<p>I have been on a flight from Maputo, MZ to Johannesburg, SA where they come through the plane either before takeoff or after landing (can’t remember - I’ll report back next month) where the flight attendent walks down the center aisle with a can of bug spray in each hand and sprays it over the head of all passengers. Someone had alerted me this would happen, so I was told to lean over and cover my eyes & nose. Even so, it stung for a few minutes.</p>
<p>On some flights around the Middle East and Far East, passengers have been known to make their own food on small stoves. It was pretty scary the first time I saw it, but apparently everybody else on board was used to it.</p>
<p>The most annoying was when I was on a flight to London. I had the row seat in the middle section with four seats. There was an empty seat next to me and two very, very heavy people had the last two seats. One of them moved over to sit next to me so they could spread out. And yes, that person infringed on my space. I didn’t have the nerve to complain because I was young then. I’d certainly say something now.</p>
<p>From a former road warrior - </p>
<p>Strangest thing I have seen: Seatmate leaned forward every 15 minutes or so to open the top of a Mason jar he had stuffed into the seatback pocket, with a resulting phhhfffttt sound. I asked what he was doing. He replied, “Oh it’s my sourdough mixings. I have to release the pressure every so often or the jar might explode.” Now I had no idea if he was telling the truth or not, but my hand went right to the assistance call button.</p>
<p>Strangest thing I have done: Pre-911. I was in the middle seat on a redeye flight from Las Vegas to the midwest. Oversize fellas in aisle and window seat. The flight attendants did the drink service and then the lights went down. I grabbed every pillow and blanket I could get my hands on, went to the lavatory in the rear of the plane, put the seat down and did 3 1/2 hours sitting in the can. The flight attendants figured out what I was doing and left me alone. When it came time to land they let me sit in one of their little jump seats in the back.</p>
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<p>I remember a flight taking pilgrims to Mecca several decades ago that burned because someone started cooking in the aisle. I think the plane was still on the ground, but a number of people were killed.</p>
<p>Edit: I just googled it. If this is the flight, although there were gas stoves on board, apparently they did not start the fire.</p>
<p><a href=“http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saudia_Flight_163[/url]”>http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saudia_Flight_163</a></p>
<p>Flying from Chicago to the east coast on a late night flight about 15 years I was sitting in the third row from the back on a pretty empty flight. A man and a woman sat behind me and introduced themselves to each other and started having a pleasant conversation. </p>
<p>About an hour into the flight I heard some unmistakable noises behind me. They had decided to join the mile high club. No kids were around, it was dark and I was mildly amused. </p>
<p>What really got me was at the baggage claim they ignored each other and were greeted by their respective spouses!</p>
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<p>The flight attendants on our recent SA Airlines flight had TWO cans in each hand. I thought it was a pretty choreographed dance they did down the aisles…but I did NOT believe for one second that it was harmless. </p>
<p>The worst behavior I ever saw was preboarding BEFORE Southwest changed their procedures. Remember when you got to the gate and sat in line…waiting for your turn? My daughter and I were flying a shuttle…very short trip. We got to the gate and sat on the floor like MOST of the passengers. When it was time to board, a couple came waltzing past the WHOLE line of those waiting and went to the head of the line. You can imagine the scene that took place. To be honest, I was surprised they didn’t call airport security. The couple claimed that they had gotten there FIRST but chose to sit in the nice chairs. It was an ugly scene and I did not fly SW for years after that…until they changed that boarding routine.</p>
<p>My mom and I had a rule about traveling clothes - they need to be dark colored, and/or patterned. We both had the ability to spill food on ourselves anytime, anywhere.</p>
<p>A few months ago I was flying Jetblue, and there was a young family in the gate area with what appeared to be infant twins (each parent had one in a front carrier) and two toddlers. They had two double-strollers, at least 2 diaper bags, and 3 or 4 suitcases that looked way too large to fit in the overhead or beneath the seat in front of them. What drove me nuts was this was JETBLUE, where the first piece of luggage for each passenger is FREE. It took them forever to get through boarding and down the jetway, and frankly they got nothing but hostile glares from the rest of the passengers. Why in the world would you carry on more than you have to when you have that many kids and that much stuff? Why didn’t they check those 3 oversized suitcases?</p>
