfortable sitting, become uncomfortable with people standing all around them contorted at an awkward position and sticking their arse/crotch too close to your head
I've never seen that. I don't fly a "lot" perhaps 4 or 5 times a year in the last 5 years. I've yet to see this supposed activity.

I see people in aisle seats, getting out of their seat and standing upright in comfort. Usually getting their bags out the over head locker, handing bags to the people in the seats if asked (so they can get their stuff in order without blocking the aisle). Even if this activity only saves 5 seconds per person. That soon adds up for those at the back of the plane hoping to make a connection.

I've never seen people standing in these supposed contorted positions people go on about.

Olas

911 posts

58 months

Wednesday 11th March 2020
quotequote all
Hearing people complain about sharing an aircraft with others - if you don't like other people then take your own aircraft FFS!
Some peoples stupidity knows no bounds..

Shakermaker

11,317 posts

101 months

Wednesday 11th March 2020
quotequote all
Munter said:
I've never seen that. I don't fly a "lot" perhaps 4 or 5 times a year in the last 5 years. I've yet to see this supposed activity.

I see people in aisle seats, getting out of their seat and standing upright in comfort. Usually getting their bags out the over head locker, handing bags to the people in the seats if asked (so they can get their stuff in order without blocking the aisle). Even if this activity only saves 5 seconds per person. That soon adds up for those at the back of the plane hoping to make a connection.

I've never seen people standing in these supposed contorted positions people go on about.
Oh I've definitely seen it, people stood up in the window seat but then bent over underneath the overheads. It could be that the person in the middle seat is a companion of theirs, otherwise it is just downright rude. I'm more annoyed at how long I've spent worrying about this on here - generally, I don't do anything where it will be obviously annoying to other people. But I don't really care if, when I stand up, it makes someone else think "what an impatient dick" because I'm not actually doing anything to encroach on them.

nonsequitur

20,083 posts

117 months

Wednesday 11th March 2020
quotequote all
Munter said:
People unable to think a bit ahead and getting in everybody's way while they faf about trying to find all the stuff they could have been finding for the last 10 minutes. They are making their own experience worse, never mind anybody else.
My decades as a cabin crew member tells me that you have described the disembarkation process perfectly. A lot of people standing, sitting down, faffing about, grabbing belongings, checking the seat pocket and generally getting in everybodys way. It is the boarding process in reverse.

It was ever thus, still is thus, and will be forever more.

(But not if you travel first class).






Edited by nonsequitur on Wednesday 11th March 13:09

paulguitar

23,476 posts

114 months

Wednesday 11th March 2020
quotequote all
Munter said:
I've never seen that. I don't fly a "lot" perhaps 4 or 5 times a year in the last 5 years. I've yet to see this supposed activity.

I see people in aisle seats, getting out of their seat and standing upright in comfort. Usually getting their bags out the over head locker, handing bags to the people in the seats if asked (so they can get their stuff in order without blocking the aisle). Even if this activity only saves 5 seconds per person. That soon adds up for those at the back of the plane hoping to make a connection.

I've never seen people standing in these supposed contorted positions people go on about.
If you fly reasonably regularly you soon work out that the time to get all of your stuff in order is before the descent. So, get everything into the overhead bag except phone or Kindle, and then be ready to quickly grab it and go. No need to piss about in the aisle at all once the aircraft has landed. Anyone faffing about with bags and stuff after landing is just likely to be inexperienced.

Aside from this, I have a quick question. I have four trans Atlantics in the next month, has anyone here flown across the pond in the last couple of weeks? I was wondering if the planes are noticeably less full at present due to all that is going on with the Coronavirus stuff?

ajap1979

8,014 posts

188 months

Wednesday 11th March 2020
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Flying Easyjet from Porto to Manchester last September I had a guy behind me who repeatedly held on to my headrest, meaning that every time I put my head back it hit his fingers. It happened about half a dozen times before I had to get up and politely point out that it was annoying the hell out of me.

loughran

2,749 posts

137 months

Wednesday 11th March 2020
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captain_cynic said:
nonsequitur said:
Ayahuasca said:
I do it too. No apologies. My pet hates (I have a few) include those who sit down until the last second, then only when the aisle is completely clear ahead of them do they drag themselves to their feet and start fumbling in the overhead bin.
Strange. You call others out on your pet hates, but offer no apologies for your own actions.confused
I like people who stand uncomfortably for hours on end as soon as the plane stops... It means I can sit comfortably and read my book for the 10-15 mins before the line starts to move.

