The even randomer thread

[shrader]

I'll never understand why they load the planes from front to back.  Common sense tells you how much that will slow down the whole process.

[Eleven]

1 minute ago, shrader said:

I'll never understand why they load the planes from front to back.  Common sense tells you how much that will slow down the whole process.

They used to load them back to front before this whole "boarding zone" nonsense started up.

[Samson's Flow]

2 hours ago, Wyldnwoody44 said:

So, obviously I travel a ton 

 

Why do airports bring out the absolute worst in people, the destinations are so amazing, but the travel, the long flights (which I can't sleep on, tried every trick I know) 

Also boarding and de boarding, there are freaking zones and assigned seats, why does everyone feel the need to bum rush and make it even worse, deboarding, they should have an announcement for those that need to catch a flight and let them off and then exit by row. Instead it's just a crap show. 

I almost want to do a social experiment thesis on this subject. 

I have also worn scrubs to the airport and the perceptions and my overall experience was much different and better then when I wear my comfy clothes, just odd. 

 

I hate people ??

As someone who traveled every week for work for nearly 5 years, I can tell you that the humanity that you see at the airport/on a plane is the lowest form of social norms and attitudes. Everyone is out for themselves and it is noticeable when even a modicum of respect or civility is shown. I can't count the number of times I would get free seat upgrades or change fees waived because I was nice/respectful to a gate or customer service agent directly after they were yelled at by the last few customers. That said the worst offenders are the ones who do the two things you mentioned (in bold) above.

I did notice that I would get treated better by staff and others when I traveled in dress clothes compared to casual clothes. They can tell that the business travelers know what's going on and are your repeat customers that you want to keep happy. 

[Samson's Flow]

3 minutes ago, shrader said:

I'll never understand why they load the planes from front to back.  Common sense tells you how much that will slow down the whole process.

The intent of boarding zones should be to load the window and back of the plane people first, but instead the airline industry uses boarding zones as a status symbol for frequent flyers and higher paying customers. That's great for customer retention, but it makes the whole boarding process that much more frustrating for everyone involved.

Also if you stopped charging baggage fees for every bag, there wouldn't be a rush to 'claim' the overhead bins since passengers wouldn't try bringing their entire life's belongings with them as carry ons.

[shrader]

4 minutes ago, Eleven said:

They used to load them back to front before this whole "boarding zone" nonsense started up.

I'd love to hear an explanation for how this method could possibly be better.  The only reason I can think up for why they do it is so that overhead bin space doesn't fill up too quickly, but that happens no matter what they do.  No matter what method they use, the last people to board will get screwed.

 

3 minutes ago, Samson's Flow said:

As someone who traveled every week for work for nearly 5 years, I can tell you that the humanity that you see at the airport/on a plane is the lowest form of social norms and attitudes. Everyone is out for themselves and it is noticeable when even a modicum of respect or civility is shown. I can't count the number of times I would get free seat upgrades or change fees waived because I was nice/respectful to a gate or customer service agent directly after they were yelled at by the last few customers. That said the worst offenders are the ones who do the two things you mentioned (in bold) above.

I did notice that I would get treated better by staff and others when I traveled in dress clothes compared to casual clothes. They can tell that the business travelers know what's going on and are your repeat customers that you want to keep happy. 

As someone who flies maybe twice a year, I can verify everything you stated in the first paragraph.  It takes about 30 seconds of exposure to people before you realize just how stupid they really are.

2 minutes ago, Samson's Flow said:

The intent of boarding zones should be to load the window and back of the plane people first, but instead the airline industry uses boarding zones as a status symbol for frequent flyers and higher paying customers. That's great for customer retention, but it makes the whole boarding process that much more frustrating for everyone involved.

Also if you stopped charging baggage fees for every bag, there wouldn't be a rush to 'claim' the overhead bins since passengers wouldn't try bringing their entire life's belongings with them as carry ons.

Letting the frequent fliers and first class go first is fine.  They're such a small percentage of the total flight.

