Have you ever witnessed anything on an airplane?

[bcla]

But that does not have to do with the age of the traveler. Your previous post complained of toddler size luggage. My kids luggage is smaller than the allowable size for a carryon. The same can't be said for your bag which you admit is over the size limit. If everyone is just a bit over the size limit, it adds up. I would think that would be ruder than someone, no matter their age, with a ticket utilizing their luggage allowance.

I wasn't complaining about toddler sized luggage. However, I've seen quite a few families where it's clear that they've got way more luggage than they can handle because they used up the kids' limits, but the kids aren't capable of handling the luggage. Once getting off a train I saw another train passenger boarding with a kid, a stroller, two pieces of luggage (one was a kiddie roller), and a couple of oversized shopping bags. She did have problems getting all that stuff on board, especially with a gap in the platform. She was capable of doing it (one piece at a time), but was yelling out that she needed help. The closest conductor was peeking out through the door of the next car and was motioning to her to just do it herself. Certainly the conductor wasn't going to let the doors close until she got on board, but it was just kind of odd that she was screaming for help.

As far as my slightly oversized luggage goes, I really don't think it makes any difference other than the possibility that airlines might try to play gotcha with their fees because so many people have luggage meeting older carryon limits. In that Embraer 175 overhead, the bins basically fit two bags regardless of whether or not they're 24" or 22". Now trying to jam in a 28" piece of luggage would be impossible, but the occasional passenger tries.

 

[disneyfanlincoln]

I've experienced fist fights, abuse from passengers, abuse from flight attendants, emergency landing due to low fuel, emergency landing due to a near miss collision, violent turbulence ,people being ill, but the best thing I ever witnessed was a surprise proposal over the PA system, she said yes and everyone was thrilled which was just as well because this was at the start of a 9 hour flight which could have been uncomfortable if she'd said no !!!

 

[wilkeliza]

Oh I forgot to mention the trip where we had a near medical emergency. It was just strange. All 4 flight attendants were around the guy and kept asking if he needed immediate medical attention. Not sure what happened but he kept saying no just get him a crew at our final destination and not to divert the plane. It was a flight to Fort Lauderdale from NYC so I assumed the guy must have known what was going on and wanted one of his doctors to see him not some doctor in g-d knows where that they could get clearance to land. We were already over Florida when it happened so he kept saying the hour difference between landing in Tampa and landing in Ft. Lauderdale wasn't going to be a difference so just get him a cup of water and an emergency crew waiting. It just seemed very odd to me that he kept insisting they didn't need to land.

 

[Westcoastwild]

my kids packed their favorite stuffed animals, blankies and good night books. As well as a change of clothing. It really doesn't matter what they pack, its part of the price they paid for their ticket.

There isn't room for everyone to pack the max that they are allowed. Airplanes have finite space, and part of air travel is to be courteous of fellow passengers. I really don't think toddlers need their own wheeled luggage, but I'll agree to disagree. I've seen parents take advantage of the kids' limit like BCLA has and you can't tell me that's all for that specific kid.

(I travelled with my favorite teddy bear until I was 10 so I'm not knocking that.)

 

[BrianL]

I've never witnessed any truly bad behavior on the aircraft, maybe a guy having a little too much to drink and being a little loud. Those guys usually end up asleep after a while.

When we were flying to Hawaii for my Sister's wedding though, we had several issues that were nobody's fault, but sure were a pain! So, we fly Memphis to Houston, then we are going from Houston all the way to Honolulu, so a long haul. This flight is a little shy of half way across the Pacific ocean when we get the dreaded, "If there is a doctor on board this aircraft please identify yourself to a flight attendant." Oh boy. Someone was having an issue and we did have to turn around to San Diego and land for a medical emergency. That's a few hours! Paramedics came on an removed the passenger and overall this was pretty efficient. We got back on our way.

Now, there had been a small issue on the plane in that one of the lavatories had not been functioning. No problem, this was one of those big two aisle planes with many sections. Well, somewhere just shy of half way across the Pacific ocean, ALL the lavatories stop working. Uh oh. Now, if you had taken a vote in the cabin we'd have all elected to hold it! FAA regulations however prohibit that and besides the plane needs maintenance at their hub...in Los Angeles! U-turn time, and you could see it on the seat-back monitors before they made an announcement. Okay, we have to go to LA now and change planes. Only the only plane available is not a large, 2-aisle plane, but the old 3 and 3 with one aisle. They crammed all of us from a plane we had room to spread out on into this little tin can. We are getting to Hawaii at like 2 AM local time, which equals well over 24 hours total travel time for us from Memphis.

It was torture, but on the plus side nobody blew up. Everyone was calm and well behaved. My family and I got a little snippy with each other that night trying to find the hotel, but we were all so tired. Once we got up the next morning all was well.

