What I do not understand is the rush to go inside the plane!
Folks, your seat is booked! You don’t have to rush to get them like a passenger train!
And if you are in the Aisle seat then it is better to go late or else you will be doing sit ups at least two times!
Later on though I understood why the hurry to go inside especially if you have lots of cabin bags since the over head cabin bays are limited and that’s where you need to reserve your place so to speak!
I have understood that if you want to take cabin baggage then make sure it is small enough to be placed below the seat in front! And it has compartments for easy access! It makes sense to place them down since they are accessible and you don’t have to fight for the space and when the flight stops you can just grab your bag and go!
Finally when you arrive at the seat you may see some old bloke sitting royally in your window seat and he or she may ask if you mind! If I am alone then I really don’t care but with kids I select the seat for a reason and if you are so particular about a certain seat then book them yourself in advance! Most seats especially the window seats are paid now and that’s not something you would want to let go!
In any case if you are old then Aisle seats are the best for you so that you do not have to squeeze in! You may have to get up occasionally to give way but that’s good for the feet and leg circulation!
After the Wrestling match of luggage bin and seat we try to settle in when suddenly everyone realises that their phones are going to be switched off! It’s as if their heart beat is going to stop! You then have a frantic attempt by everyone to call or use their phones just to say good bye more to the phone than to the person at the other end!
All the announcement of phones to be switched off is ignored and many would not even bother to straighten the seats and tray tables! The poor airhostess or cabin crew would try to be calm and smiling internally cursing the passengers for being such nuisance! It is this acting which can make many join the film world and do wonders!
Suddenly one guy will ask for a glass of water or a blanket and it will be followed by a stampede of requests for the same! Even if you have a bottle full of water in your bag! Or even if you are feeling hot! If it’s free then we will ask that’s the motto!
After all this the poor Air hostess or the cabin crew will go on to important announcement!
Only two kinds of people will listen to them with rapt attention! One group are the first timers or first time flyers! or you like to stare at them and make them as uncomfortable as possible! Many may check out how they look and what make up or accesories they are wearing without any concern of the words coming out of their mouth!
Many airlines have done away with humans and have video screen announcement for this which is much better!
The era of free food is over so if you want to eat then you need to pay! In most cases it’s better to pre book which saves money and you will be treated well! If you take tea bags with you then you can ask just for hot water and you make your own tea! Of course most dishes are instant made and may not taste that great! Unless of course you are in an international flight but then that’s the blog for another day!
Best things to order are the hot beverages or the dry fruits since those are good and price worthy!
Then comes the seat sharing! If you are with your family then there is usually no problem provided you have selected the seats before! Otherwise decide on the half! Either the first half of the arm rest or the second! Unless of course you get the business class and get ample arm space!
Then again if you are traveling business class then from waiting in the lounge to priority boarding to priority seating, I guess you are reading the wrong blog!
When we travel as a family then also we get calls from the airline about the upgrades offer! But then when it has to be multiplied by four or six then it’s not worth it!
Some will still go on calling the pretty airhostess or the smart cabin crew guy with silly requests or questions and those hapless folks just have to bear it as a part of their job!
Finally the captain will announce that they will land soon and wish everyone! While we will be thinking, all that is fine! Just land the plane properly! We will know when we land!
The whole scene of taking off is repeated and the poor Air hostess go for inspection to see if the trays are closed and seat is straight!
All when they had just collected the garage with an almost sincere smile!
Most of the times everyone become very serious when there is turbulence or while landing! That’s when you can feel the silence!
But once the flight is landed, it’s like someone placed a goal! The whole fight erupts with the starting of the phone in spite of the repeated announcement to keep seat belts on and remay seated!
There is an apparent first prize if you alight from the fight first! At least that’s how people behave! It later becomes a free for all as everyone rushes to the door as if the flight is going to crash after landing!
If you are lucky then you get an aerobridge but if you are not then the whole getting on the bus is repeated! This time though people prefer to stand since there are in a rush to get out!
In all the confusion you may not remember the conveyer belt number! But then if you follow the crowd or see the board you will mostly get it!
Unless of course like most people you need to use the rest room and you can be sure that it will be more crowded than the fruit market on a Sunday! The trick is to either use the rest room further away and not the one close to the gate or use it after you get your luggage from the belt!
Luggage itself is a big exercise though! Getting a trolley with good wheels and brake and getting space to lift your luggage! Here it helps if your luggage stands out because of its colour, make or markings!
Finally you take the prohibitively expensive taxi to your destination or come out and take the much better and cheaper local taxi!
Finding your taxi or your driver is another adventure though!
At long last when you safely are in your taxi you reminisce about your flight!
You reach home and crash on the bed
and decide that, for all the flight and comfort, there is actually no better place than home!
That feeling stays till your next domestic flight of course! Then the nightmare begins again!
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