<p>Also this year, again Jetblue. There was a guy in our gate with a HUGE teddy bear - like the ones you can win at a carnival that are the size of an elementary school child. There’s no way it would fit beneath the seat, and on a 100% full flight I don’t think people were excited about a giant bear in the overhead. I snuck a picture of him with my camera and texted to my kids, “I don’t think that’s a regulation-sized carry-on bear.” D texted back, “I hope he bought it a seat.”</p>
<p>Flying next month…getting ready for my “extra security checks” and passengers who stare at me for the flight convinced I’m about to blow up the plane any second. </p>
<p>I love flying</p>
<p>jym ‘Were you willing to sit in his (the guy taken off the plane’s) seat cushion?!?!?’</p>
<p>I couldn’t…one of those ‘anonymous’ federal marshals came and took his spot!</p>
<p>woody,
Maybe the air marshall should have taken the coca cola cushion seat.</p>
<p>Coming home from Portugal in the late '80’s with future H: for some reason there were heightened terrorist alerts in that country. Before boarding our flight to return home, the passengers had to take a shuttle across the tarmac, and then walk between two closely spaced rows of soldiers armed with machine guns, and onto the staircase to the plane. WITH all our luggage. Of course, I had too much luggage and was struggling with all my stuff and my boarding pass blew out of my hand and away across the pavement. I stood there knowing I shouldn’t and couldn’t chase it and wondering what to do but one of the soldiers retrieved it and kindly handed it back to me. Crisis averted!</p>
<p>My most outrageous moment was when the fellow seated behind me completely freaked out as the doors were being shut and the stewardess offered to get him a couple of Valium and a handful of those little whiskey bottles. Fortunately, his seatmate calmed him. If the stewardess had gone ahead, I would have intervened.</p>
<p>But, my fear of flying traces back to a flight that shouldn’t have been, too close to an electrical storm that was moving in the same direction we were, so lots of turbulence for the first 3 hours, lots of lightning outside my window. This time, behind me were two professional pilots who loudly second guessed the pilot’s every move for most of the trip. “I wouldn’t have done that.” “No, he’s taking to many risks.” Not reassuring.</p>
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In the US?</p>
<p>regarding the Coke-infused cushion. I would have pulled it up (they are only attached by velcro) and handed it to the parents asking them to switch ‘seats’. (Yes, I can be a real piece of work when I travel! - that’s what 1K does to you…)</p>
<p>^ I can understand that and think it’s actually a fair way to handle it. However, for 1K, you’d probably be in first class, and would not have to worry about such a situation.</p>
<p>Love this thread! I used to travel a lot inside Texas for business (2x week or so for several years). Mostly puddle jumpers, which are so much fun, esp. when they ask passengers to exchange seats in order to “balance the load.” You don’t go particularly high on these smaller planes, so the scenery below can be pretty cool. At least three different times, I saw tornadoes off in the distance as the plane circled around bad weather. Scary but also very interesting!</p>
<p>Went on a college scouting trip a few weeks ago and ended up on three different puddle jumper flights within a few days. LOVED those flights. Boy was I disappointed when I saw the big plane for the flight home.</p>
<p>1K is not what is used to be! I was Platinum w Continental and nearly always got upgraded. Since the merger with United, I’m thrilled to make it into the premium economy seats and not a middle seat or by the bathroom.</p>
<p>WordWorld, seeing tornadoes from the plane must have been incredible!</p>
<p>Remember back in the 1900’s (I love saying that) there was widespread horrible floods by the Mississippi River, and I flew over the flood plane. I remember being awed by the extent of the flooding. Human beings just can’t stop that kind of water.</p>
<p>I had to revive this thread in view of D’s experience flying back to school last week. She caught a 6:00 am flight, and had hoped to sleep the entire flight to her layover. It didn’t quite work out that way; I got the following text as soon as she touched down:</p>
<p>“WELL. Nothing wakes you up quite like a girl 2 rows in front of you projectile vomiting all over the plane. Second half of flight not pleasant. NOT PLEASANT AT ALL.”</p>
<p>In answer to my various questions: One of the passengers in the girl’s row was re-seated elsewhere, the other passenger was her dad and he stayed with her. The flight attendants placed opened coffee packets around the plane, but it didn’t help much. And when I said, “Poor girl, how humiliating,” D said she surmised the girl was detoxing and on her way to rehab, and didn’t seem embarrassed at all.</p>
<p>Ugh!</p>