 

[Jennasis]

On one flight I got stuck in the middle seat. I HATE flying in the middle. I like the aisle because I don't like feeling trapped on the inside. It causes terrible anxiety and I already have terrible flight anxiety. These tickets had been booked fo rme so I was out of luck. I was sitting between two people who larger and spilling into my seat so I could only sit in one position for the whole 5 1/2 hour flight. But the problem was I had put my back out on the trip so I was in excruciating agony the whole flight, unable to move to find any relief. I cried silently the whole flight. Plus my seat mates had brought along food. The one on my left ate a salad with the most pungent dressing known to man, and the other had some onion sandwich from Subway. I wanted to vomit.


There was also the Southwest flight years ago that the FA's were playing around with the passengers and asked if anybody wanted to come sing in the P.A. My ex BIL jumped up and we had to sit through an acapella version of some 80's hair-band power ballad that went on for waaaaay too long.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

This all is making me miss the show Airplane where they used to show Southwest's flights. Some of the stuff the gate agents have to put with, I could never.

Oh that show was gold!

 

[RedAngie]

I remember something else. In 1984 my parents, some other relatives, and I flew to Poland. We flew Lufthansa German airlines to Frankfurt, Germany, then transferred to LOT Polish airlines to Warsaw. The LOT flight was on a Soviet built plane that was anything but deluxe. The seats were pretty much hard plastic with a very thin cushion.

The plane was only about 1/4 full and during the flight we hit some turbulence. The back of every unoccupied seat slammed down hard against the seat bottoms. BOOM!!! I was scared (wit)less but the flight attendants didn't react at all, apparently it was just a normal everyday occurrence.

 

[wilkeliza]

I remember something else. In 1984 my parents, some other relatives, and I flew to Poland. We flew Lufthansa German airlines to Frankfurt, Germany, then transferred to LOT Polish airlines to Warsaw. The LOT flight was on a Soviet built plane that was anything but deluxe. The seats were pretty much hard plastic with a very thin cushion.

The plane was only about 1/4 full and during the flight we hit some turbulence. The back of every unoccupied seat slammed down hard against the seat bottoms. BOOM!!! I was scared (wit)less but the flight attendants didn't react at all, apparently it was just a normal everyday occurrence.

That sounds terrifying. I might have been scared from flying if I had experienced something like that.

 

[amberpi]

I've experienced fist fights, abuse from passengers, abuse from flight attendants, emergency landing due to low fuel, emergency landing due to a near miss collision, violent turbulence ,people being ill, but the best thing I ever witnessed was a surprise proposal over the PA system, she said yes and everyone was thrilled which was just as well because this was at the start of a 9 hour flight which could have been uncomfortable if she'd said no !!!

Fist fight ON the plane? That's epic! I have seen one before boarding, a couple of times. Surprise proposal is the best!

 

[BlueStarryHat]

On our 2013 trip coming home we observed a lady go to the bar and drink for two hours straight. We were counting them as she was knocking them back. She finally teetered over to our waiting area and got on the plane with us. She found a kindred spirit on the plane and you could hear them up front carrying on like it was Happy Hour. This didn't affect us, of course, it was just annoying. Finally, we began to land and all of a sudden she got up and ran to the back of the plane hollering, "I have to pee!! I *really* have to pee!!" The FAs were firmly telling her to go back to her seat but she refused and went into the bathroom, where she stayed until landing. We stopped on the runway and the pilot came over the intercom and said something like, "We will be late taxi-ing to the gate because someone is peeing and we can't move the aircraft until they sit down." An annoying end to an annoying flight. I was so annoyed I didn't even remember to have my usual multiple anxiety attacks.

 

[bcla]

On our 2013 trip coming home we observed a lady go to the bar and drink for two hours straight. We were counting them as she was knocking them back. She finally teetered over to our waiting area and got on the plane with us. She found a kindred spirit on the plane and you could hear them up front carrying on like it was Happy Hour. This didn't affect us, of course, it was just annoying. Finally, we began to land and all of a sudden she got up and ran to the back of the plane hollering, "I have to pee!! I *really* have to pee!!" The FAs were firmly telling her to go back to her seat but she refused and went into the bathroom, where she stayed until landing. We stopped on the runway and the pilot came over the intercom and said something like, "We will be late taxi-ing to the gate because someone is peeing and we can't move the aircraft until they sit down." An annoying end to an annoying flight. I was so annoyed I didn't even remember to have my usual multiple anxiety attacks.

Not necessarily crazy drunk, but I was at an airport bar having my one preflight beer when I saw a guy and his fiancé just knocking back one mixed drink after another. It was something like $7 each, and I saw their running tab was already at about $100. I was surprised that they hadn't been cut off yet, but they weren't really all that annoying like I've seen some people after having too much to drink.

 

[Gracie09]

There isn't room for everyone to pack the max that they are allowed. Airplanes have finite space, and part of air travel is to be courteous of fellow passengers. I really don't think toddlers need their own wheeled luggage, but I'll agree to disagree. I've seen parents take advantage of the kids' limit like BCLA has and you can't tell me that's all for that specific kid.

(I travelled with my favorite teddy bear until I was 10 so I'm not knocking that.)

