Air Rage? How often? What is it? Ever seen it?
Jul 15, 2001 | 1:23 pm
#31
In Memoriam
Join Date: May 2001
Location: Southern California
Programs: Hertz 5 star, Priceline Hotel bidder. AA PLT, 1MM.
Posts: 2,910
I do my best to not crowd the person behind me. If there is nobody in the back of me, I recline the seat at all times (except for takeoff & landing). If there is someone behind me, I keep the seat up during the meal service & ask the person behind me if I can recline the seat some. On occasion, I may politely ask the person in front of me if he/she could keep the seat up during the meal time & tell them it is OK with me to recline any other time. (most are greatful that I ask nicely) I do my best to be polite to anyone on various matters & it has done wonders for all concerned. 
Jul 15, 2001 | 2:57 pm
#32
Join Date: Jun 2001
Location: The City That Knows How
Posts: 6
I think some of the best examples of AirRage can be seen on SouthWest airlines where they don't make specific seat assignments.
I was on a four hour Nashville to LAX flight once. I was ill and needed to sit on an aisle seat so I could get up and go to the bathroom frequently.
When I boarded the plane (with my assigned boarding group) I noticed that someone had gotten on the plane beforehand and put down several bags, backpacks, etc. in the last 8 or so remaining aisle seats.
It was obvious someone was "saving" seats by putting things in them...
So I picked up one of the bags, moved it to the seat next to me, and sat down.
I was approached by very large man (He was black and I happen to be white). He immediately started getting in my face for moving his bag and saying that I thought I could just "take" his seat because he was black.
I told him that I needed an aisle seat, that he wasn't allowed to save seats, and that there was no way I could have known what race he by just looking at a backpack sitting in a seat.
The other passengers on the plane were starting to look terrified because this was a flight to LA that was just a few months after the Rodney King riots.(Ironically, I was flying to LA to work on a project related to black history!?)
I told him he needed to stop changing the subject (to race) and back to the issue of the seat if he wanted to continue to talk to me and I refused to get out of the seat.
A FA intervened and the guy continued to argue with her. She told him that he was not allowed to save seats and that he needed to sit down and calm down or he would be removed from the plane.
He sat down and his friends came on board. They all started complaining about me (loud enough so that I would hear) for several minutes. After about 10 minutes everybody settled down though and everything was fine.
Anyway, that's the only AirRage I've witnessed.
Safe flying,
star
I was on a four hour Nashville to LAX flight once. I was ill and needed to sit on an aisle seat so I could get up and go to the bathroom frequently.
When I boarded the plane (with my assigned boarding group) I noticed that someone had gotten on the plane beforehand and put down several bags, backpacks, etc. in the last 8 or so remaining aisle seats.
It was obvious someone was "saving" seats by putting things in them...
So I picked up one of the bags, moved it to the seat next to me, and sat down.
I was approached by very large man (He was black and I happen to be white). He immediately started getting in my face for moving his bag and saying that I thought I could just "take" his seat because he was black.
I told him that I needed an aisle seat, that he wasn't allowed to save seats, and that there was no way I could have known what race he by just looking at a backpack sitting in a seat.
The other passengers on the plane were starting to look terrified because this was a flight to LA that was just a few months after the Rodney King riots.(Ironically, I was flying to LA to work on a project related to black history!?)
I told him he needed to stop changing the subject (to race) and back to the issue of the seat if he wanted to continue to talk to me and I refused to get out of the seat.
A FA intervened and the guy continued to argue with her. She told him that he was not allowed to save seats and that he needed to sit down and calm down or he would be removed from the plane.
He sat down and his friends came on board. They all started complaining about me (loud enough so that I would hear) for several minutes. After about 10 minutes everybody settled down though and everything was fine.
Anyway, that's the only AirRage I've witnessed.
Safe flying,
star
Jul 15, 2001 | 3:25 pm
#33
Join Date: Apr 2000
Location: Indiana
Posts: 548
I want to say that I respect everyone's comments so far and that I was just stating how I feel. I always try to go by the Golden Rule (I know it sounds corny). Even if the person in front of me has his seat reclined all the way back I will not recline my seat if I am in coach and someone is seated behind me.
As far as rights go, I have the right to rearrange my legs when I feel like it. I have the right to get something out of the overhead when I want to. I think I have the right to pass gas if I need to, but I certainly wouldn't do it while sitting in an airplane seat.
One thing I didn't mention is that this particular flight was 20 minutes long. When the person asked my permission I really figured he must have a medical problem and didn't mind at all his reclining.
On the next leg of my trip I made it a point of getting up and walking the aisles to see how many people were reclining their seats. I do this on a lot of flights to see if my theory is correct. VERY FEW people recline at all and even fewer recline all the way.
Finally, I've been called crazy, stupid and many other names in the past, but this is the first time I have been called pathetic. As always, I admit to being all of the above.
As far as rights go, I have the right to rearrange my legs when I feel like it. I have the right to get something out of the overhead when I want to. I think I have the right to pass gas if I need to, but I certainly wouldn't do it while sitting in an airplane seat.
One thing I didn't mention is that this particular flight was 20 minutes long. When the person asked my permission I really figured he must have a medical problem and didn't mind at all his reclining.
On the next leg of my trip I made it a point of getting up and walking the aisles to see how many people were reclining their seats. I do this on a lot of flights to see if my theory is correct. VERY FEW people recline at all and even fewer recline all the way.
Finally, I've been called crazy, stupid and many other names in the past, but this is the first time I have been called pathetic. As always, I admit to being all of the above.
