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Posts: 631
Is it OK to wake people up in flight?
So, I fly the world in Y thanks to a bad travel policy at my company. I don't really begrudge the Y-thing as I am not high up in the company, but what I really do begrudge is when I am sleeping during the flight and someone wakes me up. If I'm asleep it is usually because I am exhausted and need some rest before I land and go to a client site, so waking me up is affecting my ability to do my job.
I can actually live with the general occurrences in the Y cabin that wake me (babies crying, announcements, etc.) but I get really wound up when I get woken for dinner service when I am clearly asleep. And I know many will disagree with me, but having my seat reclined does not stop the person behind me eating (I have done it hundreds of times myself) so there is no need to wake me up for that either. And why is it that when I'm in the middle or aisle seat and I've finally got to sleep the passengers inside me choose exactly that time to go and pee. Seriously, you saw me settle down with the sleeping pill and the blanket and you didn't think to say "I'll just go to the toilet so I don't have to wake you up later"?
Y would be so much better if there were bigger seats that don't recline into each other and everyone had an aisle seat, eh?
Oh wait.... That's J, isn't it?
__________________ Lose a sense and those left compensate. That's why people with no sense of humour have a greater sense of self-importance.
I'd try and stick to window seats as far as possible if I were in your position, including explaining to seatmates that I want to sleep and suggesting swopping so they don't have to climb over me. And tell my seatmates that I don't want to be woken for the meal.
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My employer says I'm not allowed to tell you their opinion
Re. letting people out. You choose that poison by picking an aisle seat. I always take aisle seats, because I don't want to climb over people as they sleep. But with that comes an understanding that I will need to let people out when they want to get out. Unless the person is asking to come through once every half hour on a long haul flight, it's not really my (or anyone else sitting in aisle) place to question them or get annoyed. If it bothers you that much, pick a window seat.
As far as food service goes, I remember Aeroflot had a cool little thing where they gave you stickers with your eye-mask. The stickers would advise the FA whether to wake you up for a meal or to leave you alone. That went away when the eye-mask went away, but it was a nice idea. But yeah, generally speaking, the FAs in Y aren't going to be super considerate. They have the most people to take care of (vs F or J) and if they wake you up, it's not because they care to see if you want food.
I'd try sleeping with the seat upright if you don't want to be woken at mealtimes for that reason. It's possible for the person behind you to eat - sure - but it's not pleasant and can be messy, so perhaps by showing some consideration of your fellow passengers you'll actually get something in return (i.e. not being woken to raise your seat).
It is possible to eat with the seat in front reclined, it just needs a bit of thought regarding the placement of the wine bottle.
I think the "wake/don't wake me for meals" stickers are a great idea. Cabin crew don't know whether you want to be woken (may have a long onward journey with no chance to eat) or left to sleep - damned if they do, damned if they don't. I get that. What I don't like is being jabbed with a finger and asked if I want a drink.
I'm not an inconsiderate person. But I've never, ever thought to keep tabs on both of my seatmates, every few minutes, to see if they might be falling asleep, and so also consider my bowel movement needs vis a vis whatever might be going through their minds.
OP, if you're really tired and need to sleep and not have your seatmates or FA wake you up, Tell Them That.
People will generally try to respect that. People won't be sorry that you're angry that they didn't put your (uncommunicated) needs ahead of their own plans.
I recently find myself booking more aisle seats than window. Esp. on the flights where scenery is not that great outside or I've flown it many times. Why? I tend to drink a lot of water so having access to the restroom is a big plus as I don't want to climb over the passengers. (There are still times when I choose window seat but I elect to drink less to minimize - but not eliminate - trips to the restroom.)
Programs: NZ*G, TK*G, BAEC Gold, VS Red, Hertz President's Circle (RIP Diamond Club)
Posts: 631
Welcome to FT, UAEDawg!
My first post was a bit of a rant because I was in a really deep sleep for the first time in about 2 weeks and my neighbour woke me twice. Once to go for a pee, and the other to "go for a wander around". I do try to get a window seat, but I'm crap at planning ahead and selecting my seat online before hand, but isn't it equally reasonable to expect toileters and wanderers to pre-book an aisle seat?
In any case, in the Y cabin only about 1/3 of the seats are in a position where the occupant wouldn't have to be woken in that situation so the question of whether it's ok to wake people extends beyond my little foot-stomping session.
__________________ Lose a sense and those left compensate. That's why people with no sense of humour have a greater sense of self-importance.
Programs: NZ*G, TK*G, BAEC Gold, VS Red, Hertz President's Circle (RIP Diamond Club)
Posts: 631
Quote:
Originally Posted by jerry305
I'm not an inconsiderate person. But I've never, ever thought to keep tabs on both of my seatmates, every few minutes, to see if they might be falling asleep, and so also consider my bowel movement needs vis a vis whatever might be going through their minds.
OP, if you're really tired and need to sleep and not have your seatmates or FA wake you up, Tell Them That.
People will generally try to respect that. People won't be sorry that you're angry that they didn't put your (uncommunicated) needs ahead of their own plans.
Hi Jerry. I DID tell them that I was going to sleep and even had a discussion with them about the little pill I was taking to expedite said unconsciousness.
__________________ Lose a sense and those left compensate. That's why people with no sense of humour have a greater sense of self-importance.
I do try to get a window seat, but I'm crap at planning ahead and selecting my seat online before hand, but isn't it equally reasonable to expect toileters and wanderers to pre-book an aisle seat?
Get better at it.
Any flight over 2 hours and you have to expect that people will want to get up at some point (or even multiple times). Unfortunately that point might be 30 minutes after you took a sleeping pill rather than right when you took the pill. I'd expect someone to try to climb out without waking you up, but sometimes that's practically impossible (seat in front of you is back, your legs are stretched out and I have short legs, etc). I do expect people who have to pee constantly to at least try for the aisle seats but sometimes those are already taken (like you with the window seats, they might be crap at planning ahead).
1. Get better at planning ahead and getting a window seat. You don't wake up and fall back asleep easily so plan for that to give yourself the best chance possible at getting some sleep.
2. Right before you take your sleeping pill, put a note on top of your blanket that says "please don't wake me up for meals/drinks. Thank you!" Or get the lovely sleep mask with stickers for the same thing (although that only works if you don't turn your back to the aisle and cuddle into the window).
3. Remember that it's better to have your aislemate wake you up than to wet themselves.
