Scenes from (mostly) American travel

I was just up in BC for a conference. (And let me open this by saying, as I say every time, Canadians rock.) Between a number of hours on California freeways getting to and from the airport, quite a few hours in airports, four flights, moderate use of public transit, I can say ... a lot of people are really struggling with concepts like courtesy and chill. Thankfully some really get it.

On the way out of BUR on Sunday, three guys boarded toward the end. One was loaded, simply loaded, as in you could smell him five rows away. He went face down in the aisle, got up and then tripped over the women in front of him and went down again, and when his ass finally hit his seat he passed out. Needless to say, the airline had him removed. +1 for the airline. -1 for his a-hole friends badgering security and the flight crew.

At SEA last night, a baby was having a tough tough time. A couple sitting near me were audibly squawking with "I didn't pay to put up with that"/"I'll take care of that if it persists"-type comments, and the young parents clearly could hear them. I turned to them and said a lot of folks were having long travel days and neither the baby nor her parents had booked their trip simply to have the kid go off in the waiting area. I pointed out the parents were trying to calm here, were walking her around, and observed that she'd probably settle down. I was told, "Go fuck yourself." That family was on our flight and I heard nary a peep out of the kid.

On the Canada Line light rail in Vancouver, an elderly couple gave up their seats to a woman and her infant. Well played.

We had a delay on the tarmac last night on the second flight. As a precaution the pilot held us so the plane could be sprayed with de-icer or ice inhibitor or whatever that stuff is. One gal was all over one of the flight attendants, bitching about her schedule and the value of her time and how she "damn well better be compensated." It was 30 minutes. Please. As it turns out it was that flight attendant's first service flight. She handled the situation like a pro. I gave her a high five on the way out and emailed the airline this morning (as I did on the drunk situation), commending the professionalism displayed.

I'll spare the details of my diva seatmate coming out of YVR.

 

It always amazing to me that so many people feel entitled, and can be so rude. On one flight, a rather heavy set woman Sat down and needed a seat extender. The two cute, 20 something girls behind her were snickering and making rude comments. The woman was clearly in tears and the flight attendant said something to the girls, and they shut up. I thanked the flight attendant when we deplaned, but the sad thing is she is probably used to this type of behavior.