Help! I'm trapped in 2A!
 

No complaints, just an observation.

FRA-IAH last week on 767-400 and was lucky enough to snag an upgrade into first. I rarely get the opportunity to go first on a TATL so I was looking forward to relaxing and stretching out for the 11 hour flight.

I placed all my tech gear (headphones, laptop, etc) in the seat pocket in front of me and was ready to enjoy the long ride to Houston. All was great until about an hour after liftoff when the woman in front of me in 1A decided to utilize the “Lay flat” feature on her seat and proceeded to slowly go backward as though she was preparing for a launch to Venus. Although a bit annoying, I decided I could live with it since I was happily able get up and stretch my legs at anytime and I figured she couldn’t sleep that long (could she?). Then things got a little bit dicier.

Apparently lulled by his wife’s incessant snoring, Mr. Astronaut in 1B starts to nod off and decides to hit the full recline switch to faithfully follow his partners drifting off to snooze-land. So here I am next to the window in 2A with two passengers in front of me, heads in my lap, their headphones on, eyes covered by Lone Ranger masks, and blankets drawn up to their chins. I started to get the feeling this was more than just a cat nap.

“OK”, I thought. Getting a little more annoying but I can still live with it. Even though egress from my seat is a real challenge because I now have to contort my upper and lower body like a pre-pubescent Russian gymnast, lean forward as though I’m about to kiss my neighbor in 2B, scoot sideways like a crab on the beach and finally exit to freedom into the aisle. All the while trying to avoid impaling my footprints on Mr. and Mrs. Astronauts foreheads.

“OK”, I thought once again. Not exactly what I bargained for when I went for the upgrade but thank goodness CO engineering designed enough room to get in and out no matter what the people in front of you do . That is until your next door neighbor in 2B raises his leg rest to its maximum extended position, which is just about a half a millimeter from Mr. Astronaut’s fully-reclined, sleep inducing seat back.

So here I am in 2A, trapped in my seat like a wild Raccoon in an iron cage, bounded by the seat backs of Mr. and Mrs. Astronaut in front and the fully extended legs of Mr. “I think I’ll snooze a little too” on my right. It was on the verge of being claustrophobic. Realizing there was little I could do (aside from creating major scene and causing a diversion to Greenland to throw me off the plane) I decided to just do some work until they awoke.

Remember the tech gear I stowed in the pocket in front of me prior to take off? Well, that pocket was now unreachable underneath the fully prone seat back of Mrs. Astronaut and hardly accessible by any human. Luckily, I always carry my spelunker gear in my pocket so I pulled out my nylon safety rope, lighted helmet, hiking boots and bread crumbs to mark my trail and slid slowly and cautiously under the seat back in front of me to retrieve my tech gear.

Hours later, after my neighbor’s 12 Ambien had finally worn off, they all moved their seat backs to the upright and locked position just in time to get their arrival meals. In retrospect, I guess I could have done a few things different. Maybe I could have asked nicely to limit the recline, maybe I shouldn’t worry about waking up people if I have to go the restroom, or maybe, just maybe, I’ll just stand my ground, put up a huge hissy-fit and protest at the top of my lungs that my “Seat Rights” are being violated.

Anyone know what Greenland’s like in the summer?

Laughing and crying while reading your situation! Ever thought about writing a book? LOL Thanks for reminding all of us to keep our sense of humor while traveling.

ROTFLMAO!!!

So true...^^^

Sadly, I'm afraid waiting till 2012 when (if?) the lie-flats are installed may be the only real option available. I avoid the window seats in BF on the 762/-4 at all costs, for just this reason.

Great post btw! :)

Nicely written.

Lesson: Avoid the window seat if you don't know the person in the aisle seat

I dislike the window for this reason. I like the window fine, if no one is sitting in the aisle, and I'm able to get get in/out easily.

I had a KLM trip in December, and for some reason KLM put me in a window seat. I hit the restroom every 3 hours or so, and nice french lady next to me was passed out about an hour into the flight. There was no way I could jump over her to get out, and had to call a FA to wake the lady up.

The lady was very gracious and offered to switch too.

The bulkhead is always better on 757-200, 767s, and 777s.

Hmmmm...
 

Nest time, why don't you simply decline the upgrade, sit in Y & then see how you feel???

I have been tempted many times to use the water bottles that are handed out post meal as pee receptacles. Luckily my young body can still maneuver out of the BF window seat trap without waking my seat mate (most of the time). I do look like the little chinese contortionist from "Oceans 11" whenever I do it, however.

MIDDLE MIDDLE MIDDLE I love the middle on 767s and 777s it is ideal, no sharing the aisle access!

I had the BF mini cabin basically to myself and sat back in row 11(the Y cabin was nice and quite) (there were a couple others in the front of it, but none to teh back)

FAs were enjoying or hating me way back there by myself and told me I could move anytime only 3 times...:D

Or more to the point, avoid the window seat entirely, unless you know that the aisle seat next to you will POSITIVELY, ABSOLUTELY, WITHOUT A DOUBT-- be empty ;). And even if you 'know the person in the aisle seat" next to you, you'd still want to avoid the gymnastic gyrations needed to extridite yourself, should your companion be fully reclined as well.
(And agreeing with Steph3n--- gotta love those middle seats !!!

Amen- I love the middle! Nobody to jump over/limbo under, and nobody jumping over me to get out. And on the 767, there's the added bonus of not having to fend off "I don't respect your headphones" guy.

BTW, funny post, OP!

Nice story.


Glad to hear/read that didn't pull on the seatback in front of you to get out of your seat.^

I don't have any problem waking up the person next to me if I find myself in that situation (which is rarely) and have to use the restroom.

Just rode in 2A on a 772 lie flat back from Shanghai. 2A is a bulk head on that plane so I didnt have that trouble. But I thought the new seats are in the clam shell thing so it doesnt actually go back, the seat just slides down with in it. Maybe you didn't actually have the new seats?

Anyway I always take window, I'd rather wake up the sucker next to me than be woken up by someone else with a weak bladder. Though I'm still nimble enough to get over their lie flat without needing em to put it up.

I like the window cuz you get more storage. Overall the seats were excellent and cuz of that I much preffered my CO return flight over my outbound Asiana. The seats more than make up for the caring FAs and the lobster and pate appetizer Asiana had. Asiana's entertainment options were much fewer, though the new movies were just as good.

2 little things that would improve my experience on the new seat. The remote has a 2x3 inch LCD screen which is very bright and stays on for about 20 seconds after you hit it. It's quite sensitive so if your lying flat its easy to bump and get the light in your eyes.