Each year at this time I like to reflect on some of my fellow travelers who continue to raise the bar on stupidity. Alas, some of these folk tend to inhabit first class, but coach tends to be more heavily weighted toward non-frequent fliers.

This year my award goes to Mr. Hairy-Toed Birkenstock Sandal Guy. This fellow, who appeared to be a varsity football type, was lugging a North Face backpack sized for two weeks on Everest. THAT, I thought, will be checked. Well yes, but not until until MR. HTBSG, after smacking every aisle passenger in the head to row 20, wielded his considerable biceps and managed to break the door on the overhead bin in an attempt to overcome the laws of physics. This meant a visit from maintenance, which meant a delay.

At least he had to endure the Stare of Death from passengers near and far. Especially his seat mates who also had to check luggage with the overhead bin out of commission.

And BTW, the method of repair for broken bin doors? You guessed it, duct tape.

Great post!

As someone who travels light......I say, Bring Back the Carry-On Sizers

continental?

IAH to PHL last Feb....

I have to agree. And I must admit that it's the FFs that often abuse the rules. But at least I'm not the one up front with the B-4 bag taking up an entire bin....

My shout out goes out to you Mr. sitting-in-row-20-but-you're-stashing-your-too-big-roll-on-in-row-6

nuff-said.

In SJU I experienced a similar version of Mr. HTBSG. He wearing dress slacks that were way too tight in the waist/crotch area, the sandals of course and a dirty stained un-tucked button shirt.

At the first mention of first class boarding, be jumped over me and my friend walking up to board and was the first on, he was dragging his oversized luggage and wife/gf like a rag doll. I remember thinking something like, oh crap, I hope he is not sitting next to us. He was actually in the first row of coach. So much for FC boarding only FC.

It may not be rational, but I really, really hate that..........

Me Three. That gets me fired up.

Great thread -- but it belongs in Travelbuzz...

Xyzzy
CO forum moderator

i find it fascinating (and irritating) when people do things like that, i wonder what they must be thinking when they do it.

Not quite as bad as Mr. sitting-in-row-6-but-you're-stashing-your-too-big-roll-on-in-row-20, though. Every time I see that it makes me homesick for the Fish Ladder in Grand Rapids, Michigan.

I always find it amusing when they like to force themselves through the sea of people to get their bags out of row 20 so they can still be the first off the plane.

Stupidity rules this time of year.

Finally boarded (about 20 minutes late) at MEL to travel to CBR, fortunately got on early and took my allocated seat in the exit row.

Looked back to see where everyone was. A mother was letting her very young child crawl/try to walk holding everyone up. Naturally the child wasn't doing so well and looking at everything along the way.

Lots of severe glares and muted comments.

She finally picked him up (about row 11) and walked to the back of the plane. We'd probably still be waiting for him to get there if she hadn't.