Please Stop Kicking My Seat!

[slogan]

One of my biggest fears while sitting in the middle seat of an airplane is falling asleep.  I am not a nervous flyer, and I don't at all mind sitting in the middle seat...what scares me is the possibility of falling asleep and accidentally cuddling with my next door neighbor.  Many times while flying, I've woken myself up with the napping head jerk (you know what I'm talking about) but as far as I know, I have yet to lay my head on a stranger's shoulder during nap time.  I started thinking how annoying that would be for my fellow passengers, which made me wonder else irritates people while they're flying. According to a recent poll on a travel website, following are a few violations of airplane etiquette that bother people the most: Incessant Talker: Chatters non-stop                            23% Rapid Recliner: Wheels up, in your lap                          20% Arm Rest Hog: Elbow wrestling, you lose                      12% Carry-on Champ: Bashes bags left and right                 12% Seat Back Grabber: Grabs your seat to get up              11% Who Me?: Yes, you; turn off your cell phone                 10% Flight DJ: iPod loud enough for all                                  3% The Boozer: Unscheduled landing anyone?                     3% Mad Bladder: Quaff-n-go maniac                                   1% Dare I ask what habits you find annoying about your fellow travelers??

[Marcus]

People who ignore the fasten seatbelt sign and get up to go to the bathroom anyways. On a recent flight from SAN-OAK, after passing thru 10,000 feet, TWO people felt they were superior to the seatbelt sign and got up anyways. The FA's had to tell them to seat down.

[Micheline]

The rush to be the first out of the seat and into the aisle when the plane has landed.

[DR__John_W__Alt]

I love SWA. I taught the SWA HBS Cases at numerous first tier graduate schools and I am concerned that the absolutely wonderful SWA Business Model may change! See USA and WSJ articles this week! Please Mr. Kelley don't folow the other dummies in your industry. We'll understand if you have to raise ticket prices! Don't nickel and dime us please!

[Marcus]

Blog Boy, I have a question. Why hasn't the "Star of the Month" or "Colleen's Corner" been updated since October 2006? I would always go check that out at the beginning of the month but it hasn't been touched. Did you guys do away with the program or is someone slacking? If you want to take over that duty, I'll bribe you with candy corn.

[BLD]

Last year on a flight from CUN to PHX, a lady in the window seat behind my wife took off her shoes and then proceeded to shove her feet into the space between the fuselage and my wifeÃ

[blusk]

Marcus, Our apologies for that. When we changed publishers of Spirit Magazine, we lost our procedure to get the articles on southwest.com. We will be updating the site very soon, and we have a new procedure in place. Blog Boy

[Damon]

Did you ever sit next to someone who had Touretts syndrome? After getting spit on, and cursed at, and not being able to complain or I would be accused of being cruel to the handicapped, those etiquette violations seem pretty minor.

[Alfred_Thompson]

I'm starting to think that seat should not recliine at all. As it is I will not recline mine unless the seat behind mine is empty. Those rapid recliners have gotten me more often than I can count.

[Francisco_Delga1]

I GIVE CREDIT TO THE FA ON SOUTHWEST THEY HAVE TO PUT UP WITH A LOT. I WAS FLYING FROM SAN TO PHX AND WE HIT SOME BAD WEATHER. THE PILOTS ORDERED THE FA TO REMAIN SEATED. SOME CUSTOMER WAS MAD BECAUSE HE DID NOT GET SERVED HIS DRINK AND THE WORLD FAMOUS PEANUTS. IN MY HEAD I WAS SAYING WOW THIS IS ONLY A 45 MINUTE FLIGHT........... I AM SURE YOU COULD GO WITHOUT A COKE AND A BAG OF PEANUTS. I WISH PEOPLE COULD BE MORE UNDERSTANDING. ALSO I THINK ITS RUDE TO PUT YOUR SEAT BACK ON A SHORT FLIGHT. I COULD SEE ON A LONGER FLIGHT BUT FROM PHX TO ABQ COME ON PEOPLE..... ITS ONLY 45 MINUTES PEOPLE.. ALSO I HATE IT WHEN PEOPLE DO NOT LISTEN TO THE FA INSTRUCTIONS.. SMALL BAGS DO NOT GO IN THE OVERHEAD BINS THEY GO UNDERNEATH THE SEAT IN FRONT OF YOU...... ALSO I DITTO ONE OF THE WRITERS... STICK TO YOUR BUSINESS MODEL DO NOT BE LIKE THE REST OF THE INDUSTRY. I WOULD RATHER PAY A HIGHER FARE THEN TO BE CHARGED FOR AN ASSIGNED SEAT..... USS BLOG BOY

[Ken5]

USS Blog boy, I share your sentiments exactly! It drives me crazy when the poor man or woman barely make the flight (sometimes out of their control), get the last spot in line to board the plane, and then have to check thier bag becasue several inconsiderate Customers ahead of them didn't pay attention and felt it necassary to put there small purses/briefcases/jackets in the overhead bin when they could have comfortably fit next to thier feet! Sometimes it's becasue they didn't hear the announcement, but what kills me is when they chose to ignore it or believes it doesn't apply to them.

