Airplane Etiquette PSA
So I just finished my travel voucher from last week's trip, and it reminded me of something that really pissed me off on my flight home - airplane etiquette, or lack there of, specifically on the trip back to Baltimore. The girl sitting next to me pissed me off so much before take off that I moved across the aisle to the other aisle seat once they closed the door. Thankfully, the row was unoccupied with the exception of the window seat.
Part 1 - Middle seat:
When you are sitting in the middle seat, it is basically a given that you get first dibs on both arm rests. That is the minor benefit that you get for having the sucktastic seat in the section. That benefit, however, does not entitle you to spill your elbow across the arm rest and into my space.
Part 2 - Cell phones:
Yes, the chance that your cell phone or electronic device will emit enough interference to mess with instruments and communications is next to 0. That being said, you are not special. When they say that all cell phones must be turned off for the duration of the flight, that doesn't mean everyone but you. Besides, if everyone on the plane had their cell phones on, there is a chance that it could in fact have an effect on the plane's instruments. The aforementioned stupid girl now sitting across the aisle from me is on her phone texting DURING FINAL APPROACH AND LANDING. The 2 most critical times where there should be NO chance of emitting interference are take off and landing. Let me reiterate, you are not special. Put the frakking cell phone away. There is nothing that is so important for you to say that it can't wait until we have landed.
Part 3 - Exiting the plane, AKA deplaning:
It is generally accepted that you let the row in front of you exit before you start to move forward. There are exceptions to this rule if the people are staying on or are waiting, but generally speaking, row 1 goes before 2, 2 before 3, and so on. Bear in mind, I was sitting in row 6, so not all that far to go. The same stupid girl across the aisle from me decides that she absolutely has to get off the plane before anyone else, and as soon as the seat belt light goes off, she is pushing, yes pushing ahead of people in at least rows 4 and 5. Let me say it again, you are not special. Wait your turn.
We all know that air travel sucks more and more these days, but don't make it worse. Don't be that guy, everyone hates that guy.