raining ktula

Air travel etiquette

May 1st, 2006 by ktula

I have been doing extensive air travel for the last 9 years, racking up probably 90,000 miles on average each year. There are quite a few things about air travel that drive me nuts, including the baggage claim carousel hoggers, which i have addressed in my post about the solution to that problem.

During the first year or two when i started traveling for work, i had always carried with me the airline-approved suitcase for storage in the overhead compartments. Occasionally, i would not be able to find any available space and i would have to pass my bag to the flight attendants to have them checked it. Needless to say, it was a pain in the ass. Imagine boarding late for your flight and to have to open up every overhead compartments to search for a space big enough for your bag. It is not fun.

After the first two years, i made a decision to always check my bag in for my business travel, boarding my flights with just my laptop bag. My reasons:

• If i have to run to catch my flight (most likely a connecting flight), i won’t be slowed down by my luggage.
• I don’t have worry about not being able to find space in the overhead compartments for my luggage.
• Why carry your own luggage when someone else can do it for you?
• I can pretty much put anything in my luggage without having to worry that they will be confiscated at the security screening area.

That said, i also understand why people want their luggages as carry-on instead. Not having to wait at least 20 minutes for your luggage at the baggage claim carousel and not having the need to deal with lost luggage are probably the main reasons. However, if you do decide to take your luggage on board as a carry-on, you should also take the risk of not finding any space in the overhead compartments. What really pisses me off is that some people have the gall to ask you to remove your bag from the overhead compartments and put it under the seat in front of you while they can use the space for their own luggages. No one forces them to bring their luggages on board. Why does someone else have to pay just so they can save a little time?

This morning, i was “comfortably” half asleep in my own aisle seat on the Alaska Airline flight 344 to San Jose when i was rudely awaken by this fat toad who asked if the laptop bag that she was holding about 5 inches from my face belonged to me. First of all, i do not like to be disturbed when i have already made myself “comfortable” in my seat. Second, what made this inconsiderate fat lard think that she could inconvenient me just because she wanted the convenience of having her luggage as a carry-on? I did not get the chance to fly first class on this flight so i was literally stuck in my coffin-like seat with my feet tucked in the space under the seat in front of me. Imagine being 6 foot 3 and being stuck in a coffin made for someone who is 6 inches shorter. Oh yeah, and the headrest is also made for someone who is 6 inches shorter. That was how “comfortable” i was. Being extremely sleepy and rather irritated, even though i wanted to tell her to go kiss my hairy ass and put my laptop bag back where it belonged, i shoved my laptop bag under my legs.

Next time if this happens again, no more Mr. Nice Guy.

Related posts

• No Related Post