Perfect 'seat mate' -- none!
I do not regard the person seated, randomly, beside me, on any plane, as a 'mate'.
The 'relationship' with an adjacent person can become complex. I don't want to get involved.
I don't fly to 'make friends'.
I wear earplugs.
I don't make eye contact.
I read my New Yorker.
I gaze out the window.
I sleep.
I do not want any relationship with the adjacent person.
Smiling or greeting is never a good idea. It leads to tears. It leads to their thinking that you want to chat. I don't.
I want peace and quiet. I want to enjoy the flight. That's why I fly.
Wow. That's borderline right there. Might want to get that checked out.
Hammertoad, what is the usual reaction you get for the ecigs? Do FAs allow you to use them. I am a non-smoker but would love to use those just to piss off militant anti-smokers who I hate even more than smokers.
Of course, the ideal seatmate is none at least for a long haul flight. Otherwise I must say that I have often been lucky enough to be placed next to the hottest young female on the entire plane. If am not next to the nicest one, I am next to number 2. Or there are none onboard. Seriously, i am not kidding you. I don't know why. I haven't made a pact with the devil.
But even if I am not seated next to a nice young lady, I usually meet the most interesting people and enjoy that very much. However, in the rare instances, where my seat mates were of the autistic kind I didn't mind. I can very well take care of myself for some hours without chatting someone's ear off.