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Be Considerate When Flying


klfrodo
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We regular travelers suffer from the fact that 90+% of air travelers only fly once a year or less. Some have no clue as to the meaning of the Priority #, and believe seating is a first come first affair. Continually see people turned away by the gate agent having a Boarding priority #6, when they’ve only called #1!

 

Domestic airlines not enforcing the carry on limits create headaches for all. I still wish TSA would not allow oversized luggage through security. That would help a lot! Back in the 80s, the screening machines had size limiters on the front of the machine. If the carry on wouldn’t fit through the hole, the owner was sent back to stand in the check in line again.

Whilst I totally agree about people abusing the hand luggage limits, it is not really the job of TSA or any airport security operation, to police carry on luggage. After all, different airlines have different restrictions.

The fault lies clearly with the airlines. I would dearly like to see every airline weigh and measure every piece of hand luggage, and anything that was too large/heavy would be placed in the hold, at an appropriate fee.

If nothing else, it would stop my DW pointing out every bag that is oversize, and complaining that I told her the bag she wanted to bring was too big.

 

Sent from my SM-T700 using Forums mobile app

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All things you mentioned in the first post give only a few hours, or less, of inconvinience. I think that a screaming child is much worse than for example someone reclining their seat.

 

I don't say that it's a big problem but among the things you mentioned a small child has the potential to be the worst thing, I think.

Anyone who thinks a screaming child isn't the worst thing that can happen needs to watch this video.... I'd have jumped out of the plane (with or without a parachute).

 

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We regular travelers suffer from the fact that 90+% of air travelers only fly once a year or less. Some have no clue as to the meaning of the Priority #, and believe seating is a first come first affair. Continually see people turned away by the gate agent having a Boarding priority #6, when they’ve only called #1!

 

This annoys me no end and I do thank gate agents when they police the boarding line. Last year I was boarding through British Airways "Priority Boarding" lane when one guy just in front of me decided that he and his mother (who was quite old but not mobility impaired) should get priority boarding when flying economy. This guy argued with the gate agent for a good 30 seconds or so and thankfully she stood her ground and sent him to the back of the now even longer regular boarding line :D

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4. Parents with Little Ones. Don't worry about it. We've all been there. Yes, they might get a little fussy, they might even have a melt down. You know what? Don't worry about it. Most of us have been there, done that. try to bring some snacks, toys, and maybe an iPad to keep them occupied. (Don't forget the headphones). If that 1 percenter is on the plane and doesn't like it,,, tell them to suck it.

 

I had a child in the row behind watching his video at full volume. His mother told everybody, "he doesn't like headphones," and the FAs didn't seem to care that it was disturbing several rows of passengers. I don't blame the child, who may just develop into the next Menendez, since he can do whatever he wants.

 

Let's add: don't poach my seat. It's not going to kill you to sit apart from your travelling companion for a few hours and I'm not willing to trade my aisle for his or her window seat. And be an adult when I decline.

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Anyone who thinks a screaming child isn't the worst thing that can happen needs to watch this video.... I'd have jumped out of the plane (with or without a parachute).

 

Wow. Well that beats my 5 hr flight to Orlando. This kid (also approx 4yrs) screamed so loud and long that her parents had to put on noise cancelling headphones. I kid you not.

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When I get to the gate, if there aren't any seats available, I go and stand at the gate as if I'm the first in the queue to board. A few moments later, my husband will join behind me, acting as if we don't know each other. Shortly, a stranger will come and stand in the third place, and then the fourth and fifth and so on until a chain reaction causes the entire flight to stand up and make a queue that snakes halfway around the terminal, leaving their seats empty.

 

We then leave the queue, and take our pick of the seats. We're Plus/Gold/Elite/Priority/Platinum, etc, so we get called to push to the front of the queue to board first anyway.

 

 

While I get annoyed by gate lice, I can say that fortunately I have never witnessed the entire flight blindly getting up and getting in line as you claim. A line snaking halfway around the terminal would be far more of an annoyance, not to mention a huge pedestrian obstacle, than a few gate lice. :rolleyes:

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Wow. screamed so loud and long that her parents had to put on noise cancelling headphones.

 

...which actually makes it worse.

 

Noise cancelling headphones only cancel sounds of a non varying frequency, i.e. the whoosh of air over the fuselage. Therefore speech and other noises are actually amplified by wearing NC headphones!