I'm going to buck the trend and say I'd rather sit next to a big person than a skinny one as it's always the skinny ones that don't understand that their arms stick out more than they think. Big people are usually acutely aware of their own dimensions, I end up being constantly elbowed by skinny people who flap their arms about like they're doing the chicken dance. They still do it even after I've told them for the umpteenth time, so now I prefer not to sit next to them.

Use your elbows to move up and down, your shoulders to rotate... Dont raise your arms to make your elbows rotate. What is so hard about this?
This is good information, you make a valid point.

If only we could choose who we sit next to.

I did sit next to a very large man on the way to India. He was from London and travelling with 7 members of his family who were similarly enormous. They were sitting apart from each other, spaced evenly around the cabin, so had to communicate with each other by bellowing. I've never been good at sleeping on aeroplanes so that was a bonus. At immigration the family spread out, individually manning all the lanes until one member of the family was almost at the head of the queue moving the quickest... and all the other family members flocked to join him barging everybody out of the way and growling at them.

By coincidence, some weeks later, the same family were travelling back to the UK on the same flight we were travelling back to the UK. In the boarding queue it was clear there were fewer of them and those present were heavily bandaged and plastered up. Turns out they'd all been on a coach trip to see crocodiles, the driver had been drunk and the coach tumbled down a ravine into the river where the crocodiles lived. 4 members of the family were still in hospital whilst 4 were deemed fit to travel home. I sat next to the same very large man who now had his arm in plaster, set in a waving position, with a brace from his waist to his elbow. It was his left arm that was broken and I sat in the seat on his left hand side. He was a lot more subdued than the outward flight and there was less inter family bellowing down the fuselage and once we all got settled he was pretty good company but it did make me wary of sitting next to very big people unless they're taking a lot of painkillers.

Now I'll be wary of sitting next to skinny people too.

nonsequitur

20,083 posts

117 months

Thursday 12th March 2020
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captain_cynic said:
Have you ever flown before... Standing up does SFA to speed up the alighting process because inevitably you end up waiting as the person ahead fumbles around in the overhead locker for their oversized roller case.

And because everyone is standing up, there is no room to grab anything.

Hey, but keep doing it so I can sit more comfortably. I'll still reach immigration before most people because I simply don't dawdle and because the standers can't exit the plane any faster than I can.
Exactly. Passengers standing up, after the SB sign is off, helps nobody. I have seen it a thousand times: One up, all up (or at least the majority), All routes are blocked, no-one moves.

The advice above about getting your stuff together, checkng the seat pocket etc prior to descent / SB sign, is sound.

anonymous-user

55 months

Thursday 12th March 2020
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Ayahuasca said:
Falconer said:
I normally do this,sorry. I am aware I will be standing there for 10 min, but after several hours in cramped seat, it’s not a moment too soon.
I do it too. No apologies. My pet hates (I have a few) include those who sit down until the last second, then only when the aisle is completely clear ahead of them do they drag themselves to their feet and start fumbling in the overhead bin.
I assume you guys are aware that it's not (mostly) mandatory to sit in your seat for the entire flight? Indeed, most seasoned travelers and guides will advise of the benefits of getting up/moving and stretching, particularly on long-haul.

paulguitar said:
If you fly reasonably regularly you soon work out that the time to get all of your stuff in order is before the descent. So, get everything into the overhead bag except phone or Kindle, and then be ready to quickly grab it and go. No need to piss about in the aisle at all once the aircraft has landed. Anyone faffing about with bags and stuff after landing is just likely to be inexperienced.
This, all day long. Like most regular travelers, I will ensure I'm ready to leave the aircraft as efficiently as possible without inconveniencing others. I don't get up as soon as the s/b lights go off, and I don't sit there until the very last second either. I plan ahead - it's not rocket science.

number2

4,316 posts

188 months

Thursday 12th March 2020
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paulguitar said:
If you fly reasonably regularly you soon work out that the time to get all of your stuff in order is before the descent.
This, of course.

Also, the people that amuse me (read annoy) are those that are up and down like yo-yos fetching things from the overhead lockers from boarding until take-off. Then up again as soon as belt signs are off... or not.

