Also – casual flyers aren’t the only victims of the “I’m the most important person on this plane” mentality. And it sure doesn’t only come from frequent flyers. After spending most of my time during the past year on flights and in airports, I can say that inconsiderate and rude behavior knows no gender, racial or age boundaries.

Anyway –
Personally, what drives me the craziest, is the “loud cell phone talker.” Again, it probably wouldn’t bother me every now and then, but constantly being privy to other people’s personal and professional lives…. is awful. I’ll get up and move in an airport, but on planes before wheels up and after landing is the absolute worst.

I have not flown with them since so I don’t know if it is their new “who cares” policy or just a temporary snafu.

Like other passengers have stated, if my carry on bag can fit in the seat under me, that is where I prefer to put it anyways, instead of trying to find room in the over head bin before departure, and then waiting for everyone else around me to find there luggage before I can even get to mine and wait in the long line to get off the plane, in hopes of not missing my connecting flight.

With the new charge for luggage the airlines are implementing, I will be forced to only bring carry on luggage (as will most customers, which in turn, will cause more delays). However, if I know there is no chance of finding room for it on the plane, I will just check it plane-side and pick it up between connecting flights. At least this way, I am assured my luggage will arrive at my destination when I do.

I generally fly Alaska Airlines and half of that time, I’m flying first class. Yes, I board early — sometimes. Sometimes, I’m just as content to sit there and talk with someone flying coach and board with them. I don’t make a mad dash for the gate whether I’m flying coach or first class. When I’m flying coach, I actually prefer to be one of the last ones boarding. Forget standing in line waiting for someone to take FOREVER to figure out his carryon bag isn’t fitting in the overhead bin. Forget waiting in line while it takes someone FOREVER to simply slide into the seat.

So many people act like they’re the most important person on the plane. You can keep thinking that way; your pretentious ways don’t affect me the slightest bit. I quietly chuckle at you because I’m well aware your behavior doesn’t afford you anything better in life.

I once had a gate attendant ask me why I chose to sit there and board last even though I had a first class ticket. I responded that I knew I was going to have a water bottle waiting on me anyway, so why rush to get seated first when all I could do was sit there and smile smugly while everyone else makes their way past me to coach? That may be important to some people, but not me. I’m happy to enjoy that extra room in semi secretively.

The problem with boarding isn’t the airlines; it’s the people. Partial proof of that is the fact that the boarding time goes down materially if no one brings on carry on luggage. Same system for boarding — only the people have less things to slow it down.

Could you imagine how fast the plane would load if arriving at their seat, each person threw the carry on in the overhead and got in their seat in five seconds? Really, that’s about how long it takes me — five seconds.

Unfortunately with the way airline travel has devolved, I can’t tell you how many times I’ve relied upon the fresh shirt and toiletries I packed in my carry-on because I became stranded in a city other than my destination when my flight was canceled, overbooked, or delayed due to mechanical issues (and my connection missed). Then there’s arriving at your destination to find your luggage hasn’t…

In Atlanta, we were fine. I spoke with the gate agent and she allowed us on just after the elites. This gave the kids a few minutes of “quiet” to gather their surroundings on the plane.

In Dallas, the Delta gate agent was a jerk. He told me that he wasn’t making any special accomodations and that the kids have to board with their zone. I could not board with their zone, I had to board with my zone (which of course was the last one). The other adults in the party were also put in my zone. I said, “We’ll just wait until the end then.” He told me we couldn’t do that and that he would give our seats to stand bys if we didn’t board in our correct zones.

I sent a letter to Delta but all I got was a form response telling me that they were “committed to serving customers with special needs and would investigate the incident.”

Right.

It’s not the agents folks, nor the methods. It is you and your self-important “I’m better than the 150 other people on this plane” attitudes that cause most of these problems.

Early boarding on US Airways has the major benefit of access to overhead bins, and when seated in their complimentary first class upgade seats, the opportunity for a drink (I am and ABQ commuter and there are no drinks for US Airways over New Mexico, so this is a mute issue for me). Being that US Airways requires the full 30 minutes to board the plane, the advantage/disadvantage is now I am sitting for half and hour and can work if I’d like.

On Southwest – there is really only one reason I enjoy the early boarding, Aisle seat near the front with my bag above my head. The short 15 minute boarding on Southwest typically leads to just enough time to text home a quick love note, and enjoy the ride.

I have noticed a tendancy however of an interesting technique I’ve heard called “vulturing”, people hawk about the boarding area in an effort to be the first of the next group. For example, if assigned “Group 5″, one might hang out with an earlier group, stand near or next to the boarding agent when up front allowing those to pass, being able to grab first pole when 5 is finally announced. I fully understand this method – when bags must be checked due to overhead bins becomming overloaded, it is typically just the last few on the plane. Avoiding being the end of the final group makes quite a bit of sense.

The only method to really avoid this again would be to follow Southwest’s old A-B-C method of hearding cattle into pens.