Commercial planes are rapidly becoming into flying Thunderdomes of rage and violence. Here's how to deal with impolite and unpleasant other passengers
I was recently flying home after visiting family, and the guy in the aisle seat a few seats up from me refused to allow anyone pass him. He napped in his seat and collapsed into the aisle, obstructing the drinks cart's passage, and flight attendants had to physically force him upright to pass. When the two unfortunate people caught in the center and window seats wanted to use the toilet, he simply ignored them until they had no choice but to crawl over him. To be fair, he handled it admirably.
I expected brawls, but the couple next to him were heroes who soldiered on—though I wouldn't have blamed them if they'd gone crazy on Aisle Guy. You may be surrounded by assholes from the moment you arrive at the airport, but there's something particularly dreadful about being stuck in a vessel with them at 30,000 feet.
But when you're stuck on a five-hour trip with someone who eats one chip every three minutes to keep their mask on, it's hardly the time to seek justice. It's time to start thinking about survival. So, what should you do—or not do—if someone on your flight is a jerk?
Maintain your composure—and your sober
Keep in mind that we are all subjected to stress by the airlines, and some folks will act jerkier than others as a result. Plane seats are becoming smaller and more densely packed, yet airlines are pitting us against one another in a variety of ways. They sell us the space in front of you (our ever-shrinking legroom) as well as the area behind you (where you recline). In other words, the airline is profiting from selling the same spot again while we fume and practice our microaggressions.
First and foremost, you must accept the unsettling truth that you have very little authority. When it comes to personal space and conduct on a plane, the "rules" are very hazy, if not non-existent. Technically, the other passengers, like you, spent a lot of money and have the right to do anything they want. They have the ability to recline chairs, take over arm rests, chat loudly, and even remove their shoes and shove their feet through the gap between the seats in front of them. Only jerks do these things, but you'll have a hard time getting any kind of formal reprimand or enforcement from the aircraft crew.
While kicking an overly-reclined seat or splashing water on that bare foot may feel wonderful, it will also raise the temperature and promote escalation in a tight place where disturbance is a terrible idea. Take a deep breath if you don't want to end up in a popular YouTube video.
Other flying scenarios in which you lack power include:
- Children that are unruly. You are never permitted to reprimand another person's child, no matter how bad they are.
- The flight staff was rude. If your flight attendant or another member of the flight crew is a jerk, remember that they are very much all-powerful on the plane, so swallow your fury.
Admitting to yourself that you have no power is extremely liberating since it removes your sense of obligation. You should probably avoid the drinks as well. While a sip of liquor can be relaxing and make an otherwise unpleasant trip more enjoyable, it also shortens tempers and distorts judgment. If you're sober, you'll have a lot higher chance of a pleasant ending while dealing with impolite people.
Try Bargaining
Next, take a deep breath and remember that your obnoxious seatmate may not understand what they're doing. It's easy to become furious and leap to conclusions when you're weary and uncomfortable, but doing so is a mistake.
Instead, take a deep breath and warn the individual of your concern, gently requesting that they change their conduct. Frequently, the individual infringing on your sanity is also fatigued and uncomfortable, and is just not thinking. A simple reminder that they are a part of society, along with a straightforward question, will frequently provide the desired outcomes without the ugliness or drama.
Try to bargain if they push back—for example, if they argue that their seat reclines and so they have every right to recline it till they can look up your nose. Suggest a compromise; even grudging agreement is preferable to spending the rest of the journey looking for reasons to shove the seat in front of you.
If patience and compromise fail, you have two options: grit your teeth and get through the flight, or involve the flight attendants. The latter may produce instant effects, but it will almost certainly exacerbate negative sentiments. Often, people will obey until the flight attendant goes away, then return to their poor behavior—this time with a vengeance. Involving the flight crew should be considered only if the other person's behavior has progressed beyond disrespectful and bothersome to endangering your health or safety.
Avoid using devices
Modern issues necessitate modern solutions, and there is a whole passive-aggressive industry of gear meant to combat impolite passengers. The most well-known is arguably the Knee Defender, which connects to your tray table and prevents the seat in front of you from reclining. For those who are afraid of confrontation but also afraid of seeing their already-cramped legroom become even more restricted, gadgets like these appear to be the ideal answer.
Except they're a bad idea, and you should never use anything like this. To begin with, every major airline prohibits its usage, and the flight crew will seize yours if they notice it. Second, you don't truly own the area in front of you, thus the person in front of you has every right to be unhappy about it. In other words, when you utilize a device like the Knee Defender, you become the jerk in that case.
Poorly groomed, egocentric persons who believe their coach fare qualifies them to prioritize their own comfort and feeling of entitlement are always on the lookout for opportunities to derail your journey. Because your actual alternatives are as limited as your legroom, the best way to deal with them is to attain inner serenity in whatever manner you can.
#Flight #AisleSeat #FlightAttendants #Airlines #Karen #LegRoom
SOURCE: lifehacker
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