[Eleven]

12 minutes ago, shrader said:

I'd love to hear an explanation for how this method could possibly be better.  The only reason I can think up for why they do it is so that overhead bin space doesn't fill up too quickly, but that happens no matter what they do.  No matter what method they use, the last people to board will get screwed.

From what I understand, your "boarding zone" (I can't stand that misuse of the word) is determined by how often you fly a particular airline and whether you are a member of their frequent flyer program.

So among regular ol' coach flyers, if you're a member of the program, you'll be in "zone" 1.  If you fly an airline frequently, you'll be in zone 2.  Infrequently, zone 3.  Never heard of you before and you booked the cheapest ticket at the last minute?  Zone 4.  Etc.  This allows the airlines to take better care of their more frequent customers.  It's also nonsense, and if people in the rear of the plane would just have stopped putting their stuff in overhead bins toward the front, it never would have been a problem requiring a solution to begin with.

Edited February 13, 2019 by Eleven

[Wyldnwoody44]

I have a pack with patches from all my counties I've visited, usually that tips them off that I've done this before, I take my headphones off for the safety demo, even though I don't need to, always make sure the exit rows and aisles are clear and even will contort myself staying in my seat section if I need to go overhead as to not stop the flow.

Idk man, it's just awful, I wanna snap, as soon as we're flying im good as the noise cancellors work well. 

1 minute ago, Eleven said:

From what I understand, your "boarding zone" (I can't stand that misuse of the word) is determined by how often you fly a particular airline and whether you are a member of their frequent flyer program.

So among regular ol' coach flyers, if you're a member of the program, you'll be in "zone" 1.  If you fly an airline frequently, you'll be in zone 2.  Infrequently, zone 3.  Never heard of you before and you booked the cheapest ticket at the last minute?  Zone 4.  Etc.  This allows the airlines to take better care of their more frequent customers.  It's also nonsense.

As someone that usually gets bumped up to a better zone often, I still think it's nonsense 

[Weave]

What I have noticed is, the rude behavior is most prevalent on flights home.  What I mean is, on the way out of Buffalo or Rochester things are usually fairly orderly.  I’m usually on an early flight to a hub and its mostly business travel I’m guessing.  The connecting flights have a little less orderly behavior.  But the flight home, being into either Buffalo or Rochester, is almost everyone going home (cuz who travels to WNY for kicks, right?) and I think it is just people being absolutely done with traveling and impatient to get home.

 

[Samson's Flow]

1 minute ago, Weave said:

What I have noticed is, the rude behavior is most prevalent on flights home.  What I mean is, on the way out of Buffalo or Rochester things are usually fairly orderly.  I’m usually on an early flight to a hub and its mostly business travel I’m guessing.  The connecting flights have a little less orderly behavior.  But the flight home, being into either Buffalo or Rochester, is almost everyone going home (cuz who travels to WNY for kicks, right?) and I think it is just people being absolutely done with traveling and impatient to get home.

 

This is also true to some extent. As a business traveler I didn't really care (other than the inconvenience) if the outgoing flight was delayed, as it just meant less time at the company when I got there; contrast that to heading home and any delay meant that I was sitting in an airport terminal rather than heading home to my friends and family. Some people don't take the delays home very well. 

7 minutes ago, Eleven said:

From what I understand, your "boarding zone" (I can't stand that misuse of the word) is determined by how often you fly a particular airline and whether you are a member of their frequent flyer program.

So among regular ol' coach flyers, if you're a member of the program, you'll be in "zone" 1.  If you fly an airline frequently, you'll be in zone 2.  Infrequently, zone 3.  Never heard of you before and you booked the cheapest ticket at the last minute?  Zone 4.  Etc.  This allows the airlines to take better care of their more frequent customers.  It's also nonsense, and if people in the rear of the plane would just have stopped putting their stuff in overhead bins toward the front, it never would have been a problem requiring a solution to begin with.

The zones are absolutely a customer retention play at the expense of boarding efficiency. 

[Eleven]

6 minutes ago, Samson's Flow said:

This is also true to some extent. As a business traveler I didn't really care (other than the inconvenience) if the outgoing flight was delayed, as it just meant less time at the company when I got there; contrast that to heading home and any delay meant that I was sitting in an airport terminal rather than heading home to my friends and family. Some people don't take the delays home very well. 