They like everyone else, has a ticket. Age does not matter for luggage allotment. I have used an entire child's checked luggage allotment for princess dresses. They have brought their comfort items on the plane because those don't go below. In fact usually the kids items take up some of my and my husbands carry on because we have been caught up in the air circling of hours, been diverted to other airports due to lack of fuel, and we did not want to be "those people" whose kids were done with the flight and acting out. You know the ones people say god why didn't they plan for a delay or whatever. So ipads, books (including picture books which tend to be larger), coloring books, crayons, small toys, color forms, pipe cleaners, changes of clothing, snacks, gum, juice or water (after security0 depending on when we travelled diapers and assorted sippy cups and bottles and a back pack with any school work they may have (they give it as young as kindergarten in our district). When I travel with my husband, my kindle, some gum, neck pillow, a change underwear (in case we have to overnight somewhere), and a bottle of water I pick up after security.
So yeah, pretty much everything in my kids luggage is for my kid and sometimes even some of my luggage.. And we all stay within our allotted size and number limitations.

Oh and they wheel their own. Have since they were in preschool.

 

[arwickwire]

While leaving Orlando was told that due to a launch at Canaveral that if we didn't get in the air quickly we would be stuck sitting in on the runway for more than an hour. I have never seen passengers get loaded and in their seat so fast! Not to mention that it was Southwest so this included the ones that have to take forever to select their seat.

 

[Cantw8]

I saw how one properly uses the "barf bag"...not a pretty sight I came dangerously close to tossing my own free cookies

 

[DisneyJamieCA]

There isn't room for everyone to pack the max that they are allowed. Airplanes have finite space, and part of air travel is to be courteous of fellow passengers. I really don't think toddlers need their own wheeled luggage, but I'll agree to disagree. I've seen parents take advantage of the kids' limit like BCLA has and you can't tell me that's all for that specific kid.

(I travelled with my favorite teddy bear until I was 10 so I'm not knocking that.)

Why should it be a child who has to forgo their luggage allotment and not an adult? We travel frequently with our four children and when we fly SW, I pack in as few bags as possible (while staying under 50lbs each) because they're free to check and fewer bags is easier. However most airlines charge for checking bags - why would I do that when my kids are perfectly capable of bringing their stuff in a carry on. We just flew this weekend and they all packed everything they needed in their carry on roller bags. They have since they were little. And I paid $0 in baggage fees.

That said, for the little ones I put them under the seat since their legs aren't long enough to be bothered. But sometimes, on longer flights they bring a backpack with stuff to do also, which means their roller bags go in the overhead bin. They have just as much right to that space as an adult does. And in my experience, it's always the adults who have too many bags, have problems getting bags to fit, etc.

 

[Westcoastwild]

Why should it be a child who has to forgo their luggage allotment and not an adult? We travel frequently with our four children and when we fly SW, I pack in as few bags as possible (while staying under 50lbs each) because they're free to check and fewer bags is easier. However most airlines charge for checking bags - why would I do that when my kids are perfectly capable of bringing their stuff in a carry on. We just flew this weekend and they all packed everything they needed in their carry on roller bags. They have since they were little. And I paid $0 in baggage fees.

That said, for the little ones I put them under the seat since their legs aren't long enough to be bothered. But sometimes, on longer flights they bring a backpack with stuff to do also, which means their roller bags go in the overhead bin. They have just as much right to that space as an adult does. And in my experience, it's always the adults who have too many bags, have problems getting bags to fit, etc.

Hey, I'm not blaming the kids. I'm blaming the adults who may or may not be abusing both their own and their children's baggage allowance. If the kid is old enough to handle their own roller bag the whole trip, that's one thing. But if a family of 4- 2 adults, 2 kids still young enough to be in a stroller- comes on board with 4 of the largest allowed carryon luggages plus 4 personal items, that's ridiculous. Yes, they're allowed. But anyone who abuses the luggage limits is part of the problem. I see this every single flight. I trust you know what your kid needs. I also have a hard time believing you can't fit clothing for two or three young kids in one carryon. But then, I also have a hard time believing my sister really needs 5 pairs of shoes for a 5 day trip. Apparently, she does. She was trying to convince me to stick them in my own luggage last trip.

Again- I am not solely blaming this on the kids. I agree that adults are guilty of overpacking. What I can check, I check. If I don't have anything breakable my bag, I'll gate check my carryon. It's just enormously frustrating to carry my computer bag or daypack on and then have to hunt for a place to stick it because the bins are full of roller bags that I know people brought on board just to save a measly $25. No one wants to spend that money.

But my point is- more people should, if only to make boarding a bit more of a pleasant (and faster) experience for everyone.

 

[Elle23]

I saw how one properly uses the "barf bag"...not a pretty sight I came dangerously close to tossing my own free cookies

Just be glad it was properly used!!!

ETA...I noticed on my last flight that there were no barf bags in any of the seats around me. f I were a FA, I would be making sure all the seats were well stocked!!

 

[Elle23]

I read through these replies and it really amazes me that they still serve alcohol on planes, with all the problems it seems to cause.

 

[Westcoastwild]

I read through these replies and it really amazes me that they still serve alcohol on planes, with all the problems it seems to cause.

Well...it's money. I'm kind of surprised they don't cut people off sooner at airports. I've seen people drink for a solid hour or two during layovers. Can just imagine their bar tab.