At an altitude of 10 thousand feet there are just a few activities one can do, especially when traveling alone. In such a situation I would rather not talk to strangers, not sure why, but I have to blame my mother; she always made “friends” with people sitting next to her for a couple of hours. The most I will do is say hello and goodbye, and maybe chat for a moment if a well-behaved kid calls on my attention. Anyhow, after passing passport control before the smiling customs official, haha! I was ready to jump in the plane that would make me cross the North Atlantic once more in order to enjoy my Mexican Spring just like I have been doing for the last few years. The flight got delayed, and with somewhere around 200 frustrated travelers I decided to open my computer, log on the Internet and check emails, tweet here and there, and why not, loose time on Facebook while chatting via Whatsapp with friends… yep, all to kill time. I had around an hour and a half to “entertain” myself.
Finally, passengers were given access to the aircraft. The annual adventure was about to begin. Like always, I had my couple trashy magazines to glance through fashion, hip products, and all the whatnot. There are still a good 3.5 hours of flight to go. I have had a brief nap, watched two movies, slept for a little while, glanced through the pages of Femme Actuelle and Glamour or Elle, or whatever it is I bought at the Relais right before passing security at the airport. I have read about 10% of one of my current readings, and my stomach is making noises.
And nonetheless all of the above, what inspired me to open my computer and start drafting this post is what still surprises me when traveling. There are some specific features of international flights, and in this case I am ONLY going to talk about my co-nationals because my experience is much broader with them, than with any other nationality.
I have come to think, several times, that I have seen it all, and yet, I am still astonished by what happens in every trip. I mean, it all starts when one approaches the gate where passengers shall board the plane, and please DO NOT dare to think I am exaggerating. Please note, that it is only a compilation of some of the habits which have made my skin get goosebumps, or my jaw to be dropped -sometimes literally.
- While in Paris they mainly like to board with their Louis Vuitton shopping bags, in other cities, mostly around the United States, I have seen people arrive with wooden crates or market bags.
- Another customary practice that I have found hard to believe is the fact that at the moment the airline attendants say ‘we shall begin boarding in the next few minutes’ everyone stands up and forms a line as if they are going to lose the flight. I imagine this is why airlines have ended their practice of calling on an orderly boarding process. La galère !
- And talking about practices within the aircraft, why is it that people always stand up to collect their stuff from the overhead bins and turn on their phones before the plane has come to a complete stop? I have got to admit I mistakenly did it once and felt very ashamed when the flight attendant called upon me.
- Then there is also the shouting. I feel it is a common practice of all Latin Americans. I have talked about it previously in another post, surely, but, my emphasis is because I feel it is not only discomforting for me, but for most travellers around. I feel like a violation of my personal space. Is it just me?
- And what about the traveller sitting behind you who cannot dare to stop playing either with the tray or with the touchscreen on the back of your seat and he/she doesn’t stop tapping on your back like a maniac. I had one of this is my last flight. I had to tell him to please stop; his tapping was nonstop.
- Of course I cannot let pass by some of the most extreme fashion trends on airplanes. There’s always the very ladylike woman who instead of boarding a plane looks as if she’s going to a black tie wedding, or the one who literally is going to bed and she’s only missing the teddy bear because she’s in her robe, pajamas, and SLIPPERS! I put on slippers on long-haul flights once I am sitting down in my seat to be more comfortable and not feel trapped in my shoes, and try to find comfortable clothes, but PAJAMAS… PAJAMAS!
And you, dear reader, what have you seen when boarding a plane? I am sure neither you, nor I have seen it all. People have a way to still amaze me.
In the meantime, safe travels.
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