Someone recently told me the point of the mile-high club was the intensity of the orgasm, due to oxygen deprivation. I said no, there’s no physiological element involved, it’s all about doing it in a semi-public situation.
What’s the straight dope on this?
Well, you’re right that it’s definitely not the former. Otherwise everyone would have moved to Denver by now.
As for what makes it a thrill psychologically, I suspect that depends on the individual psyches involved.
Ha! Thanks, Q – I looooooooove being right! 
Oxygen deprivation? In a modern pressurized airplane?
Well, there won’t be any oxygen deprivation because the airplane cabins are pressurized.
I suppose if there was a catastrophic depressurization it could be a factor - and an additional incentive to make with the hanky-panky.
Crap. Talk about some fast replies.
I don’t think its either the O[sub]2[/sub] thing or the semi-public thrill-thing. I think its just the bragging rights thing. I’m guessing this term first came about in the late 60s/early 70s before airline deregulation made flying cheap.
IOW it was just something else the so-called ‘jet-set’ could do that you couldn’t…
The story I’ve heard is that it came about during the early years of flying, and the sport was to bring up a woman in your plane and manage to seduce and have sex with her before the plane crashed. No autopilot back then.
There are some flight services that will take you on a personal ride to bliss for a fee. It seems to defeat the purpose to me but whatever works for you. I always liked the “top-floor” club. You get in an elevator in a tall building during a non-busy time of day. Have whatever you deem successful sex before it reaches the top. Emergency stop buttons and unplanned people trying to get on make for fun times. Most of that stuff is easy if you just don’t care.
I found this in a discussion group over at The Phrase Finder
I’m not sure I’d be bragging about that.
Dude, the thrill is that you’re havin’ sex! In an airplane no less!
I guess it beats masturbating like a motherfuck. (no pun intended)
I’m a double member of the mile high club. Sadly my first membership was taken from me when I learned you had to have a partner when you join.
The thrill was sneaking into the bathroom with your partner and going at it quickly before getting caught. I was in my early 20’s at the time and my girl and I had a habit of doing goofy things like this.
Now that I’m older I don’t think I’d bother renewing my membership. I’d much rather spend a bit more time with sex then knocking it off in 5 minutes for shits and giggles.
sorry for the hijack but;
What would happen if you got caught?
Frfom what I hear, it is not illegal if you do it in the bathroom. Furthermore most flight attendants won’t say anything if you are very discrete (e.g., do it in the middle of a red-flight and are very discrete). Some people skip the bathrooms and try to do it in their seats believe it or not. That can get you arrested.
Airlines reserve the right to ban you from future flights for any of that stuff.
(Logged out about thirty seconds before you posted this.)
Yeah, this was exactly what I said. He said, well, then, how come drinks hit you so much harder on a plane than they do on the ground? Since even in my drinking days I didn’t drink on planes, I had no evidence on that point one way or the other.
I suspect the answer is “they don’t”.
I’ve never drunk on a plane either, to the best of my recollection. Why would oxygen deprivation cause alcohol to hit harder anyway? Qadgop?
Cabins are not pressurized to sea level pressure. The actual cabin pressure may be about the same as the air pressure at about 5,000 feet. Therefore, for many people there is a slight oxygen deprivation that can cause drinks to hit you harder.
But don’t you dare light up that post-coital cigarette afterward!