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| Hmm, all window seat, all the time. Problem solved! (http://www.northwesternflipside.com /2011/01/10/2011-where-are-the-flying-cars/) |
On a recent flight to and from New York City I had the middle seat (going) and the aisle seat (returning). On both flights, the passenger (both ways it was a guy) sitting in the window seat immediately, upon takeoff, pulled the shade down on the window and went to sleep. For the entire flight the shade was down and I could not see outside. I have no idea what the terrain we were flying over looked like. I have never traveled or flown to the East Coast before and I would have loved to look out the window and down on parts of our country that I have yet to see up close. Not that I have a great yearning to personally visit wheat fields, but it would have been nice to see the Rocky Mountains, the Mississippi River, or the Great Lakes, from above.
But not on this trip, my first flight over our country. Why is it people who ask for window seats do so to sleep the flight away. I have been told that it is more comfortable to put your head up against the interior wall, that way you didn’t fall onto your seat mate. Okay, if this was a red-eye flight that would make sense, but this was a flight that took off from San Francisco at 8:30 a.m. and landed in New York at 5:00 p.m. All daylight hours. So why must a person sleep during these hours? And is it really quality sleep? I have yet to hear anyone say they had a good "days" sleep on their flight.
On my return flight home, the same thing happened. Again, we took off from NYC at 5:00 p.m. and landed in San Francisco at 8:30 p.m. Is this really “nap time” for some people? I could have been in a plane anywhere, even sitting on the tarmac, and the sights would have been the same. And then I had to hear a few passengers on the other side of the plane, who were awake, orally pointing out what they were seeing as we flew over the Great Lakes. This just added to my disappointment.
I have flown to Hawaii several times. Unlike flying cross-country, when you fly to Hawaii there is really just miles and miles of Pacific Ocean down there, and but even then, unless the movie is worth watching, most passengers still keep their shades up. Maybe because these passengers know they are heading somewhere beautiful and they are excited, too excited to sleep? I have only returned from the islands on red-eye flights. Nothing to see here folks, but sleeping was near impossible too.
Flying into San Jose, Costa Rica, five years ago, there was an exciting display of lightening as we were coming in. I’m pretty sure most people had their shades up watching it...some probably fearing the plane would be hit. The idea did cross my mind, but since more lightening hits Costa Rica than most other places, I hoped that the airlines had figured out a way to make flying in that kind of weather safe.
And when I flew to Alaska, everyone had their shades up as they viewed Denali (Mt. McKinley) rising up through the clouds. For many visitors to Alaska, this is their only view of the top since it is clouded over most of the time.
So why is it that on a flight, during daylight hours, that is flying over our country with all of its diverse terrain do passengers close the shade, and sleep. Do they have exclusive rights over the window shade because they are closest? Is that window view exclusive to them as well? They don't pay more to sit in a window seat than their flight mates next to them. So why do passengers in the window seat feel they can eliminate the natural light and view for the rest of us? Are they selfish? Do they know how annoying they are? The windows are on a plane for a reason, to see out and give natural light. If a passenger finds these natural attributes of windows disagreeable, there are eyeshades and neck pillows specifically made and marketed to those airline passengers who need to sleep during a flight...you know the red-eye flights where everyone is trying to get some semblance of shut-eye. These products can surely produce a “shade down” experience for the daytime flight sleeper, and everyone else in their row can enjoy the views.
And this is just one view a "sleeper" would miss:
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| This is one of 100 amazing photos taken throughout the world through windows of an airplane - obviously not by a "sleeper". http://www.buzzfeed.com/mjs538/100-incredible-views-out-of-airplane-windows |
Daytime flight sleepers should invest in these products if sleeping during the day is their habit. Or maybe the airlines should offer “sleeper seats”, somewhere towards the back of the plane. They can make it dark and cozy for the sleepers. Then those of us who like to be awake during the day, enjoy natural sunlight, and look out the window at the scenery can do so and be happy fliers.
I looked at a few travel blogs to see how this issue was discussed. One reason for sleepers taking the window is if they had the aisle seat no one could get by them to use the restroom and their arms and heads would get hit by the cart and other passengers. An awful lot of excuses to just sleep your day away. A few people suggested that people simply not sleep on flights other than international, all nighters. Makes sense. This suggestion was in response to sleeping passengers who snore.
Actually, there are several blogs handling the issue of window shade control, who has it and who doesn't. Then there was the issue brought up that if you choose to sleep on the plane you are more likely to be groped or pickpocketed. Wow, I didn't know that sleeping on a plane is dangerous too. And then there's a few stories about sleeping passengers that were left on the plane...for hours. Did the flight attendants not see them? Really? Perhaps if they weren't hunkered next to the wall they would not have been missed. Another reason not to sleep in the window seat.
I think I’ll write an airlines and suggest they make certain seats in the back of the plane “daytime sleeper friendly” so the rest of us can really enjoy the flight and the view. The window shades can be fixed shut and no one has to hear them if they snore.
Oh, and yes, I did ask for a window seat, but was told there weren't any available.
