I use the royal "we" here, since I'm sure I've been guilty of it at some point in my life.

I flew round trip YOW to ORD last week, mid afternoon flights, CRJ 50 seaters, out Wednesday back Friday. 40 pax on the outbound, a full 50 on the inbound.

In both directions, I was subject to what I could only qualify as a Jr. Highschool rendition of "I don't want to sit here". I can somewhat sympathize with anyone over 200lbs on an RJ for any length of time, but what I witnessed in both directions was scrawny 150lb-max guys, all "fourty-somethings through sixty-somethings" who felt they had the god-given right to have an empty seat next to them. So, they get on the plane, see someone sitting next to them and move elsewhere. Someone comes behind them, they're in their seat, so they move again. And then some people just sit elsewhere, and before long, no one is sitting in their seat, people have pissed off attitude "oh my god I have to sit next to someone". Again, it's not that these are big guys. These are guys that would blow away in a stiff wind, but the pissing and moaning continues. It's obnoxious.

The funniest was the return flight. There was this little terd sitting accross the aisle from me, and he was sitting next to a very attractive twenty-something slender woman. And this guy was about 50 and puny. Tonnes of room. But, he got a bit gruff and said to her "here, let me make some room". So, he got up and moved. The Flight attendant said "we're full sir, you should sit back in your seat". He gave her some attitude and said "yeah, right, this flight isn't going to be full". So, he sat in front of me, and sure enough a few minutes later someone came and bounced him. Hilariously, he insisted the person show him their boarding pass to prove it was their seat. Eventually a 5 minute game of musical chairs ensues since everyone was sitting in a seat other than their assigned seat, and ultimately he goes and sits back next to the hot chick in the end, and then becomes all nicey-nicey about it -- red as a beet from embarassment. The guy next to me was jiving him the whole time, somewhat in jest, and somewhat in spite.

So, when did it become gauche to have to sit next to someone on an RJ? I'm a pretty big guy, and I have no problems with it, what's the big deal? Why does it bother me? Because we're waiting for everyone to sit down before we can taxi, and on Friday, the little 5 minute game of musical chairs ultimately did delay us. Plus, I think I was jealous and wanted to sit next to the hot chick.

- D