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...I can say that fortunately I have never witnessed the entire flight blindly getting up and getting in line as you claim... /quote]

 

Not always the entire flight, but always the Brits. And when the flight is at least 50% British, the rest seem to get caught up in it as well. So when I'm flying to or from Britain this works like a charm!

 

I'm flying out to LAX tomorrow on Virgin Atlantic, it'll be about 80% British, so it will work like a charm! I'll post a picture!

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...I can say that fortunately I have never witnessed the entire flight blindly getting up and getting in line as you claim... /quote]

 

Not always the entire flight, but always the Brits. And when the flight is at least 50% British, the rest seem to get caught up in it as well. So when I'm flying to or from Britain this works like a charm!

 

I'm flying out to LAX tomorrow on Virgin Atlantic, it'll be about 80% British, so it will work like a charm! I'll post a picture!

Yup, us Brits do like to queue. Don't understand it myself, especially with only a small carryon. It's not as if I am going to arrive any earlier by being first onto the aircraft.

 

Sent from my SM-T700 using Forums mobile app

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If you have packed a carry on that you know is too large to fit under your seat, and you are physically unable to lift it to the overhead bin, please pay the the $25 and check it !!! Just don't stand helplessly in the middle of the aisle, stopping the boarding process, waiting for someone to do it for you. 😠

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If you have packed a carry on that you know is too large to fit under your seat, and you are physically unable to lift it to the overhead bin, please pay the the $25 and check it !!! Just don't stand helplessly in the middle of the aisle, stopping the boarding process, waiting for someone to do it for you. 😠

 

I am a 5' 4" woman who completely appreciates and is thankful for all the help I get with my carry on going into the overhead bin. And also, being married to a man who is 6' 4" tall ... he has stood in the aisle and put MANY luggage pieces in the overhead bins for others. When he stands and gets something from his bag, there is a chorus of ... oh can you hand me my bag, that green one. It goes both ways.

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Please keep your therapy critter in its travel container. It's not a lap child and it shouldn't be allowed to wander around the cabin.

 

Totally agree with those who find that passengers sitting in the back of the plane frequently place their carry-on baggage in the forward overhead compartments. We tend to fly Jet Blue, extra space, and opt for seating in the first few rows, only to find the bins already filled with hand luggage. Even with priority boarding, we are jostled out of line by passengers who ignore the sequence code on their ticket.

 

If you have a cough/cold, then wear a face mask.

 

It comes down to being polite and demonstrating a little more respect of others.

 

Darcy

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Much of this can be resolved by the airline staff. We recently returned form Asia. We did six or seven flights-one hour to three or four hours. The airlines used goup booking codes. If you were in group 3 and tried to board with the group 2 people you were sent to the back of the line. No ifs, ands, or buts. Checking for carry on size was hit and miss.

 

Every airline we have flown on allows one carry on and one personal item that goes under the seat. We do see people with oversize luggage. I put the blame on the airlines. They have the ability to stop this practice simply by applying their own regs.

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Which is one reason we prefer Lufthansa when traveling internationally. In economy carry on bags (one plus a size restricted personal item) are weighed at check in. Any over their size or weight limit-8 kg (17.6 lb) are required to be checked, period.

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I am a 5' 4" woman who completely appreciates and is thankful for all the help I get with my carry on going into the overhead bin. And also, being married to a man who is 6' 4" tall ... he has stood in the aisle and put MANY luggage pieces in the overhead bins for others. When he stands and gets something from his bag, there is a chorus of ... oh can you hand me my bag, that green one. It goes both ways.

A little kindness goes a long way when traveling.

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Alaskans;

 

I agree a bit of kindness is great, but it goes both ways. I am one of those tall guys that routinely help ladies get their bags into the overhead. Far too often, I’m picking up luggage that weighs 40+ lbs! So heavy, they realize going in they could never manage the luggage themselves if required to! Where is the kindness there? How about “if you can’t reasonably manage your own luggage, then check it at the counter”? People don’t mind helping people deal with reasonable carry ons, but they feel taken advantage of when it reasonably appears someone is just being cheap and won’t check their bags! I too wish US domestic airlines would set up scales for carryons and further enforce their own policies on size and numbers.

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We have flown Lufthansa a number of times. They usually weight our carry on.

 

Last week we travelled through Kuala Lumpur. In order to go into the Air Asia terminal (and through security) carry on bags are weighed by a hawk eyed agent.. The limit is 7KG. Ours were 8. We were passed through. But we saw others who had larger and/or heavier bags stopped and told to go an check in (they had used self serve checkin either on line or in the airport). No ifs, ands, or buts.

