Sometimes, the person sitting next to you on a flight can make or break your flying experience. We’re all familiar with these 5 passengers:
1. The Space Invader
We have all had a classic experience with the space invader. We’re talking about the Arm-Rest hogger, the Excessive Stretcher, The Shoulder-Sleeper. The Space Invader is the person who reclines their seat the entire way back, not realizing that the person behind them has barely any chance of getting their tray table down.
2. The Chatty One
We all know who this is: The talkative one. The over-sharer. The person who thinks that we want to know exactly what they ate for breakfast that morning and about the latest ebay purchase they made.
We all have different reasons for hopping on a flight – be it a trip home, a business trip, visiting friends, etc. We all have a different reasons for travelling on the exact day that we chose, for choosing the exact seat that we did, and for packing the exact things that we did. That doesn’t mean we want to share those reasons, nor do we want to know yours.
The “Chatty One” is someone who assumes that you DO want to know all that irrelevant information. Okay fair enough, it is nice to have a good conversation aboard a flight – but enough is enough at one point or another.
If you are sitting beside a “Chatty One”, then don’t bother pulling out your book, because you have your neighbor reciting the the novel of their life sitting right beside you.
3. The Heavy Lifter
The Heavy Lifter is someone who likes to haul far more than they can handle onto a flight.
The Heavy Lifter may think that they are saving 15 minutes not having to pick up their bag, But their stuffed miniature suitcase is cramping our style. Its taking up space and leaving them with their backpack, purse, and shoulder bag crammed into the tiny space at their feet. What does that mean when the stewardess comes along to clear the aisles? That we’re getting stuck helping the bags.
4. The Concerned One
When you think that you’ve enjoyed the perfect amount of chit chat, and when you see no extra bags lying around on the floor nor do you have someone sleeping on your shoulder – Well then you’d assume that you’re in the clear right?
Think again.
The Concerned One is the worrisome traveller who seems to jump at every little sound.
Fair enough, traveling is not everyone’s forte. So if you get stuck beside a worrier, try to count to ten and be as pleasant as possible.
5. The Frustrated Traveller
Lets say you’ve had a long day of connections. On your first flight, you got stuck beside a “Chatty One” on a red-eye flight. The next flight, you got no sleep because you had a “Space-Invader” all up in your zone. Now on your last flight of the day, you may not be aware that you’ve become that “Frustrated Traveller”.
When the overhead light doesn’t work and the AC is on too high, take a breath before angrily calling on the stewardess. Let the person beside you have a break, because you never know — this might be their first connection of the day.
