Posted on 05/17/2006 12:27:25 PM PDT by SW6906
The sophisti-yokels are at the gates, C-13 and C-24 to be exact.
The other day, on a flight over the Midwest, a sophisti-yokel – one of those smooth young alpha dogs with semi-expensive suits and implanted iPod ear-buds. Like sophisti-yokels everywhere, he exuded a sense of entitlement, assumed superiority and apparently his mama never taught him manners.
“You call this legroom?” he said, jamming his knees into the seat in front of him. He whipped out a tissue and blew his nose. “This is what I paid 15 bucks extra for?”
Reaching forward, he jammed the used tissue into the seat pouch in front of him. “Stewardess,” he barked before takeoff. “I need a Bloody Mary.” The flight attendant walked past, eyeing him sideways. He yanked out another tissue, honked into it, and stuffed it into the pouch. Throughout the two-hour flight, he honked and stuffed, until the pouch bulged.
It probably never occurred to him that someone else would have to clean up his mess.
Air travel has become the great leveler, replacing bus stations, trains and subways as the one place where Americans are forced to confront people unlike themselves. The people with silk shirts and mixed drinks in first class may seem to be in their own world but look again. See those upgraded frequent fliers?
Then we still have the traditional yokel-yokels, such as the long-haired young guy in dirty jeans and construction boots, who, on another flight, lit up a cigarette in the jet's bathroom, returned to his seat where he sipped from a whiskey bottle. He was immediately sniffed out by a flight attendant. She confronted him; he denied that he had been smoking; she saw his whiskey bottle and demanded it, along with his cigarette lighter. He gave them up without a fight.
(Excerpt) Read more at signonsandiego.com ...
I don't think this slogan has quite the same ring as "Fly the friendly skies of United" or "Delta is ready when you are," but it's certainly accurate.
LOL!
I was treated to a similar loudmouth group on a train ride from Milwaukee to Chicago. The worst was a guy named Larry who talked at the top of his lungs, non-stop for the nearly two hours the trip took. As we were lining up to leave, I found myself behind two of Larry's buddies. I tapped one of them on the shoulder and said, at approximately the same volume Larry used, "Is Larry still in the running for Asshole of the Year, or has he pretty much retired the trophy?" They sputtered and then broke out laughing. I got pats on the back and high fives from a half dozen other passengers. Larry just got off the train without another word.
I wondered about that too. Guess it's kinda like a theater - they want you to buy their stuff, not bring your own.
Just so you know, neither the FAA nor the manufacturer has much to do with seating arrangments other than to specify an upper limit based on evacuation requirements (FAA) and floor loading (manufacturer). The number of seats and the distance apart are entirely at the discretion of the airlines.
This is capitalism at it's best. If there were a market for increased leg room, there would be increased leg room. Most people will choose the lowest fare without regard to much else. The few that have the means or desire to pay more don't bring in enough revenue for the airlines to make less of a loss.
My daughter is a relatively new flight attendant but has already met her share of the people described in the article. She has also taken care of some very, very nice passengers as well. I've been travelling by air for the last 34 years and have seen all of the changes and every passenger type imaginable. Yes, almost all of the glamour is gone unless you are in international first class on a foreign carrier, but on the other hand, air travel is generally affordable for mostly everyone with reasonable income.
Namsman sends
Amen. I will travel to San Antonio in July for a two week seminar. 1,200 miles one way, all interstate. I plan to enjoy every mile just by not having to endure the horrors described on this thread.
Oh, and don't forget Nazi-like TSA luggage and body searches. Won't miss that either.
I agree. Unfortunately I have occasional business overseas. Now if I could just find a way to drive to Taiwan or Turkey, I'd do it.
Lockheed Superconnie. That's a real classic. Too bad that that there is probably no more than two left in the world that are airworthy.
The problem with having to go out into public is that...you..have..to..go..out..into..public.
The Connie I rode in was an 79th AEW&C Superconnie out of Homestead.
I know that when I took AA into Moscow, it seemed like EVERY Russian had a bottle out as soon as we left New York and the flight attendents said not a word.
So ... on the way back I did the same thing ... Chak chak and vodka is an interesting way to get ready for a long nap.
I saw some former airline president talking about this. He said people complain about leg room, but whenever they tried to have more expensive but extra legroom planes, the passengers immediately went for the cheaper flights.
I called semi-BS on this. The airlines never advertise the legroom on a flight, so I assume that anything in coach is going to range from awful to worse and the only thing I have to compare is price.
If airlines were to advertise "This flight has 30 inch leg room in coach" instead of just listing a price they would get passengers paying more for legroom.
I dress in black ripstop battle dress pants and mil jungle boots when I fly. Very comfy.
Only we have to figure out how to block incoming Arab DNA.
Hey, I resemble that remark. Unless I'm expected to go to a business meeting right off the plane, I usually wear something very comfortable but not necessarily good looking. Except if I'm bringing my hiking boots, it which case I'll wear those monsters on the flight because they are just too big to pack.
I'm sure Scotty could rig something up to have them re-materialize inside a pig.
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