[Leah4]

I don't like it when people walk up to the "A", etc. lines to sit & wait to board long before the plane has arrived. Maybe that's silly, but it annoys me.

[Leah4]

I thought of another pet peeve, & that is when people unfasten their seat belts before the Fasten Seat Belt sign goes off when the plane arrives & stops at the gate. I LUV SWA! 🙂

[Lisa_Hepburn-St]

I flew US Airways last Friday beginning in Ontario, CA and what a nightmare. Was there early, got on my flight, taxied out on the runway, sat there for 40 minutes past our departure time, found out there had been lightning storms in Phoenix the night before; was a flight ending in Orlando, FLA. Came in late to Phoenix, ran with many others acrossed the airport, missed my connector, (my luggage made it, but the people didn't-and they didn't wait) I would up stuck in a dry climate with customers backed up (from the previous weather problem backing up all incoming flights from many airlines, and US airways telling me they would put me up overnight and maybe I could get a standby flight out in the morning. I was on my way to a national convention and speaking with a user group. With all flights booked, I wound up having to buy a ticket with Southwest. Although pricey for a one way, they have one thing that US Airways needs badly! Customer Service! My experience with Southwest (as I have flown with them before) was Stellar! They got me to Orlando-(I was supposed to originally be ther by 7:00 EST, and wound up there by 12:30 EST, making a stop in Nashville, changing planes, checking the list against the passengers twice, and moving things along so that I could be to my National Convention. (and waiting for 35 passengers in Nashville from another late plane, and 1 disabled person) nobody seemed to mind that they were waiting for the them. I know I didn't, as I missed my flight in Phoenix running by 5 minutes. To make a long story short (heard alot of other nightmare stories from this past weekend) Won't fly US Airways again, 1st time and last. Paid less in fare, but suffered in Customer Service.

[FriendofBlogBoy]

Well, I particularly hate it when I fly and someone as good looking as Shelley does NOT fall asleep on my shoulder! LOL External Blog Boy and Shelley's Unused Shoulder Rest 🙂

[pcerda]

"IÃ

[Jeremiah_Jackso]

as a SWA FA, i throw my arms up in the air when people don't close the lav door behind them. 😞

[Cindy9]

We fly to Florida alot and my pet peeve is some of the preboarders.. I know there is no way to stop it and so its silly but I have seen as many as 8 grownups boarding with one small child and they have "C" boarding passes...The other is the person that says they are disabled and sit in the preboarding area in a wheelchair but I just saw them running on the other side of security.. As long as there are people there will be people that take advantage of things like that I guess.. Also people with bad manners that don't cover their mouth when they are coughing/sneezing sitting next to you...

[cadams]

And everyone loves the line jumper who tries to board out of turn! Great topic Shelley!

[Francisco_Delga1]

LEAH THAT ANNOYS ME AS WELL. I USUALLY ARRIVE AT THE AIRPORT AN HOUR BEFORE DEPARTURE AND THE LINE TO BOARD HAS ALREADY FORMED. OR WHAT BUGS ME IS THAT THEY WILL LEAVE THEIR BELONGINGS IN LINE SO THAT THEY DO NOT HAVE TO STAND UP AND WAIT. YOU ARE RIGHT THE LINE TO A STARTS TO FORM AN HOUR BEFORE DEPARTURE... RELAX MY FELLOW FLIERS U WILL BE ABLE TO BOARD FIRST IF YOU ARE "A" GROUP. LISA, I AM GLAD TO HEAR SOUTHWEST CAME THROUGH FOR YOU. BUT I MUST SAY THAT SOUTHWEST WALK UP FARES ARE MUCH CHEAPER THEN US AIRWAYS. SOUTHWEST ACTUALLY HAS A CAP IN PLACE.... USS BLOG BOY

[Jeramy_Brian1]

My pet peave is when someone next to me is eating a great big bag of candy corn and they don't offer to share any with me. -Trojan Blog Boy 😎

[slogan]

I'm surprised it hasn't been mentioned yet, but I have to admit, my pet peeve is loud cell phone talkers...especially when the F/As have told them that it's time to hang up and they just can't stop talking! One of my favorite announcements is "If you have a cell phone, we are impressed, but time to turn them off..."

