hockeystl

Note: The date and flight number aren't really important but for those who want all the details of my experience I'm adding everything.

Once on board Sunday's NW2632 GPT-MEM on a CRJ200 I'm in 2A and what appeared to be a sweet elderly lady plops down in 2B.

All is fine and we takeoff. Once we're above 10K feet, and in solid cloud cover, I prepare to settle in for my usual twenty minute nap on this short haul. I put my sunglasses on, flip my hood from my sweatshirt over my head and close my eyes before reaching up and pulling the window shade closed.

Seconds later the window shade flies open and the lady says, "I was looking at the clouds!" in a lecturing tone. Now keep in mind these weren't billowing, beautiful clouds, just a thick mass of bright nothingness out the window. After a couple seconds of sitting speechless, I told her the bright light hurt my eyes and I then returned the shade to a closed position. She immediately stands up, summons the FA and demands a seat change without mention of the window shade saga. The FA honors the request for a new seat and offers me beverage service a few minutes later as if nothing happened.

I've observed armrest disputes, seatback disputes and even airflow disputes in my two decades of air travel. I can understand the aisle passenger who wants to see out the window if there's land below or even a nice sunset/sunrise. Maybe even one who wants to see some nice shapely clouds. But this was a view of complete nothingness. I did not notice the other PAX looking out the window so I closed it without a thought. But to reach over another pax and open the shade, when it's obvious he/she was trying to nap, is something I've never witnessed or been a part of.

In the end I guess I should've been happy to get the extra seat but I sat through the rest of the flight just shaking my head to myself as to what just happened.

Given the number of FT members, I'm sure someone has observed a similar situation and I'm just curious how it played out...

Thanks for letting me vent. ;-)

vatraveler

If she wants to control the shade, she should select a window seat.

bonoman

I'm on the fence about the window shade. Sometimes I like to look out, even on a 6am flight above the clounds and other times when I would think others might want to look out, I need it closed to work on my laptop. Usually I'm not afraid to ask if I'm in the aisle. "Would you mind XXXXing the shade due to X?".

Either way, its pretty damn brazen to just reach across someone to raise the shade. I'd liken that to reclining their seat without asking or just reaching up and turning off their overhead light. Bizarre.

EDIT: Oh yeah, mods might bounce this one not due to NW specificity.

hockeystl

No problem and I understand if it's moved... I just thought it was an interesting air travel story that my fellow FT'rs could appreciate.

And bono, I LOVE your sig. One of my pet peeves too!

bonoman

Oh, its definitely an interesting story! Crazy almost!

Glad to know there is someone who appreciates it too.

Bagels

Agreed. In the winter, I frequently choose window seats since it's often possible to get a clear(er) view outside. Nothing more annoys me than a FA asking 'sir, would you please close your window shade so the persons sitting next to you can enjoy the movie?' I usually politely tell the FA that I intentionally selected a window seat so I could enjoy the view outside... can't tell you how many times they've followed up with 'please close the shade sir.'

LilTMD

Well, my experience is not really the same as yours, but I did have a similarly bizarre experience with regard to another passenger flipping out about something...

A couple of years ago, I was on a mid-evening (like, maybe 7 or 8pm) flight from OMA-DEN (I don't remember which airline) in coach. It was before I was too savvy about airline travel, so I was stuck in a middle seat. I had a board examination coming up in a couple of weeks, and pretty much every spare moment of my time was spent studying. So after we got up in the air, I flipped on my overhead light and started studying. No big deal..or so I thought.

Well, there was some girl in her early twenties sitting next to me who apparently wanted to sleep and was disturbed by my overhead light, but instead of asking me (like an adult might) if I would mind turning off my light, she made a big production of wrapping her face up in her (designer) sweater, thrashing around in her seat, and making little grunting noises of displeasure.

It was strange enough that the passenger on the other side of me seemed rather amused by it, and exchanged meaningful glances with me occasionally...

After I got off, I overheard her opining to her boyfriend on her cell phone that it was a "miserable" flight because some "stupid person" next to her refused to turn off their light so she could sleep. Umm...I didn't REFUSE because she never ASKED me!...

I do understand the need to sleep on late night flights, but come on! This hardly qualified as a late night flight, and was relatively short to boot. Plus if a passenger wants to read, that's what the overhead lights are for, and no one should be expected to sit and twidle their thumbs in relative darkness just in case the overhead light might be too bright for some sensitive soul nearby. It wasn't aimed directly at her. Although in my opinion, it would have been rude to ask someone who was obviously trying to study to turn out their light, I might have been willing to oblige if she had asked nicely enough and explained why she needed sleep so badly on a short mid-evening flight.

DAYflier

I hope I wasn't the only one who pictured the little old lady from the movie Airplane!...

"No wonder you're upset. She's lovely. And a darling figure... supple, pouting breasts... firm thighs. It's a shame you two don't get along."

joejones

Don't worry, that was EXACTLY what I pictured.

slippahs

And I'm sure many more FT'ers could enjoy it if it's in the TravelBuzz! forum.

Let's move it there, since I'm sure this discussion will become less NW-specific as it goes on.

Thanks,

slippahs
nwa forum co-moderator

General_Flyer

Fun! Never had those problems before except the occasional "Please close your window shade due to flying over timezones, etc.

+1 on the elderly lady in Airplane!

Nowadays people are just so diversified.. At any time and any place, there's always something amusing to hear.

If I'm faced with such situations, I'd probably just laughed.

glob99

The CRJ is tiny and maybe she is a little claustrophobic.

Wiirachay

My suggested reply: "But I'm not. And I'm in the window seat."

wharvey

In my opinion, the person in the window seat "controls" the window shade. The only exception is for long flights where movies are playing. In those cases, I think the shade should be closed for the benefit of those watching the entertainment.

PhlyingRPh

This is the most important part of the OP's account!

In fact, I shall add this trick to my rep., maybe opening and closing the shade continuously for a couple of minutes before the old seatmate decides to vacate the adjacent seat. Thanks for the idea.^