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Sadly enough, I'm not talking about combat in the air between aircraft. No, I'm talking about fighting in the air on board aircraft. I guess that's a thing now...
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| Angry passengers brawl after Spirit cancels flights. (Source) |
While I'd like to think it's a case of "some people's children," it's really more than that. The education system and many parents are responsible for unleashing a generation of rude brats upon the world. Just look at the entitlement and whining in many of our institutes of "higher" learning.
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There have been times on long flights where I really wanted to lay into someone.
There's the ever popular idiot behind you who doesn't understand Newton's Third Law. I guess he assumes that pressing his knees against the back of your seat, constantly, will not bother you. Or the guy who wants to stretch his legs by standing in the aisle, right next to your seat.
Yes, I enjoy flying with someone's butt two inches from my face.
Flying can be annoying. Going to a store can also be annoying.
Ever walk in behind the couple who stop immediately inside the door to determine where they want to go first, oblivious to the people piling up behind them?
Driving? Don't get me started.
The guy at the red light who is playing with his: cell phone, car stereo, heater/air conditioner controls, who does not notice that the light has turned green. When he finally does notice, only three cars get through before it turns red again. And you're the fourth car.
There is much in life which can piss you off, most people just take a deep breath and drive on. Some start throwing punches.
Idiots.
They're everywhere.
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"There's the ever popular idiot behind you who doesn't understand Newton's Third Law. I guess he assumes that pressing his knees against the back of your seat, constantly, will not bother you. "
ReplyDeleteNot to be argumentative, but that may not be the fault of the idiot. My 6'4" Son when sitting straight in his seat with his feet flat on the floor spends the entire flight with his Knees in the back of the chair in front, there being no hinge in the femur. Once again, I blame the airlines for that little issue. I do have pictures of that exact situation with him. Lady in front of him kept slamming her seat back and couldn't understand why that was causing a problem. I took the picture and showed it to her. That solved it.
I should have specified that the Newton's Third Law guy is normally not a really big guy. Those who don't fit don't squirm all that much in my experience, they know it's futile. It's the little hyperactive people who can't sit still. Often it's not their knees in the back of my seat but their feet. If it's a little kid I get it, but I will turn and give Mom/Dad the stink eye when it happens. An yes, that typically has no effect.
DeleteAgreed. I have no desire to fly anymore. Airliners now-a-days are nothing more than high dollar cattle cars. Can't see paying the prices they charge to be treated like meat of sub-bovine intelligence. There's no destination in my life that is so imperative I have to check my humanity with my baggage.
DeleteMy first flight in a commercial airline was a Dallas to Houston red-eye, and back the same night. 18 years old, never had been on a commercial aircraft wanted to see how it worked. Got on in Dallas, flew to Houston, waited approximately 30 minutes in the waiting area, reboarded the same acft (a 727 pre D.B. Cooper), and flew back to Dallas. No muss, no fuss; no hustle, no hassle. The whole thing cost less than $50 (still, not a cheap excursion for a college freshman that had to eat dorm food of necessity). Seats in tourist were spacious and comfortable (I'm 5'11"), stewardess' were pleasant and relaxed, everything was clean, no chickens or pigs in the aisle. The getting to the gate, planeing, deplaneing and exiting the terminal did not resemble loading a bus in a bad prison movie; nor were there cattle prod wielding minders at every turn. A very pleasant experience overall. Probably the reason our betters decided it had to change; can't let the peasantry get uppity. Then again, to get back on subject, to often they are proven right.
Ah yes, I remember those days. When my parents could actually come down to the gate to see us off.
DeleteTwo factors screwed this up in my estimation: our seeming inability to deal with terrorist scum and the airline big shots looking for ever greater profits. I'm no commie, a little profit is a good thing, but they've gone insane. IMHO
BTW, couldn't agree more with the meme at the end, although I think I'd change the some to many in the final sentence.
ReplyDeleteConcur.
DeleteI liked the opening picture and title. It upped the usual eagerness I feel when I open the blog in the morning.
ReplyDeleteI noticed that the victorious pilot is making a quite common mistake at that point though. He is feeling like the king of the world at that point and is looking for his next victim. However, he has a very large smoke trail which is pointing to his position in the sky and for the previous few seconds has been concentrating on his victim.
He needs to be looking over his shoulder to find the enemy that used that few seconds to gain a position of advantage against him or HE will be the next victim.
I doubt the painter knew that. I can see a new career for you Juvat, air combat art consultant.
DeleteBut yeah, that D-VII he just splashed is history, where is that guy's wingman? Or the other guys in his Staffel who are probably POed that Hans just got shot down.
We had a bird from one of our sister squadrons in the 81st TFW godown on t.o in heavy fog at the GAF base@ Furstenfeldbuck near Munich. I was part of the accicdent investigation team. The GAF assigned us an old senior liaison officer to us who had flown Bf-109s during WW II. At the bar one night he regaled us about his first Mustang kill. "The first time I ever see a Mustang in my life I shoot him down! Then I look over my shoulder and see the second Mustang I ever see in my life and he is shooting me down!!" LOL!!