[chuchoteur]

Leah/Micheline, I soooo agree. People who unfasten their seatbelts before the aircraft has stopped (once saw some people get caught out, there was a sudden jolt & some people got quite scared - turned out there was a misunderstanding as to which line the aircraft should stop on for the jetway, and the pilots stamped on the brakes so as not to overshoot). People who run for the aisle as soon as the aircraft has stopped (or hasn't stopped, cf above), and start emptying everybody's belongings from the overhead bins, when I'm at a window seat idly observing that the jetway still hasn't even begun to move into position. Those people generally are also in the process of switching their mobile phones on and talking loudly... :o( I DO however admire those brave F/A's and ground staff who have to show angel-like patience with these people, day in, day out... :o)

[blusk]

Trojan Blog Boy, I always share my candy corn Blog Boy

[drew]

The biggest irritants to me are abusive passengers, especially drunks. I don't envy FAs having to deal with those folks.

[IT4LUV]

I have heard that some folks stand in the "A" line when all the seats are taken in the waiting area. As soon as the lemmings get in line...they go sit in the newly vacant seat!

[Lisa_Hepburn-St]

Thanks USS Blog Boy-Glad to know for future.

[joe-mdw-plane-d]

This is for you Shelley Logan -click here and scroll down to Mr really loud cell phone talker ;-) http://www.husnain.com/budlight.htm Turn off your phone before boarding plane! Ding! boy

[Leah4]

Oh, good, Francisco & Raphael! I'm glad I'm not the only one who feels that way!

[Jeramy_Brian1]

Blog Boy, That's good that you share your candy corn. I hope you are on my next flight to LAX. They should change the color of candy corn to cardinal and gold and put the SC logo with "fight on" on the front of the bag... 8) Trojan Blog Boy

[Laurie7]

I'm not annoyed but I am curious. Every day that I work the gate, a few customers will come up and ask me, "Where's my plane coming from?" Don't get me wrong, I don't mind looking it up for them but I do wonder why they wonder. Especially since the aircraft was last doesn't tell you much about where it's been all day. By the way, if the person asking seems to have a sense of humor, my standard answer to "Where's my plane coming from?" is: "Boeing!" :)

[Marcus]

Laurie, Some people like myself are aviation geeks. We like to know useless trivia like where the plane is headed from, how full the flight is, where the crew is based, what the registration is of the plane we are flying. It may seem weird to you but the "geeks" like to know about airline ops.

[Cygnus]

Laurie, ROFLOL! I was going to say someone kicking the seat behind me on my BWI-LAS flight, but I think they didn't like that I was reclining, so I guess I'll call that a "no harm, no foul." The thing is, I was hoping to fall asleep on the flight; I have NEVER fallen asleep on a plane before. I'll be less inclined to recline, I guess. 🙂

[FriendofBlogBoy]

Laurie, I can't speak for everyone, but one of the reasons that I used to ask was that I had a BlackBerry, and with Internet access to websites like FlightAware, I could "see" where the flight was and get very accurate information about its arrival. This is not meant as a 'knock' against the infomation supplied by the Gate Agent, but sometimes your info is not totally current. One time, I was waiting at a gate to depart El Paso, and the Gate Agent had updated us with some sketchy information about a delay, but she wasn't sure what was going on and wasn't positive about the arrival time of the inbound flight. I pulled up FlightAware and punched in the flight number for the plane that was heading toward El Paso. Looking at a visual of the flight path, I saw that the plane had reached a point roughly halfway between Midland (MAF) and El Paso (ELP) before looping back and that it had now landed at MAF. I refreshed the screen to be sure, and it indicated that the plane had landed at MAF about five minutes before. I went up to the Gate Agent and showed her the display on my CrackBerry and said, "I think our plane has diverted back to Midland for some reason." She and her supervisor both looked at my little screen in disbelief. They said they would check on it, and while I stood there, they called someone else in the airport. As it turns out, ELP had been 'shut down' due to an aircraft incident on the only operating runway, and all inbound flights were sent elsewhere and those on the ground weren't leaving. This is not a criticism of the information system at all, either the one at ELP or the internal SWA one, but in this case, the information available to me via the Internet was much more current than what the Gate Agents were being told or were able to pass on to the waiting passengers. Another, even more technical and complicated reason some folks may ask -- maybe they're just bored and curious! :) Kim, rarely bored but often curious...

