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Rude or not rude... seeking comfort in Coach Class

Posted by herpower • 3/25/08 • Subscribe to this Discussion [RSS] • Report This Topic
Topics: behaviors, coach, comforts, experiences, Flights, General Discussion, habits, people, travel, travellers

As a frequent budget traveler I must admit... I've developed a bad habit of grabbing that extra empty seat when boarding a long flight. Ofcourse not until I am assured no one is assigned to it. But I have received looks of reproach at times, or even competition for it by fellow in-flight neighbors whom have also had their eye on the prize in hopes of comfort in Coach.

If this is rude, how do you find comfort in Coach???
sleepy tired legs wanna know

User Comments

3/25/08

jjwright85

I think I am going to start doing this

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3/25/08

gosmelltheflowers

As trained life coaches we thought you meant finding comfort in a class where coaching is being taught....

Anyway - YES! GO! get comfortable...

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3/25/08

herpower

JJWRIGHT85 You haven't tried it yet? More for your money:} scoot over please

GOSMELLTHEFLOWERS LOL, my bad, coach class that is, ...I'm looking I'm looking, is that seat taken next to you?

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3/27/08

msculit

Just like you, I sometimes grab the seat next to me whenever I travel a long-haul flight. Sitting for a long period of time is very frustrating and you may even develop a DVT (Deep Vein Thrombosis). In my personal opinion (because I do it too...hehehehe), you're not rude when you take the seat next to you esp. after making sure it's not occupied. As long as you take that into consideration. You're even altruistic for doing that!

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1. 3/30/08
  
  herpower
  
  msculit DVT...hmmm, (jotting down term name) I may need to use that one on a flight;} I'm tired doesn't seem to generate a good response.
3/27/08

libdrone

lately my experience has been either A) the flight is only half booked and everyone has plenty of room to spread out or B) the flight is absolutely completely sold out and Everyone WILL feel like a Sardine by the time they get to Phoenix. There really 'aint no in between that I've seen.

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1. 3/30/08
  
  herpower
  
  libdrone Oh no your (B) is awful. I once got stuck in one like that, seated next to a senior couple whom somehow managed to get a Live Bird inside a kitten carry-on case and it chattered and squawked under our seats for 4 hours. It SMELLED funky too. If I'm not in a hurry top get to a destination, I sometimes ask if I can be placed in the next flight if it has more vacancies.
3/27/08

acousticguitarist

it's a basic right to be comfortable on condition that we don't inconvenience anyone else...no brainer

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1. 3/30/08
  
  herpower
  
  acousticguitarist (High Five)
3/27/08

Hippychikky

i dont fly. Hubby and i were together years then finally tied the knot on feb 9th of this year. wanted to take me to amsterdam for zee honeymoon. NO friggin way. No way i am gettin on airplane every again.

Ok my comments never actually refer to topic, i am workin on that

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1. 3/30/08
  
  herpower
  
  Hippychikky NOOOO!!! NOOO Friggin way...huh? (giggling);}
2. 3/30/08
  
  MadameX
  
  Well, you mentioned flying in an air travel thread--you're moving in the right direction...
3/27/08

morgantj

What about the people that pay for coach, is fair to them that they have to pay but you don't? Or are they just paying to be guaranteed a seat in coach.

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1. 3/30/08
  
  herpower
  
  morgantj I pay for my coach seat, they do too, we've all paid. They just aren't grabbing extra seat like I do... Is that what you meant? Unless you know of Free coach tickets. Tell me , Tell me , Tell me!
3/28/08

Puffmatty

Yeah, heres the secret: I took a 17 hour flight (yes) from Dubai to Atlanta non-stop. If you book ahead on some flights, they let you pick your own seat and sometimes will have a seating chart. Get an exit row. The plane I was on had two instead of three seats (but you get to smell the bathroom) in the back. I could walk around the back, stretch etc. and only piss off one person.

