The two separate incidents this week involving passengers fighting over reclining seats are problems that have been a long time coming. I fly frequently and yes, it's annoying when the person in front of you reclines their seat but I understand trying to get a modicum of comfort from an uncomfortable situation. I don't mind when someone reclines their seat when they do it slowly. The ones that lean forward, winding up, and then slam their seat backward unexpectedly, knocking everything off your tray table is a "dick move".
http://gawker.com/seat-reclining-wars-escalate-as-second-flight-is-divert-1628328481/all
These 'knee defenders' are also a "dick move", because they prevent someone from attempting to grab a quick nap, while still allowing the offender freedom to relax.
Flying, a necessary evil these days, is becoming more and more uncomfortable and dangerous, and not because of terrorism. On a recent flight from Baltimore to Denver, there were several toddlers on board. They took turns screaming. When one would stop its tantrum, we had only a few minutes silence before the next one piped up. Even noise canceling headphones could not completely drown out the noise.
Southwest Airlines boarding procedure is slightly better than the cattle-call it used to be. But now, we have to check in exactly 24 hours in advance to keep from getting in the dreaded "C" group (C stands for Center Seat). I haven't seen any of their "No fees for changing flights" commercials probably because that was a blatant lie. Their flight attendants are not as funny as they think they are.
I ignored my mantra that 'No good deed goes unpunished' on my trip to Idaho last week on United Airlines. At BWI, they post signs for all 5 groups in a Southwest-ish style so people know where to line up. Since my seat was at the BACK of the plane, I was in the LAST boarding group. Like Southwest, United boards from the front of the plane to the back. Those of us in the last boarding group were encouraged to check our bags for free, since the overhead storage space would probably be taken by the time we boarded. Being a conscientious flyer, I volunteered. The very last person boarding was a large woman with a large suitcase, but they found room for it.
It's no wonder we lose our patience so quickly when flying.
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