[scared_to_fly]

im just curious are the seats big or really small i have never flownand im flying in april to vegas and im kinda a bigger gal but not that i take up two seats like the gal i talked to from SWA asked me.

[Tamra]

the worse that happened to me....a Customer of size who did not purchase a second seat, and then filled mine...while i was still in it. thankfully i was leaving vegas, had been up partying all night, and slept for most of the flight. i woke up, and he had lifted the armrest, and his love handles, to put it mildly, were overflowing into my lap. eeeeekkkkk!!!!! please be pro active if you fall into this category. don't make others suffer!

[Laurie7]

Marcus & KIm - Thanks for enlightening me! Being an "info geek" myself, I should have figured out that y'all had computers and were sometimes researching your own flights! BSWA (Before Southwest Airlines), I used flyte.com on my home PC to follow the progress of my husband's flights. Now I can pull up the nifty little displays at work with a couple of clicks on my mouse. If you ever find yourself at SNA, come find me. If I'm not super busy, give me a couple of minutes and I'll be happy to supply you with interesting trivial info about your flight. Paul - I envy you. I have the opposite problem. I fall asleep on *every* flight - just give me 5 minutes of "wheels up" and I'm out like a light. And Shelley, I happy to report that haven't ever cuddled any strangers...well, at least I don't think I have....Hmmmmm... :)

[Jay14]

I am allowed to have a carry on bag like everyone else. I choose to check my bag and use the bin space for my jacket and computer case. That way I can move my feet around. So what is inconsiderate about that. If you checked your large bags, there would be more room for everyone. By the time you get off most SWA flights and walk to baggage claim, they are pretty close to delivering the bags. The are the best. And for the doors opening after landing. Seems like as soon as the plane stops, the ramp is at the door and it is opened.

[pcerda]

I've found that most people calling us who ask that question are calling to find out the likeliness of a few things (especially during weather): a: The chances of their flight being delayed due to weather in other locations. b: The chances of their flight being totally cancelled due to weather. c: The chances of their flight being delayed or cancelled if it is an originating flight the next morning. This situation gets tricky if it's a stubbed flight that we haven't received information for. Most people in this case just want to know if their plane even made it in the night before or if it didn't. In this case we either cancel the outbound flight the next day or use another plane. Of course, on a totally (semi)unrelated note, the one *I* love getting is: Me - "That flight makes one stop with NO change of planes." Them - "Where does it stop?" Me - "..." Does it really matter since you don't get off the plane? Then again, I guess you want to make sure you don't stop somewhere that has inclement weather and risk your flight being cancelled on the one stop (which happens rarely, but not often....usually they skip and go non-stop). Jedi Blog Master

[joe-mdw-plane-d]

Paco, They could be flying flight 387. MHT-BWI-DTW-PHX-BUR-OAK and forget where they should get off? ;-P. For some reason this is not bookable maybe because they don't like to do 4 stops? Imagine those airport fees on that ticket! Ding! boy Joe. Detroit based reservations agent 😜

[scared_to_fly]

well Tamara I'm gonna tell you that my love handles as you mentioned arent gonna fall on anyones lap. I'm a bigger gal so im not gonna say nothing mean but mine arent gonna flop everywhere. Is the flight to vegas usually full does anyone know? I've never flown dont even know what the inside of a plane looks like so just curious on the seats are they 3 across or 2 across and so on.

[Brian_McBride1]

I'dlike to comment on unaccompanied minors. I was on flight 2769 last night from PHL to BNA with a stop over in in RDU. At RDU, six UAMs were seated together en route to BNA. During descent, they got quite loud. I turned my ehad from the front row (row 1) and hollered: "Hey yo, keet it down back there." A woman sitting in front of the UAMs (row 3) exclaimed "Its about time someone said something." The kids kept going. I went back and asked them to keep it down. They kept going and I asked "Do you have a learning disability?" At that point,the lead flight attendant who was in the jump seat said to me "Hey, thats enough." I quietly vented to the passenger across the asile that kids today get time outs and how my dad would take time out of his day to blister my a**. The lead attendant again asked me to watch my mouth because a used a foul word in front of a four-year-old. There is no question that my learning disability comment was over the line. I won't dispute that. I should have also watched my mouth a bit better. I agree that is my fault. I am just wondering why it escalated to that point. Why did the lead attendant not get up and say something herself to the minors after the first time a passanger (i.e.me said something)? Did she think I took care of it sufficiently? From an airline's perspective I think it would have been better if I asked the attendant to say something right away instead of handling it myself. Any thoughts?

