Flying with cavemen
By Frances Rugebregt
Holidays. Who doesn’t like going on vacation, but spending as little as possible on airline tickets? Low-cost airlines, such as Ryanair and Easyjet cater to the needs of us commoners who don’t want to spend an arm and a leg on airfare. These airlines are particularly popular among those who don’t want a lavish holiday and want to avoid having dry bread as their only source of nutrition for months to come. But cheap isn’t always better, or as my mom used to say: penny-wise and pound-foolish.
But why is it that we become so anxious before these flights when we know everyone will be seated anyway? It’s not as if the last passenger on board will be forced to sit in the aisle or join the baggage compartment below. Perhaps the free-seating policy compels us to behave more rudely, since we’re not constrained and told what to do as far as seating is concerned. In that case we also shouldn’t stand perplexed and wonder why flight attendants are being rude to us in return.
It’s understandable that you can’t expect first-class service when you’re only paying for second, but what truly makes the vein in my forehead throb is that the free-seating policy turns your whole journey into an exhausting and nerve-racking experience: passengers eyeing the announcement screen like a hawk eyes its prey, people in line trying to weasel their way in front of you, or even worse; passengers who shamelessly try to cut in line and pass off as priority boarders!
To tame this hidden caveman-attitude from passengers, all airlines should just opt for the ‘old school’ allocated seating method. Passengers will then no longer feel the need to forget they have manners and airport staff will have to deal with fewer irritated and difficult customers.