Loner or Socialite???

I am a traveller that hates the first hour of flying. Call me strange but I need to adapt to my surroundings and feel on edge for a little while. One of the most annoying things is the 'chatty' person next to you who insists on telling you their life story.

Now, don't get me wrong, I am not a nasty person ([:(!]) and do love to chat but flying really is that one release (once I'm relaxed) that I can get away from it all and be on my own for a while and, based upon my mild fear of flying, don't want to be bothered.

One of my colleagues expressed the same opinion and said "I'm not looking forward to WiFi in the air, I like the fact that for 7 hours or so I can't be reached and my time is my own"

So, question for all:

Do you like to talk to the person seated next to you or do you like your own time? (are you a socialite or a loner?)

If I have V-Port I dont want to be disturbed.

Thank you!

quote:Originally posted by colbornjames
Do you like to talk to the person seated next to you or do you like your own time? (are you a socialite or a loner?)

Good question - I'm a cross between the two
I like to have my own time & space (not just on planes!), but have been known to chat to my neighbour if they're "normal" and don't become a PITA

Cheers

Michael

I'll second Michael's comments - a handy book or iPod is useful in case the other person turn into a PITA (not that I'd ever use my iPod as a weapon )

I did once meet a lady whose husband works in crowd dynamics - we had an interesting chat on this topic in relation to people leaving buildings and 9/11 [geek hat on](on a sidenote, this is something worth reading about as it's a fascinating subject)[/geek hat off].

Cheers,

Sahajesh

A pair of headphones, even if they're not attached to anything, are always a useful way of stopping unwanted conversation!

What does PITA stand for, I feel I should know?
Most flights I've done by myself the person sitting next to me has been fine and chatty but known when to stop. We always have that intial before and during take off chat, settle down to own little world for the duration of the flight, inevitably time our toilets trips together to save disturbing each other all the time and then start to chat again on the descent. Works fine for me.

Dean

PITA = pain in the nether regions (assuming people aren't objecting to flying next to middle-eastern bread products )

Defintitely - Leave Me Alone.

Exchanging a greeting and a brief chat to be polite, then headphones on and book out.

It is amazing how many people do not seem able to read these signs and continue chatting. It sounds anti-social, but there is something very pleasant having a few hours to yourself, it doesn't seem to happen that often and I like to make the most of it.

VSlf

I tend to be a passive talker - don't often initiate, but will engage if approached!

I have chatted with a huge diversity of people and gained insight into life and the world which, I would have otherwise not have encountered. I had a long chat with a japanese corporate financelawyer once who kept asking questions as to how aircraft fly (I am an Aeronautical Engineer). I still don't know if some of her questions were genuine as I struggled to keep a straight face at some of them. "How much fuel do those barrels under the wing hold ?" is one which will remain with me forever. [8)][8)]



It is always worth having the iPod handy or remarkign how much you have been looking forward to watching some film or other - a good way to end the conversation.

[Decker]

Just fly UCS...

Flying out to EWR PE today but Mrs D with so not an issue.

Normally I prefer to be left alone UNLESS the person next to me has "something going for them". Selfish I know but frsnkly pig feed doesn't do it for me. One of the most interesting conversations has been with a designer from TetraPak amusingly....

In the most interesting category must be a chat with Roger Daltrey at the bar on a flight to LAX. What a life he has lead ! he'sdone more in one life than most people could do in three !!!

Dean

quote:What does PITA stand for, I feel I should know?

Wot Helen said I've added it to the glossary for ya

quote:inevitably time our toilets trips together

Oh dear - do we really need to know this? ;)

Cheers

Michael

OK... so I'm not alone

Interesting to see the commentary on conversations... you've all cited some 'good' conversations, what about the bad ones?

For example, I nicknamed a woman 'banana woman' who kept speaking to me with a mouthful of banana which a) smelt bad on it's own and b) combined with her bad aeroplane breath smelt even worse!!!

Interesting to see what the worse conversations we've had to endure!

James

[mitchja]

UCS is definatley better than J2000 for getting some well earned quite 'just me' time.

As agnewm says I too tend to be more a passive talker as I like my quite 'just me' time. I do usually travel alone so this is great just me time. iPod and a book usually works for me.