It's an annoying distraction when I'm trying to relax with my drink smile.

fizz47

2,678 posts

211 months

Thursday 12th March 2020
quotequote all
paulguitar said:
If you fly reasonably regularly you soon work out that the time to get all of your stuff in order is before the descent. So, get everything into the overhead bag except phone or Kindle, and then be ready to quickly grab it and go. No need to piss about in the aisle at all once the aircraft has landed. Anyone faffing about with bags and stuff after landing is just likely to be inexperienced.

Aside from this, I have a quick question. I have four trans Atlantics in the next month, has anyone here flown across the pond in the last couple of weeks? I was wondering if the planes are noticeably less full at present due to all that is going on with the Coronavirus stuff?
I did LHR>Chicago last week and returned a few days later..

Outbound in economy was much lighter than usual and whole rows empty so people could stretch out.. Premium Economy was full and Business was more than half empty ..(British Airways)

On the return all cabins were full with people on standby ..(American Airlines)

Terminals seemed as busy as ever ..

paulguitar

23,476 posts

114 months

Thursday 12th March 2020
quotequote all
fizz47 said:
I did LHR>Chicago last week and returned a few days later..

Outbound in economy was much lighter than usual and whole rows empty so people could stretch out.. Premium Economy was full and Business was more than half empty ..(British Airways)

On the return all cabins were full with people on standby ..(American Airlines)

Terminals seemed as busy as ever ..
Thanks for the info. I am due to fly back to the UK from New York March 22nd, I’d been hoping for an empty cabin but I suspect now there will be lots of folks wanting to get back to Europe and they will all have to do that through the UK, so it will likely be full.

IanUAE

2,930 posts

165 months

Monday 16th March 2020
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Can we add business passengers (traveling in suits) who think that is ok for them to duck under the pull out barriers to get to the passport queue line quicker when they can see other passengers zig-zagging as intended in front of them.

The same people think that is ok for them to cut the taxi queue by walking past people when they can see clearly a queue is forming.

nonsequitur

20,083 posts

117 months

Monday 16th March 2020
quotequote all
Olas said:
Hearing people complain about sharing an aircraft with others - if you don't like other people then take your own aircraft FFS!
Some peoples stupidity knows no bounds..
Agreed. I had a great many seat change requests over the years. Usually to 'get away from other passengers' in all it's guises.

Frank7

6,619 posts

88 months

Monday 16th March 2020
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nonsequitur said:
Agreed. I had a great many seat change requests over the years. Usually to 'get away from other passengers' in all it's guises.
When smoking was allowed in the rear two or three rows at the back of the plane, and my wife smoked at that time, at check in I’d request a seat as far away from her as possible.
If things went wrong, and I was assigned a seat next to her, I was all over the F/As like a rash to get switched elsewhere.

nonsequitur

20,083 posts

117 months

Monday 16th March 2020
quotequote all
Frank7 said:
nonsequitur said:
Agreed. I had a great many seat change requests over the years. Usually to 'get away from other passengers' in all it's guises.
When smoking was allowed in the rear two or three rows at the back of the plane, and my wife smoked at that time, at check in I’d request a seat as far away from her as possible.
If things went wrong, and I was assigned a seat next to her, I was all over the F/As like a rash to get switched elsewhere.
So it was you Frank ! I seem to remember I got you a seat next to the toilets and the crew rest area.grumpy

MarkwG

4,851 posts

190 months

Monday 16th March 2020
quotequote all
nonsequitur said:
Frank7 said:
nonsequitur said:
Agreed. I had a great many seat change requests over the years. Usually to 'get away from other passengers' in all it's guises.
When smoking was allowed in the rear two or three rows at the back of the plane, and my wife smoked at that time, at check in I’d request a seat as far away from her as possible.
If things went wrong, and I was assigned a seat next to her, I was all over the F/As like a rash to get switched elsewhere.
So it was you Frank ! I seem to remember I got you a seat next to the toilets and the crew rest area.grumpy
The opposite really used to p!ss me off! People who smoke, who booked into non smoking to "be with the family"; got trapped on a Malaysian flight to KL once, had to travel in the smoking section as all the no smoking taken by mainly smokers, ended up having a coughing fit so bad the flight nearly got diverted, because they were all coming back to smoke! Selfish b4stards...

surveyor

17,839 posts

185 months

Monday 16th March 2020
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Has anyone mentioned coughing yet?

MarkwG

4,851 posts

190 months

Monday 16th March 2020
quotequote all
surveyor said:
Has anyone mentioned coughing yet?
biglaugh