If it weren't for the fact that everyone is carrying every flippin' personal possession that they own, resulting in the WAR that overhead storage contention has become, we wouldn't have the "who boards first" controversies that prompted this thread.

Case in point: I carry a backpack, not a rollaboard, which I can squeeze into overheads where rollaboards won't fit (although it *is* fairly full/bulky), but since I do require overhead space and since I have no tolerance for having to swim upstream when I deplane, I WILL shoulder block you to make sure I get on the plane before you (at the time I'm supposed to board, of course...I'm not a hypocrite about this). This also makes me an avowed gate stalker if I'm in place before the boarding announcement, and if you even ATTEMPT to get in front of my t-shirt-and-jeans (or shorts in the summer) self in the queue, you WILL be subjected to my 6'3" self in your face with not-polite and loud-enough-for-others-to-hear commentary, or worse.

This is what Air Travel 2008 has become. And to those of you who respond that I should "calm down and be a happier person": I'd LOVE to. Problem is: I fly every week, and NOT ONE of you can deny that this is what it has become for all of us. I HATE every minute of it, but unfortunately I like money more and I make a lot more of it working in a location other than where I live. Furthermore, while I hate the war that the process has become, I correctly recognize it for what it is and I WILL NOT LOSE said war to any one of you. (You know what the BEST time to fly was? The weeks after 8/10/06 when the liquid ban had just gone into effect, but no one had yet figured out how to cope with it in their carry-ons. Overhead storage was plentiful and boarding was a breeze. Can I get an AMEN?!?)

This does not make me a worse person than any one of you, either. I'm simply open and honest about it. You all know how many of you have the EXACT SAME approach to the process as I do...if you didn't, I wouldn't have to elbow you all the h*ll out of my way.

I think my flying pet peeve is people who fly and then post on a website about pet peeve's. By definition, pet peeve's are irrelevant. Flying always sucks. Most issues can be solved by paying more for a ticket, but people won't do it. Just deal with it and worry about the real things that are wrong in your life.

elbows overflowing into your seat. stay on your own dam side! or people who like to use your seat as a prop to stand up.

I hate when people bring smelly food on board. Messes in the bathrooms. Body odor. Nuff said.

My pet peeve is those who use the term 'gate lice'.:rolleyes:;)

We almost always sit in 1A and 1B so there is no storage under the seat in front of us. On a 757 it makes sense for us to board first and get out of everybody's way. On a 737 we like to board first to make sure we have room to stow our gear.

Internationally, it really doesn't matter too much when we board, as there is always lots of storage in biz and first.

About the only things that bother me during travel are coach passengers who try to stow their gear in first, and people who don't seem to understand that security is coming up, even when they are standing in the security line. You know, the ones who are shocked when they get to the belt, that it is now time to take off their coat and shoes and remove their laptop from their luggage. :(

Mine
 

I second the comments re: people unprepared for security... especially those who still haven't figured out the liquid ban!

My other - much more selfish - pet peeve is people who act almost offended when they have to get up to let someone take a seat in their row. This mainly occurs on WN, when I forget to check in early.

Or people who are too rude/lazy to even get up to let others in/out.

Having to land?

^^

I second that!

I'll also add when your laptop screen ends up in a vice grip between the seatback in front of you and your tray table. Not sure that this is really the pax in front's fault as they don't know what's going on behind them but I hate having to test the speed of my reflexes to get my laptop out of the way. :mad:

I remember one flight SAN-PHX on WN where I ended up in a middle seat (short flt so no biggie). When I sat down there was a bag already under the seat in front of me, turns out it belonged to the guy in the aisle seat. I asked him to move it, he wouldn't. When he wouldn't I asked the FA about it, she asked the pax if that was his and why he wouldn't move itl he replied he already had his other bag under the seat in front of him and there wasn't any bin space left. The FA left it at that so I had to deal with his bag at my feet. :mad:

Oh well, during the whole flight I would keep streching my legs and stomping on his bag. About halfway through the flight I felt a satisfying crunch in the bag . :D

One more.

Flight Information screens that lie.

Eg on an EVA flight out of LHR a couple of months back:

Get to lounge - receptionist says "oh its just boarding". Screen says "Go to gate X" and moments later "Boarding gate X". OK - time for a quick coffee, I'll skip the food. Down an espresso and it goes to "Last call gate X".

I make my way to the gate to find a crowd of people. They are still deplaning the incoming flight. Its a good 30mins before we start to board.

My pet peeve.....when people find it necessary to fly when they (or their children) are completely infectious, and are hacking up a lung on a flight or sneezing like crazy. Why someone can't overmedicate themselves (or their children) if they have to fly so they don't cough or sneeze and give it to everyone on the plane is beyond me.
Of course it would be preferable for them not to fly until they are not contagious, but if you have to, medicate yourself (and your kids)

Do we really need a weekly thread on this topic? :rolleyes:

One more
 

Creeping leg syndrome, when the pax next to you just isn't satisfied with the leg room provided.

I also hate the sleepers who do this.