Comments on: Why do airports bring out the worst in us?

By: Jools Stone

Jools Stone — Mon, 23 Aug 2010 22:17:35 +0000

Perhaps it’s the infantalisation of flying that stops us behaving like reasonable adults. In what other mode of transport are we constantly talked down to about ‘don’t slip on the steps on your way out’, ‘make sure your seatbelt is fastened’ etc. Also that yawning time chasm between the plane coming to a stop and the steps materialising.

I realise there are some solid health and safety reasons behind it – and the need to cover themselves from possible litigation more t the point if they don’t make the announcements – but it does grate and makes you even more impatient to disembark.

By: lilian

lilian — Tue, 03 Aug 2010 02:17:33 +0000

I am guilty of waiting for my baggage anxiously. I guess it’s related to the fact that I’m afraid that someone will mistakenly grab my bag. and I will lose the things in it. They may not be essential stuff but still…..I would prefer not to lose them.

By: Andrew

Andrew — Fri, 16 Jul 2010 16:29:15 +0000

I realized the ridiculousness of this years ago. I now simply sit in my seat on the airplane until not only has the plane docked, not only have people begun to get off, but I stay seated right up until the people in front of me are nearly ready to move–I get up and 10 or 20 seconds later I’m walking forward. No, I don’t care that you, person who I got in front of when I stood up, have been standing there like an idiot for the past 15 minutes, it’s not my fault you didn’t think this through and realize how pointless it is to do that, I don’t care.

Just sit there and read a book (or memorize some Spanish vocabulary, in my case, since that’s the language I’m learning right now) until the people in front of you are about to start moving, THEN get up. If other people want to freak out and get up and pack themselves together in the aisle like sardines in a big aluminum tube, let them.

Cheers,
Andrew

By: Lucy

Lucy — Fri, 16 Jul 2010 15:48:05 +0000

I’m just going to come out and say it: the British way of queuing is wrong, sick and wrong. I witnessed blood in a queue for the cafeteria in the V&A, of all places. Perhaps you need to reassess your priorities. Chillax

By: CruiseMuse

CruiseMuse — Fri, 16 Jul 2010 14:22:15 +0000

I think we all mostly agree that the they airport is one of the worst aspect of travel. Not much you can do about it; and it doesn’t help to get to their and feel/act like this is the most horrendous thing ever. You already know that going into it… play a mind trick with yourself. Imagine the worst scenarios, play them out in your head, and then plan for and expect to see the worst. That way when you get there, you will either be pleasantly surprised, or you can can sit back and enjoy the freak-show drama, all the while chuckling that you knew it would happen.

Fellow blogger Chris Owen has a nice new post along these line too: http://chriscruises.wordpress.com/2010/07/16/enjoyable-travel-it-sure-is-a-lot-about-attitude/

By: Jo Jordan

Jo Jordan — Fri, 16 Jul 2010 14:03:36 +0000

A sense of control?

In my experience, I know whether a flight will be good or bad by the way the staff treat the passengers. When staff courteously (not condescendingly or bossily) take control with a firm greeting and real assistance, passengers settle.

If the flight is late, a simple announcement about what the airline has done to rebook connecting passengers goes a long way. Then only those outside the admin arrangements have to panic.

Of course there are cultural differences based on habit and expectation. I understand Japanese passengers take a fraction of the time that Kiwi passengers take to disembark. That influences profitability.

Because the situation at an airport is fluid, if not essentially chaotic (anyone can arrive at any time with any personal crisis), it’s important for staff to be genuinely skilled at dealing with variety and variation.

Often that is left to chance. Staff on long haul flights vary procedures to accommodate what they know what passengers really want.

After route and large differences in price, I do choose my airline by passenger behavior. If staff don’t attend to issues as they arise, they are probably careless about safety too. I vote with my feet and wallet.

And on the journey, I speak up. If a kid hasn’t been fed (not mine anyone’s), I ring the bell and point it out. A good crew well welcome the opportunity to smooth a situation before it escalates (into a bad tempered child in this case.)

By: lareynedepee

lareynedepee — Fri, 16 Jul 2010 14:01:26 +0000

Don’t fly any more than I can help, but recognise some of the behaviours described though not all.

I suspect travelling at some of the larger, busier airports you simply come in contact with more selfish, competitive people, or some sort of crowd psychology kicks in. Like Mike, I and my co-travellers use the tactic of waiting till all the rest get off the plane and get on the bus last so we can get off it first. However most baggage never arrives that quickly on the carousel, so we’re never that bothered about getting there first. Particularly on holidays, who wants unnecessary stress?

I agree that the tactics some people use don’t appear to get them anywhere faster. It’s like those nutters on the roads who dangerously overtake you and who you end up sitting behind for the rest of your journey or meet at the next set of traffic lights a few hundred metres down the road. At the end of the day, some of the populace haven’t got the thinking power to stand back and look at such a situation and figure out how best to deal with it.

However, there are probably ways these behaviours could be avoided by changing procedures or the design of airports, where safety is at risk.

By: Audrey

Audrey — Fri, 16 Jul 2010 13:57:34 +0000

I find traveling by plane stressful, especially in the States. Everyone is anxious to get their shoes and belts off at security. Then at the gate, the cloud forms before pre-boarding has even been called. That said, on our last flight from San Francisco we found that people did let us through to the front because we were in the seat section they were calling.

As for why this happens, I think it’s anxiety or wanting the whole ordeal to be over quickly. Hence, the jumping in line to get in their tiny seat first.

By: Barry McGee

Barry McGee — Fri, 16 Jul 2010 13:37:54 +0000

A few reasons why I always try to get on first though I’m careful never to be rude towards other passengers and always follow instructions of cabin crew;

- Especially on budget airlines leg space is limited (I’m 6″4) and if you’re one of the first people on, you can generally nab either the first row or the middle row next to the emergency exits for ample legroom

- If you’re travelling with other people, it’s more likely you’ll be able to sit together if on first

- I generally only travel with hand luggage on short haul flights so I breeze straight through most airports on arrival upon landing. If you’re stuck behind a large group of families and/or old people, you can be stuck there for an extra 15 minutes. while this doesn’t seem like much, it can mean alot when you’ve just been sat in a very large breadbin for the previous two hours..

Although, all of the above is no excuse for being rude and/or inconsiderate to fellow passengers.

By: Trudy

Trudy — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 17:24:13 +0000

I feel bad hearing these stories. I have had excellent airport karma. Nothing major has ever happened on a plane, I have never had longer than an 1 hour delay in the domestic US or abroad and I actually like airports and rank them on a scale as far as my experience there goes. I think an earlier commenter was right. I bet the people who cause the most fuss at an airport are also ones that are impatient and cause problems at the store, while driving and anywhere else where patience is required. I doubt that it is specific to the airport.