Let me put it like this…
Is there any other situation in which you think it’s ok to cause somebody else actual pain, so that you can simply increase your comfort level??
See? What is your response to this statement:
“I feel that it’s perfectly ok to inflict pain upon another person, so that I can nappy time a little better.”
If you answer in the affirmative, I feel that I can reasonably make a judgment as to your character.
Do you not feel that sleep is important? I am often on 14+ hour flights. I’m not staying awake all night because you chose to buy inappropriate seats and felt like you could just make other people shoulder that burden.
My daughter is 18 months and can fly as s lap child. But she’s really squirmy and hard to control. I don’t feel like buying the right seat for us…last minute blah blah blah…so it’s cool if she just sits on a bit of your seat, right?
Because I HAVE the extra $1k to buy an “approptiate” seat? Oh wait, make that 2k if I have my kid with me.
You’re fucked for sleep if you have a toddler anyway. You were referring to taking the toddler on these 14 hour flights, right?
Sleeping on a plane sucks. Travel sleeping sucks, period. Wanna sleep? Take some drugs and have a glass of wine.
ETA and let’s take long haul flights out of the equation, for fun. Let’s talk Denver to Atlanta. Now, in a karmic sense is it more important for you to “relax,” or for me to remain merely very uncomfortable instead of in pain.
Because I PROMISE you…as uncomfortable as you are sitting up straight (again, waaah) doesn’t approach how uncomfortable it is for me. Is that sinking on at all?
And honestly yeah, if you’re flying with a child, I will and have submitted to your greater need.
So your comfort takes precedent over mine? Not sure why you’d think that. I’m not the one that’s tall, you are.
There are seats on every plane with more leg room, book well in advance and get the seat you want. If you can’t be bothered that’s your issue not the person in front of you.
This rant wouldn’t seem so whiny if we didn’t all see people, who are as tall, manage without issue, somehow. Yes it’s not the most comfortable, as must be many things when you’re oversized. But mature adults muddle through without taking it out on those around them.
Complain to the airline where it might actually lead to change. If every tall person was as hot as you are about this and spoke up it WOULD change. Perhaps it’s not changing because most tall people aren’t as hot about it, as you are? Perhaps they aren’t more mature, just less Inclined to think it complaint worthy.
All things being equal, no; but the scenario doesn’t begin with things being equal. It starts out with you in a significant advantage, then you choose to maximize your position to my detriment.
And no, most of you haven’t seen anybody as tall as me on a plane. I’ve never seen anybody as tall a me on a plane. Hell, I’ll go weeks without seeing anybody as tall as me, anywhere. The odds are simply against it.
Look, I don’t cause a fuss on the plane if the seat in front of me happens to recline.* I make do. But goddamn, this is a hypothetical…and still nobody will consider leaving their seat upright??
*Even the one time I really wanted to, when some sadistic bitch was clearly enjoying the situation…intentionally bouncing the seat, and then whispering and giggling about it to her boy toy while looking at me out of the corner of her eye. I wanted to launch over the seat and kick her in the tits.
You in the Guiness Book?
Men my height are one in tens of thousands.
Well, unlike yourself, we all know people who are tall, too. Who fly too. And wish the seats were more spacious. My nephew is 6’6", flies without blaming others, all the time.
We see them on every plane we get on. And see them not make the slightest fuss. Nary a bloody knee or cry of pain has been heard of!
The person in front of you does not have any ‘advantage’, that’s your imagination. Everyone has the same space. Their comfort is as important to them as yours is to you.
Lashing out at others because you’re tall ain’t the answer, sorry. Ever.
Besides it kinda sounds, from your description, like you’re going to be uncomfortable regardless. Why should you both be uncomfortable?
Indeed.
This is all bollocks of course. Nobody really gets enraged by seat reclining apart from on message boards and lame stand-up acts.
I realise it’s only my experience, but in all the times I’ve flown I’ve not once seen any incidents sparked by seat reclining. I’ve not even seen anyone roll their eyes or tut, and that’s got to mean something, especially as I’m practically always flying in and out of the UK; land of rollyeyes and tutting.
No, people just behave like adults and resign themselves to the situation they’re in.
Extremely dull and reasonable post, I know.
RobDog,
1940mm European money.
Manute?
Sheessss. At 6’4" with a disproportionate amount in my legs, I understand. But the vitriol is uncalled for, and I haven’t seen it in real life on a plane.
Hey, It sucks to fly for me. BUT things are getting better. Stretch seating seems to becoming more available. Exit row is a no starter for me, for what ever reason, even booking real early, someone always beats me to it. That in itself is telling.
This is of course driven by the almighty dollar. People naturally pick the lowest fare, and the way to do that is to cram more people on a plane. And so it goes. Just one more row, just a little less room for everyone. And again, and again.
If I was king of the world, I’d remove 20% of the seats on every plane and charge 20% more. Good thing I’m not King of the world. Others would like to pack them in like a train to Bangladesh though.
The market is driving this, and more stretch seating seems to be available.
For those that fly a regular route, that a specific airline serves, consider getting a credit card from them. I have, and get some pretty good perks. Including stretch seating if the plane has it or is available. Heck, since I use that cc as my regular card and pay for everything with it. If I fly with them, I don’t pay ANY airfare. I make enough miles.
Cozumel last year was free. Cancun will be free next spring (I hate Cancun, we will be driving south from there)
Can we keep your noots out of this?
I’ve traveled quite a with a friend who is 6’10". Are you taller than that? He usually managed to get a seat with legroom, often by simply asking the flight attendant. When he didn’t, he didn’t seem to be spending the whole trip crying in pain.
Isn’t asking someone to surrender a nice roomy seat as bad as not wanting then to recline?
Okay, I’m going to try to say this in such a way that I hope it won’t elicit a sarcastic response (since this isn’t the Pit). So, respectfully, I’ll say that when I travel for vacations I try to book exit or more leg room. Sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn’t.
My work travel, on the other hand, usually surfaces about a week in advance. The best I can usually do is get an aisle seat. My company will not pay for anything beyond economy.
I’ve only had a significant problem a long time ago on an Air Canada flight so my complaints on this issue are generally rare and the situation is usually tolerable. Do I recline? If I do I only go one notch.
And btw, we tall people aren’t the result of some eugenics program to create a super-race or something. So how we are entitled and selfish is truly beyond me and, since you have alluded to this a few times, I’m genuinely curious to hear your thoughts on that.
When your job starts cutting me checks, your company’s travel policy will become my problem. Why should I give up my comfort in order to facilitate your company’s crappy travel policy? They are the ones making a buck off booking you on economy. I’d be basically handing the money that extra space costs directly to your boss.
If anyone ever accuses me a being a narcissistic asshole without peer, I’ll just direct them to this thread.
Youuuuu are seriously…
Why should your company get away with buying you inappropriate seats by freeloading off of my comfort? I’m the one who ends up uncomfortable, and I’m the only one in this equation who is not getting paid.