I'm the opposite here.  If you're taking away from my preparation time or possibly making me late for something important, I'm going to be angry.

If I have to chill out and read a book for a while on the way home, fine by me.

Edited February 13, 2019 by Eleven

[Samson's Flow]

1 minute ago, Eleven said:

I'm the opposite here.  If you're taking away from my preparation time or possibly making me late for something important, I'm going to be angry.

If I have to chill out and read a book for a while on the way home, fine by me.

Here's the big point - I never have anything that important! lol

[shrader]

30 minutes ago, Eleven said:

From what I understand, your "boarding zone" (I can't stand that misuse of the word) is determined by how often you fly a particular airline and whether you are a member of their frequent flyer program.

So among regular ol' coach flyers, if you're a member of the program, you'll be in "zone" 1.  If you fly an airline frequently, you'll be in zone 2.  Infrequently, zone 3.  Never heard of you before and you booked the cheapest ticket at the last minute?  Zone 4.  Etc.  This allows the airlines to take better care of their more frequent customers.  It's also nonsense, and if people in the rear of the plane would just have stopped putting their stuff in overhead bins toward the front, it never would have been a problem requiring a solution to begin with.

 

Maybe it is different by airline, but on most of my flights, it's pretty clear that zone 1/2/3/whatever corresponds to front/middle/back.  They'll have their first class and their premiere or whatever they want to call it, but after that, it reverts to boarding front first.  My zone has definitely changed based on seat location.

[chileanseabass]

As a frequent international traveler on two airlines, the zones are created to reward frequent travel, orderly boarding process be damned.   Zone 1 being first/business class, Zone 2 being the top frequent flier rank, and so on.  I know on American Airlines, the non-frequent fliers and credit card holders start at Boarding Group 5, and it goes back to 7 or 8.  Living in a city that's an American hub, even though I board in Group 4, I almost always get screwed with overhead space, as probably 25-30% of the plane is Group 2-4.  I like to sit near the front of the plane, but by the time I board, the majority of the front bins are taken because those people boarding before me that are seated in the middle/back of the plane have left their carry-on's in the front of the plane.  This pisses me off to no end.  I flew to Las Vegas last month, was seated in row 7, yet my carry-on was in row 12.

[LTS]

Even if I am not checking a bag, I just throw my carry-on suitcase to the gate check.  I don't mind waiting a few minutes. The only time I would be concerned is if I have a tight layover. At that point I just explain to the gate attendant the situation and ask if I can secure a spot so I will not be late for the next flight.  That usually gets me upgraded in the boarding order without even having to change my seat.

If I have time in the layover then I will gate check and make my boarding process easy.  I waltz on at the end, sit in my seat and away we go!

[Wyldnwoody44]

Just now, LTS said:

Even if I am not checking a bag, I just throw my carry-on suitcase to the gate check.  I don't mind waiting a few minutes. The only time I would be concerned is if I have a tight layover. At that point I just explain to the gate attendant the situation and ask if I can secure a spot so I will not be late for the next flight.  That usually gets me upgraded in the boarding order without even having to change my seat.

If I have time in the layover then I will gate check and make my boarding process easy.  I waltz on at the end, sit in my seat and away we go!

I'm a fan of this too, if I'm not rushed, take my time, get coffee, I have an assigned seat anyways so who cares if I'm last, less sitting time anyways 

[Sabres Fan in NS]

These plane boarding issues sound like first world problems to me.

We know of no such problems here in Halifax.

[Eleven]

1 hour ago, shrader said:

 

Maybe it is different by airline, but on most of my flights, it's pretty clear that zone 1/2/3/whatever corresponds to front/middle/back.  They'll have their first class and their premiere or whatever they want to call it, but after that, it reverts to boarding front first.  My zone has definitely changed based on seat location.

I've seen no such correlation on JetBlue, which is easily the airline I fly most often.  Last time I flew something else, it was United, and there were like 7 different boarding groups just for coach!  (I also got to fly back first class for free *and* got almost $1000 because they screwed up, which was nice.)