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1. 3/30/08
  
  herpower
  
  lynyrdschuyler (jotting down secret, and frowning about piss odors) Thank you!
3/28/08

kdawg68

When folks prop their seat back into my lap, I call them asses to their face. usually I'll say something like "Thanks, jerk - I wasn't reading or anything"

I'm usually very social on flights, but there are some things that grind my gears. I hate the folks that block the isles removing 10 layers of clothing at leisurly pace while everyone else is stuck waiting to get past them.

I hate the folks that try to stow away enormously sized "carry-on" luggage - and why are they always the last to board? They also always seem to be rushing from the airport mcdonalds.

Likewise, folks that muddy the deboarding procedure of allowing each row to exit one at a time - you know, the guy on the cell phone talking so loud that everyone can hear him that thinks he's more important and starts butting ahead of people. I make it a point to publicly ridicule them.

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1. 3/30/08
  
  herpower
  
  KDAWG68 I'm sympathetic with your feelings on every instance you mentioned. There's always going to be a certain something to tick us off. But it's no different than in any other circumstances. Driving, at the mall, in teh office. We are all different and sometimes not aware that our actions may be irritable to others.
  
  I've walked off a flight sporting sunglasses to cover a Black eye I acquired on Flight due to someone force feeding their oversize bag into an overhead compartment and I just so happened to be an innocent passerby heading to the potty when it burst out. BAM! I was told I was unconscious for a few seconds. I've learned to just take a deep breath and just relax. And anyway I slapped my shade on like Jackie O and did a Naomi Campbell catwalk off the plane when we landed.
3/30/08

cpupulse

I just wish that they add a little more leg room to sit and lay a comfortably instead of having us in there on some flights like cattle. American Airlines international flight is not bad for its Coach seats.But don't think about coach on TAM airlines though, you talk about tight corners. For someone that is 6' 2" forget it you will have the time of your life trying to get situated on that flight.

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1. 3/30/08
  
  herpower
  
  CPUPULSE I guess until further development materialize for coach class, we need to weight out what we feel we can... do without. I must say yes, American Airlines has great legroom for their coach class. But I also opt for flying with TAM because I think they are the sexiest airline EVER!
  Seats do need improvements, I can't even imaging if you are tall. Nightmare. But I've seen tall dudes doing it, and they are happy campers. TAM makes you feel good, even if you're not physically, lol.
  What I really like is TAMS customer service. From the initial reservation call, to check-in at the airport, in flight service and just there overall "people relationship" is genuine. Believe it or not I rather take that over leg room. But ... I'm not 6'2"
3/30/08

MadameX

I think this discussion is a great example of how completely we forget how good we have it. If I can make it from Chicago to NY in 2 hours at a reasonable cost, how comfortable my seat might be is the least of my worries. Sitting on a padded seat in a temperature-controlled cabin and being served drinks is simply not a hardship, no matter how narrow the seats might be.

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1. 3/30/08
  
  herpower
  
  MADAMEX Right on lady!!! We are quite fortunate, there are those whom will never even step foot on a plane in this lifetime due to various circumstances. So YES, we do stray off and neglect how far we've made it, complaining about prices, and leg room, customer service and such it's just a part of how society in the western part of the globe has redirected their focus now a days. We strive on motivation, we wants ...MORE! We can't change it but we can certainly catch ourselves and make time to differentiate and acknowledge, from what we need and what we have.
2. 3/30/08
  
  bnsullivan
  
  A 2 hr flight is one thing, but long-haul flights are quite another. I agree that it's possible to put up with almost anything on a short haul flight, but once the flying time is 6, 8, 10, 14 hours -- a modicum of comfort is essential.
  
  (Save those frequent flyer miles for upgrades on long-hauls!)
3/30/08

herpower

Ok I'm done acknowledging.... MORE LEG ROOM IN COACH CLASS PLEASE!!!

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3/30/08

globalgirl

Shotgun?

Call the best empty coach seat when you are in line to board.

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3/30/08

jackpayne

I can't risk flying commercial anymore, not even going to airport terminals. An unexpected greeting, "Hi, Jack," does not set well with security authorities.

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4/09/08

herpower

GLOBALGIRL I'll race you to it!

JACKPAYNE "HI"

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4/11/08

2008ChinaTours

comment removed by the community.

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