Jul 15, 2001 | 4:48 pm
#34
Join Date: Jan 1999
Location: Manhattan
Programs: 40 46'N 73 57'W; AA Gold; CO Silver
Posts: 381
It doesn't matter how many people recline on a plane. Anyone has the right to recline as much as the seat would go.
You can be pouty if you want; you can get up and go to the bathroom and check your overhead bag if you want; you just have to keep your mouth shut because the other person totally has the right to recline the max whether the flight is 20 minutes or 20 hours long.
If he asks, that's nice but not necessary.
You can be pouty if you want; you can get up and go to the bathroom and check your overhead bag if you want; you just have to keep your mouth shut because the other person totally has the right to recline the max whether the flight is 20 minutes or 20 hours long.
If he asks, that's nice but not necessary.
Jul 15, 2001 | 5:33 pm
#35
Join Date: Jul 2000
Posts: 470
A quote from the above:
"During the strike a FA paid for her tkt from LAX - HNl. When they were exactly 1/2 way she went to the FC lav, disrobed, entered the FC cabing and squatted and pooped in the middle of First Class."
Now this really is a new concept in crudeness. Oh please tell me that she was attractive, at least.
"During the strike a FA paid for her tkt from LAX - HNl. When they were exactly 1/2 way she went to the FC lav, disrobed, entered the FC cabing and squatted and pooped in the middle of First Class."
Now this really is a new concept in crudeness. Oh please tell me that she was attractive, at least.
Jul 15, 2001 | 7:14 pm
#36
Join Date: Feb 2001
Location: Oregon (DL and Marr Lifetime plat. etc.)
Posts: 1,273
re The reclination of seats:
There's been no mention as to whether the incidents are in F or Y. It's bad enough in F to have your knees squashed, and even worse in Y (but at least there you have little expectation of comfort).
I'm almost always in F as a result of the upgrades that come after several million miles. Even there, I've gotten so fed up with people that do a full quick recline immediately after takeoff that I always try for a bulkhead seat so I won't have to deal with anybody in front of me. And, while there, I never recline more than an inch if the seat behind me is occupado.
That leaves me with another reason to question the courtesy of my fellow passengers. Specifically, in the bulkhead, all of my luggage needs to go overhead. Despite the requests of the flight attendants to first use the space underneath the seat in front of you, it's amazing how many people automatically put both of their bags in the overhead without any consideration for those of us in the bulkhead and/or boarding late.
There's been no mention as to whether the incidents are in F or Y. It's bad enough in F to have your knees squashed, and even worse in Y (but at least there you have little expectation of comfort).
I'm almost always in F as a result of the upgrades that come after several million miles. Even there, I've gotten so fed up with people that do a full quick recline immediately after takeoff that I always try for a bulkhead seat so I won't have to deal with anybody in front of me. And, while there, I never recline more than an inch if the seat behind me is occupado.
That leaves me with another reason to question the courtesy of my fellow passengers. Specifically, in the bulkhead, all of my luggage needs to go overhead. Despite the requests of the flight attendants to first use the space underneath the seat in front of you, it's amazing how many people automatically put both of their bags in the overhead without any consideration for those of us in the bulkhead and/or boarding late.
Jul 16, 2001 | 10:24 pm
#37
Join Date: Aug 2000
Location: Valley Springs, Ca USA;Proud Retired AAer SJC Ramp/ AA- 2 MM Platinum;Hilton Diamond
Posts: 851
I have seen dozens of such incidents over the last two decades as I am one of those ramp guys you see hovering outside the cabin door as you exit. We all know what is happening when the usual crowd of agents, wheelchair people, rampers and mechanics are joined by a phalanx of uniformed police officers nervously, but discreetly fingering their Pepper Sprayers, usually accompanied by a taser-wielding sergeant.
What follows ninety-five percent of the time is this. As the cabin door is opened the officers move into the aircraft, the passengers having been told to remain seated. Within minutes, one or two disgruntled passengers are led out peacefully by the police. Sometimes they are in custody, sometimes not. Then all returns to normal, the presence of the police having settled whatever happened without further incident.
In the remaining one out of twenty cases, however, all heck breaks loose; there is screaming, shouting and a wrestling match involving the officers. I have seen people tasered, batoned and pepper sprayed right in the doorway of the aircraft. Without exception, the officers involved attempted to defuse the initial contact by being low key, but to no avail. Several confrontations were so severe that the airline ground crew had to help battle the instigator(s) until further help arrived.
Officers have told me there is often little follow-up in terms of prosection, a situation exacerbated by the ability to arrest a person in California (I have worked LAX, SMF and currently SJC) for "drunk in public" and be released a few hours later without further charges (an easy out). I would like to see some high profile prosecutions.
What follows ninety-five percent of the time is this. As the cabin door is opened the officers move into the aircraft, the passengers having been told to remain seated. Within minutes, one or two disgruntled passengers are led out peacefully by the police. Sometimes they are in custody, sometimes not. Then all returns to normal, the presence of the police having settled whatever happened without further incident.
In the remaining one out of twenty cases, however, all heck breaks loose; there is screaming, shouting and a wrestling match involving the officers. I have seen people tasered, batoned and pepper sprayed right in the doorway of the aircraft. Without exception, the officers involved attempted to defuse the initial contact by being low key, but to no avail. Several confrontations were so severe that the airline ground crew had to help battle the instigator(s) until further help arrived.
Officers have told me there is often little follow-up in terms of prosection, a situation exacerbated by the ability to arrest a person in California (I have worked LAX, SMF and currently SJC) for "drunk in public" and be released a few hours later without further charges (an easy out). I would like to see some high profile prosecutions.