 

We fly fairly frequently. We find that the biggest issue is not carry on but rather people blocking the aisles during the boarding process. Either aimless talking instead of sitting down or discussing with their group who gets to sit where.

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Alaskans;

 

How about “if you can’t reasonably manage your own luggage, then check it at the counter”? People don’t mind helping people deal with reasonable carry ons, but they feel taken advantage of when it reasonably appears someone is just being cheap and won’t check their bags! I too wish US domestic airlines would set up scales for carryons and further enforce their own policies on size and numbers.

I agree -- I wish airlines would enforce their own rules. I have arthritis and can no longer lift anything into the overhead bin so will be checking in my bag and pray that it arrives with me. Meds will be in my personal bag.

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We changed our travel habits since retiring. We do carry on only. We use light, international size (smaller than NA size) carry on. Total weight is typically 8kg.

 

Why...not the cost since most times we get free bags. This is what we can each independently handle on airplanes, trains, ferries, etc. We started to buy travel smart clothing and we leave the kitchen sink at home. After 5 years of retirement and two 2-3 months trips a year this is where we have landed. Not for everyone though.

 

Nothing irks us more than someone who cannot handle their own bags yet packs as if they are champion weightlifters. If you cannot handle it check the bag or leave some of your possessions at home. I also think there are some attention seeking people who love to appear helpless. They block the aisles, look around with doe eyes in order to get some attention.

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Nothing irks us more than someone who cannot handle their own bags yet packs as if they are champion weightlifters.

So true! As a younger, in-shape guy who flies a lot, I wish I had a dollar for every person who asked my help to get their bags in/out of the overhead bin. I wouldn't need to work anymore!

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So true! As a younger, in-shape guy who flies a lot, I wish I had a dollar for every person who asked my help to get their bags in/out of the overhead bin. I wouldn't need to work anymore!

 

Start charging!

 

Get yourself a nice custom lapel button, like a campaign button. Maybe with a slogan like "Will lift bags for $$".

 

Either you make some beer money or you won't be bothered as much. Win-Win.

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  • 2 weeks later...

At 5'1'', I really cannot reach the overhead compartment a lot of the time without standing on the seat (the one I will sit in) which I do. I never ask for help but am very grateful if it is offered. I do act like lice and stand ready to be one of the first to board for my group. I do it specifically so that my luggage will not be behind me when we disembark. The little weighing devices that make it possible to stay within the 7-8kg range are an inexpensive way to be sure you can keep your bags with you. Often, there is not enough time between connections to be sure your bag will get on your next plane. Like other traveling retirees, we travel lighter every year. You really do not need all that stuff.

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At 5'1'', I really cannot reach the overhead compartment a lot of the time without standing on the seat (the one I will sit in) which I do.

 

I have trouble envisioning how one can stand in the seat and yet still be far enough out in the aisle to reach out and hoist a bag up into the bin without help. Seems like that is just asking for trouble, so I would strongly suggest that if you can't stand in the aisle, on the floor, and get your bag in the bin, that you just check your bag. Besides, what would you do if your seat assignment changed and you were no longer in the aisle seat? There is no way you could stand in the middle or window seat and put a bag overhead so you'd be standing in someone else's seat.

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Also have your meal and drink order ready to go for the Flight Attendant. While we are at the gate waiting to depart I look over the Magazine to see what options are available and if a menu card is provided for the meal I will look that over as well.

 

Arrive early to the airport to checkin. I do not like waiting in line and then have this family go in front of me. I know there may be traffic but allow time for it. I plan my ride to the airport to arrive 4 hours before the flight with extra time to spare. I once had this family with 8 suitcases try to go in front of me and I only had one suitcase to checkin and I politely said " No I am sorry I do not want to wait an extra 10 minutes for you to sort out your overweight luggage".

 

Yes I am considerate to a point but not when someone tries to barge ahead of me without saying anything. Once there was a polite business passenger needing to make his flight and of course I let him go ahead of me because he was considerate and had only one bag.

 

I always use the Priority Checkin at the airport to avoid the inexperienced travelers with overweight luggage. I will checkin online to avoid any further delays and use the Express Baggage Drop Off.

 

Please have all of your documents ready for checkin and Customs. I have mine ready so why can't you? It will speed up the process. Look like you know what you are doing and you will have a better time.

 

Ask if there are better seats available on the plane when you check in at the airport and again at the gate.

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