Tell me what you really think.
As someone who travels monthly AND sits in the middle seat most of the time, I would welcome you next to me any time. Being able to hear someone's earphones above the roar of the engines is one of my biggest annoyances - maybe because we fly a lot of red-eyes and I want to sleep. I also blame the airlines for encouraging people to bring everything they own on board with them...leave the kitchen sink home please or at least check the damn thing. Don't even get me started on people who think I find their children as fascinating as they do..the most unruly children in the waiting area not only will be on my flight but very close to my seat. I'm thinking baggage compartment....
I'm definitely a personal responsibility person vs. a "it takes a village" person. Unfortunately, many people that are parents today were not held accountable for any of their actions yesterday...and so they have absolutely no clue regarding how to raise a well-behaved kid.
Unfortunately, those of us who fly or frequent places where people bring these misbehaving beings get the full treatment of their bad behavior.
And ITA with you on the shower/bath/at least brush your teeth and wear deodorant....thing. Smelly people in an airplane are absolutely disgusting. And the seat spillover thing REALLY makes me mad. I always make it a point to put the arm rest down between myself and a fat person so at least they don't feel free to totally lean their whole over sized unwashed body up against me. Yuck.
AMEN! and I would love to share a row in the plane with you, Mamacita, and I always shower and use deodorant and refrain from eating onions and garlic.....LOL
Fran Lebowitz once said something to the effect that it's a parent's responsibility to raise their children so that they can ride on an airplane and eat at a restaurant and behave appropriately in both of those places. I'm going to add church and the movie theater as well.
I always shower before a trip, and intend to read one of the two or three books I compulsively carry with me. I've had very good luck with kids on airplanes--although MOST children at certain ages can't really be expected to sit quietly for a 3 or 4 hour flight. As long as the parents are trying to work with the child, I don't mind a fussy kid--because that's pretty normal. I get peeved when people bring full sized suitcases on planes as their carry on. They don't fit very well anywhere. And why do the airlines let them?
Ooooh, you would have been burning holes into me on our most notorious flight, Mama.
My husband and I flew with a 4 year old and 11 month old twins to Disney World. It was a lovely trip graciously paid for by my mom, who wanted all of her children (7 of us!) and grandchildren (20 of them!) to enjoy a big family vacation together.
We had a great time and all went well until the flight home, when one twin came down with stomach flu on the plane and vomited peach smoothie ALL OVER ME. It was awful for just about everybody on the plane, as you can imagine.
Perhaps I would be back in your good graces if you knew that I have refused to fly with my children since then...now that they number five, the cost of flying makes it out of the question, but I did vow that I would never again board a plane with someone who couldn't make it to the bathroom all on her own!
Amen to that!! And yes, yes, yes about the showering before you go...and maybe bring breath mints or gum too! More people should get an airline etiquette handbook along with their ticket.
Commenting by HaloScan
