the simple rules of airplane etiquette
i consider myself to be pretty savvy when it comes to flying. i choose the best available seat when booking my ticket. i check-in online 24 hours prior to takeoff and switch to an even better seat - a window or aisle closer to the front so that i'm one of the last ones on and first ones off the plane. i choose an aisle seat if the flight is short so that i don't have to wait for my entire row to deplane. i choose a window seat if the flight is long and i want to sleep and not be interrupted by my fellow rowmates that need to use the facilities.
if i have a small carry on, i plan on stowing it under the seat in front of me. if i know i'll be traveling with a bigger bag, i will choose a seat in the middle of the plane to assure space in the overhead compartment and avoid having to check my bag last minute.
as you can see, a lot of thought and preparation goes into my seat selection. you will not find me looking to trade my seat at the last minute (there was one time i asked someone to switch with me so i could sit with my special someone. but it was a win-win situation. i gave up a seat in first class. now that's love).
i recently had an experience on a nwa flight that leads me to believe there are people out there that don't know the simple rules of airplane etiquette. these rules apply only to switching seats. don't even get me started on in-flight manners.
i call the first and most obvious rule the "even steven" rule. that means that you can only switch an aisle for an aisle, a window for a window, or a middle for a middle. occasionally, you might be able to get away with an aisle for a window or vice versa. but NEVER ask for an aisle or window for a middle.
the next rule is the "3 row" rule. the seat you want to trade must not be more than 3 rows behind the other. really moving back at all is a big no-no, but within 3 rows is close enough. any more than that and you just added atleast 5 minutes to their deplaning time.
last, but not certainly not least, is the "don't get comfy" rule. you should not be sitting in the seat with your luggage stowed away before you ask. this only causes deep resentment.
on my recent trip, not only did this guy have the nerve to offer me a middle seat one row behind my original AISLE seat, he was already sitting there quite comfortably with seatbelt fastened and luggage stowed, holding hands with his fiancee. i never had a chance.
well played.
just remember - what goes around comes around.
if i have a small carry on, i plan on stowing it under the seat in front of me. if i know i'll be traveling with a bigger bag, i will choose a seat in the middle of the plane to assure space in the overhead compartment and avoid having to check my bag last minute.
as you can see, a lot of thought and preparation goes into my seat selection. you will not find me looking to trade my seat at the last minute (there was one time i asked someone to switch with me so i could sit with my special someone. but it was a win-win situation. i gave up a seat in first class. now that's love).
i recently had an experience on a nwa flight that leads me to believe there are people out there that don't know the simple rules of airplane etiquette. these rules apply only to switching seats. don't even get me started on in-flight manners.
i call the first and most obvious rule the "even steven" rule. that means that you can only switch an aisle for an aisle, a window for a window, or a middle for a middle. occasionally, you might be able to get away with an aisle for a window or vice versa. but NEVER ask for an aisle or window for a middle.
the next rule is the "3 row" rule. the seat you want to trade must not be more than 3 rows behind the other. really moving back at all is a big no-no, but within 3 rows is close enough. any more than that and you just added atleast 5 minutes to their deplaning time.
last, but not certainly not least, is the "don't get comfy" rule. you should not be sitting in the seat with your luggage stowed away before you ask. this only causes deep resentment.
on my recent trip, not only did this guy have the nerve to offer me a middle seat one row behind my original AISLE seat, he was already sitting there quite comfortably with seatbelt fastened and luggage stowed, holding hands with his fiancee. i never had a chance.
well played.
just remember - what goes around comes around.
posted by sharks at 2:00 PM
3 Comments:
I am in total agreemet with this blog entry "sharks"! In the future, we should come up with a reason (maybe a medical one) why you need to keep your seat. And of course, state it in a very apologetical manner so that he feels bad if he doesn't move (afterall he tried to make you feel bad by being seated already). "Nitty" would call this my spitefulness, but it is not to the degree as which would make "the whole world blind" and as you said -"what goes around comes around"- and better if what comes around benefits you!!
yeah, how about, "sorry, i have irritable bowel syndrome and need to get up regularly." gets 'em every time.
buck google groups thread regarding this matter. Click to view!
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