[pcerda]

Joe, Never thought of good ol flight 387! Good grief! "What, you don't want a 10 hour flight from BWI to OAK?!?!?!" Jedi Blog Master

[Bridget2]

I fly weekly for my job and try to fly SW as often as I can...you guys are usually on time. My comment is regarding the pre-board comment. While I don't run anywhere or require a wheelchair, I have a serious nerve disease that causes severe pain. Sometimes air blowing on my skin or even my clothes touching me feels like I am on fire...forget it if one of the devil's spawn starts kicking the back of the seat! Anyway, I appear to be a healthy thirty something year old woman and often get dirty looks or overhear little comments from the FA's. I take 9 pills a day so I can cope with the pain. So, please remember...if you see a 'normal' looking person that pre-boards, it might be legit.

[Marcus]

Paco, You forgot flight 387's brother, OAK-SNA-PHX-BWI-ISP coming in at just over 9 hours. Before the schedule change, flight 398 used to operate OAK-SAN-AUS-MCO-ISP. That was a 10+ hour flight. Left OAK at 0615 and arrived in ISP at 1935 (all times local).

[Leo_Durham]

I've been a frequent flyer on Southwest for several years now. I fly from Houston to Nashville and back often. I'm finding myself arriving to and from my destination later and later. The flight delays, for one reason or another, are getting redicilous! A delay so late in January caused me to miss picking up a rental car (ALAMO refused to wait 45 minutes after I contacted them and told them my situation) and having to stay in a hotel in Nashville. My recent round trip, withh a delay out of Hobby, was horrible. After a long wait in the airport I get on the plane and sit in front of a lady with a child who screamed and kicked my seat for the entire 1 hour 45 minute flight!! Come on SWA step up to the plate!!!

[Bynum]

Ok, what bothers me is that people decide to bring their whole bag on board. I think that the overhead bins should be for your "CARRY ON" Items that does not mean clothes! Southwest is great and allows you to be able to check TWO bags for a reason. I am so happy with the FA's and how patient they are in putting up with people who put their whole luggage in an overhead bin.

[FriendofBlogBoy]

J. D., I think you are being unreasonable. The seasoned traveler knows to expect the potential for delays and cancelled flights. It is necessary to pack based on the different contigencies that you might encounter. That is the reason why I NEED all of the overhead bin space I can get. For a three-day trip, I typically take six suitcases. I bring seven days' worth of clothes based on what the weather is supposed to be (two outfits per day plus a spare), seven days' worth of clothes for the opposite weather conditions (in case something changes radically while on the trip), two computers (in case one develops a problem), a color TV set (in case the one in the hotel doesn't work, or I have to spend the night in an airport lobby), a DVD player and several movies (in case I can't get a good TV signal somewhere), a set of bed sheets, blanket and pillow (for the same reasons as the TV), five different meals already packed in separate containers (in case of a long layover to avoid buying expensive airport food), six books to read (one set of three for the plane trips and three extra for layovers or in case of power failure at the hotel preventing me from watching my TV set) and one spare suitcase to bring back souvenirs and knick-knacks from the tourist trap stores I'm bound to visit. You think I could possibly get all of that UNDER the seat in front of me???? Sheesh, Kim, the well-prepared traveler 🙂

[chuchoteur]

Kim... You forgot to include your partenr on the list, to lug all those additional suitacase around! LoL

[Anny]

I have problems with people propping their bare feet up and not just on the chair! It is undeniably gross. Once I was traveling out of country and this old lady who was sitting next to me took off her shoes and proceeded to prop her legs on my lap. I spoke Chinese and English but she did not understand either language (she spoke Vietnamese). I was annoyed and grossed out that I didn't even care if I was taught to respect my elders that I just brushed her legs off my lap. Another trip, I was going to Texas. I was sitting in the window seat and next thing I knew, this foot was sticking out on my armrest coming from the passenger sitting behind me. It wasn't that the lady was propping her feet on my chair. She stuck her whole foot through the hole and was using half of my arm rest. I hit the "flight attendant" button and just pointed the foot to the flight attendant. The flight attendant was very kind and told the passenger behind me to take her foot off. (Sad to say, it was another Asian elderly lady.) I don't know if it is because I am a young Asian woman and I look nice. I do try to treat everyone with respect. However, there are instances that cross the line and propping feet up on me or on my armrest is just plain rude.

[Ira1]

I thought that un-attended luggage was not allowed, so why do people leave there belonging on line and than sit down..I notify the gate attended but she did not do anything about it..Maybe next time I should call the Police....Come on Southwest tell your gate people to stop this.