DeleteHahaha!
DeleteThanks for the post. I think I'm through with commercial air travel; if I can't go by auto or train, I won't go.
ReplyDeletePaul L. Quandt
I'll still tough it out. The drive from Little Rhody to California takes too long. Figure four days out, four days back, a week out there. Well, I just don't have that kind of vacation time.
DeleteSo I'll suffer the small seats, the occasional TSA a-hole (most are not) and the occasional moronic airline employee (most are not). The view, once I'm up there is worth the hassle to me. But if I can't get a window seat? Yeah, I won't be happy.
yeah, but after you over look all that stuff you still have the other passengers. They've been treated like brutes for so long that many have bought into it, as your post depicts. Personally it isn't just airlines, though you're more captive that most scenarios. I now try to avoid any crowds in confined places. It takes next to nothing to set people off nowadays. Even crowded elevators give me the willies.
DeleteWell, there is that, but it is exceedingly rare.
DeleteBut yeah, I understand what you mean. Always be aware of what will give you the tactical advantage, just in case.
Your peeves line up with mine.
ReplyDeleteI would also mention those folks in the aisle wearing backpacks or carrying large purses who're entirely oblivious of of the mayhem those items cause every time they turn around.
Oh yes, those bastids!
DeleteI know it might seem like there's a growing number of idiots and incidents, but probably not. Here's something that might make you feel better. Out of 378 commercial airports in the US, only one had a brawl about cancelled flights that day - .2%. Out of Southwest's 2300 flights that day, only one had a beat-down like on that video- .04%. What's more prevalent? Cell phone video cameras and the ease in sharing them. Everybody wants to be a newsman and the buy-in is so easy.
ReplyDeleteRoger that. Stay tuned for tomorrow's post.
DeleteI couldn't wait. Good one.
DeleteThanks Tuna. That's right, you have a backstage pass!
DeleteYeah, I'm with the band.
Delete😂
DeleteI am 6'4" and need say no more. I resemble the above remarks. "Friendly Skys - My A$$" There is darn little friendly there today.
ReplyDeleteBeing short and squat has it's advantages. I am all that and less.
DeleteSix-four riding in coach? Yeah, that can't be any fun.
Grocery stores. That hit a nerve. They turn their cart 3/4 of the way across the aisle as the read labels, read their lists. etc. Twits!
ReplyDeleteAHHHHHHH!!
DeleteYes, yes, that drives me nuts!
I'll do about anything to avoid flying these days. I'll be driving the "not-so-great circle route" in a couple of weeks; Kimball to Oregon, to San Diego, to Belen, to Kimball. It'll cost more and take longer, but I don't want to risk dying with a bunch of @$$holes.
ReplyDeleteFunny story though. The last time Mom and I went west we flew Southwest. My Mom is completely deaf in her starboard ear and wears a hearing aid in her port ear. She's terribly self conscious about being hard of hearing and kind of goes into a shell in crowds. So we board our flight and are seated all the way up front on the left. The stewardess (I know, I know) starts her spiel with "We have a nut allergy aboard today so there will be drinks but no peanuts." Mom opens up her purse and pulls out a ziplock bag of peanuts and starts chowing down. The stewardess (I know, I know) can't believe she did that and looks at me. I point to my ear and shake my head. The stewardess (I know, I know) gets it and just ignores Mom's violation of Part 121. She'd probably get tazed if she did that today. Mom, that is, not the, uh, you know.
Ah, but I have another tale for tomorrow. I love flying, I don't sweat the small stuff and I don't let the bastards get me down.
DeleteI like your Mom's style. The apple didn't fall far from the tree, did it?
Or as we say in farm country, the turnip don't fall far from the truck. :)
DeleteYeah, might've picked up a few pointers from her.
:)
DeleteThanks everyone. I just bought two round trips to Santa Cruz this AM. My Delta still gets pretty good marks. Don't forget the word "bought" - no perks for us old retirees on standby. Apparently someone still has to travel. The airplanes are full. It is still a miracle. One foot in the Atlantic at 0900, the other foot in the Pacific at 2200.
ReplyDeleteYou'll be fine Dave. But I think you know that.
DeleteHow tough can flying commercial be when you've been up the Red River Valley?
And come back alive.
I admit that sometimes I don't find the humor. OTOH, I took the train to Seattle week before last, saw my daughter who is still growing like a weed, and had a great drive back across the continent last week in some awesome weather (really very nice) and the car let me accelerate like a bat out of hell when I wanted to pass bozo and dumbo or whatever clown was driving on I-90 like an idiot. :) All good.
ReplyDeleteIn my youth I enjoyed the call of the open road. A fine metal steed under me (well, okay it was a Beetle then later a Jetta, but I loved those cars) and time to make those long drives.
DeleteGreat weather and having the elbow room to leave ee-jits in one's wake is also nice.
I trust the trip went well.