24 minutes ago, New Scotland (NS) said:

These plane boarding issues sound like first world problems to me.

We know of no such problems here in Halifax.

Do you even have an airport in Halifax?

Edited February 13, 2019 by Eleven

[SwampD]

30 minutes ago, Eleven said:

I've seen no such correlation on JetBlue, which is easily the airline I fly most often.  Last time I flew something else, it was United, and there were like 7 different boarding groups just for coach!  (I also got to fly back first class for free *and* got almost $1000 because they screwed up, which was nice.)

Do you even have an airport in Halifax?

 

[WildCard]

Speaking of plane etiquette, what's everyone's stance on a heavier person buying seats? Should they have to buy multiple seats if they are infringing on your seat? Should you switch with them to give them a different seat for their comfort, even if you selected a seat on purpose?

[Eleven]

1 minute ago, WildCard said:

Speaking of plane etiquette, what's everyone's stance on a heavier person buying seats? Should they have to buy multiple seats if they are infringing on your seat? Should you switch with them to give them a different seat for their comfort, even if you selected a seat on purpose?

This will be seen as insensitive by some.  Oh well.

Airplanes have limited space and we all have to share that space.  If you are going to take up more than one seat, pay for it.  I don't care if that's for your baby, or for your left thigh, or for your double bass, or whatever.  Pay for the space you use.

I'm not switching seats.  I'm anxious enough being cooped up.  There's a reason why I paid $15 or $30 for extra leg room on the aisle, and it's not because I'm 6'5".  It's because even that perceived 2% of extra freedom makes me considerably less anxious.  

Also:  If there is a middle seat, and a person is sitting in it, that person gets both armrests if they want them.  End of story.

[WildCard]

1 minute ago, Eleven said:

This will be seen as insensitive by some.  Oh well.

Airplanes have limited space and we all have to share that space.  If you are going to take up more than one seat, pay for it.  I don't care if that's for your baby, or for your left thigh, or for your double bass, or whatever.  Pay for the space you use.

I'm not switching seats.  I'm anxious enough being cooped up.  There's a reason why I paid $15 or $30 for extra leg room on the aisle, and it's not because I'm 6'5".  It's because even that perceived 2% of extra freedom makes me considerably less anxious.  

Also:  If there is a middle seat, and a person is sitting in it, that person gets both armrests if they want them.  End of story.

This guy airplanes 

I agree 100% btw. I had the experience recently on an air plane and was forced into the isle the entire time. I didn't make a scene or anything at all, but I thought it was pretty inconsiderate of the passenger to force me into that situation.

Edited February 13, 2019 by WildCard

[Wyldnwoody44]

11 minutes ago, WildCard said:

This guy airplanes 

I agree 100% btw. I had the experience recently on an air plane and was forced into the isle the entire time. I didn't make a scene or anything at all, but I thought it was pretty inconsiderate of the passenger to force me into that situation.

I'm telling ya, all humans become heathens once airplanes are involved 

[shrader]

1 hour ago, New Scotland (NS) said:

These plane boarding issues sound like first world problems to me.

We know of no such problems here in Halifax.

All of your posts here are submitted by telegraph, so feel free to let us know once Halifax enters the 2nd world.

[Sabres Fan in NS]

2 hours ago, Eleven said:

I've seen no such correlation on JetBlue, which is easily the airline I fly most often.  Last time I flew something else, it was United, and there were like 7 different boarding groups just for coach!  (I also got to fly back first class for free *and* got almost $1000 because they screwed up, which was nice.)

Do you even have an airport in Halifax?

Yes.  Yes we do, but it only works as the airport on weekends.  During the week it's the bus station.

Actually, our airport is great.  AC860 to Heathrow in less than 5 hours.

[Sabres Fan in NS]

So, another completely random thought.

I just spent about 2 hours shoveling and snow blowing.

In the not too distant past after such a workout I would crave a smoke, or two.

Today, do you want to know what I craved instead ... an apple.  Yup.  And, I ate one.