Originally Posted by PTravel
I was flying a UA transcon the other day (I'm being vague about airports and dates in case the pax who is the subject of this post is a FT reader), seated in paid-for F, bulkhead window seat. As a lifelong flying phobic, albeit a frequent flyer flying phobic (FFFP?), I _always_ take a window seat. Flying bothers me a lot less than it used to, but I deeply despise turbulence (or the prospect of turbulence), and looking out the window helps me orient myself. Also, for some strange reason, if I can see the ground turbulence doesn't bother me as much.
If someone told me "I like to see the ground", then I might be a little miffed...but if someone told me "I have a problem with flying," then that trumps my desire for a glare-free screen.
The two sound similar but can be distinguished from the fact that the former is a statement of personal preference (and I like being able to fart whenever I feel like it!) while the latter is a reasonable request for accomodation of a medical problem. I guess it's like seeing someone parked in a handicapped space with and without the sticker.
Of course, if someone told me "I tend to get motion sick when I can't see the horizon", then I'd be willing to open every shade on the plane!!!!!