Regards

On honeymoon to Kuala Lumpur I got verbally molested by a man who could not get to grips with the fact that the IFE had no Formula One even though a picture of a racing car was next to the Sports channel in his guide!!!.[:(] Kept nudging me during the films to complain (headphones were no deterrent). I had to swap seats with the missus in the end.
A bit disturbed to see everyone has ipods. My mini disc player must be an embarrassment ![:p] Maybe buy one in the lounge....
Being an "Agnew" as well, generally like to keep myself to myself but don't mind a good chat.

can take it or leave it, fortunately haven't had a neighbour not take the hint to shut up..... yet!

If I'm flying alone, engaging in some friendly chat with the stewardess is the best conversation to have, they always seem to have some interesting stories to tell (and are normally v. cute too!!)

on the way back from san francisco, I realised that an ipod, packed with stuff, plus a good 5 hour read (ian fleming is best for this) is the best way to get thorugh a flight with bad ife (as in nothing on the system interests you)

My worst was 8 hours next to an Anderson Consulting clone[}:)] who spent the whole flight lecturing me on where my business was going wrong. He even nudged me awake at one point (I was pretending to be asleep;)) as he'd just thought of another way to help me expand my business!!
I had never met this guy before, was sitting next to him by sheer chance (upgraded from Club to First), then to make matters worse he tried to invite himself to dinner that evening to carry on the discussion.
When I jokingly asked about his invoice for consulting fees he responded......."Don't worry we'll sort something out"!!!!!!! [:0]

I have actually found that the benifits of meeting interesting people on a plane outway the 'PITA' experiences. I always take the attitude that life is pretty short and realise that a plane gives you the opportunity to meet and chat with people you would never ever likely meet. I am actually quite shy and hence would not be pushy at all about chatting with someone and also pretty quickly realise when someone would rather be left alone.

Without any doubt whatsoever, the most enjoyable flights I have experienced have been to do with meeting people and nothing to do with how big the TV screen is; how many glasses of wine I'm served; or the comfort of a seat:) I've even managed to arrange two dates from having got chatting to people - and the young ladies in question were not drunk at the time[:I][:I]

In my few lucky occasions to have been in UC, I have found that most people who sit at the bar are very chatty. The old UC was also more sociable - the new suite is very anti-social and hence I made a quick dash for the bar stools - although there seems to be less of them than I remember on the old designs and on the flight I was on, there were many more people hanging around the bar chatting than stools!

cheers
mcjock

Wow, IPod mania. Using my Archos AV320 seems to start off conversations not stop them. People can't beleive you can get a dozen DVD quality films, a couple of dozen albums and several dozen jpeg pictures on it. Oh and you can back up those important files from your laptop.

Multi media & MP4, it's the future.

Miopyk

I think you can gage in about five mins the kind of person next to you..

I can pretty much kept myself to myself or chat for hours if the company is good!!:D

on my flight to SIN I had a really good chat with a lady called helen..
She was 55 had lived in many countries and was a great conversationalist.

I managed to chalange her views on many subjects and that's what makes talking intersting.

I find if a person can talk well and be interesting the flight goes much faster.

If I dont like the company (and im on a VS night flight) I tend to chat in the galley - crew are often grateful of this as its quiet as most pax sleep) I was told on one flight I tend to speak louder the more I drink.. I tend to keep this in check now though!

yes it doesnt hurt that the Crew are usually very cute:D

I know what people mean about the PITA. Sometimes, they don't even realise it, because they are drunk, like the lady who sat next to me on a United flight to SFO.

I was in the window, and she was on the aisle, with an empty middle seat. She was nervous on takeoff and was talking to me to try and calm her down, which I didn't mind, but didn't really stop once she started.

She proceeded to get very, very drunk, and offer her me her spare pair of pressure socks. I declined .

I got up for a wander around the aircraft, and when I came back she was asleep/comatose across all three seats. Luckily, it was a very quiet flight, and being pre-9/11, we had a good galley party anyway, with the leftovers from First Class (posh choccies, quality wine and Dom Perignon) being brough back to us!

Which brings me around to the socialite thing - on VS, if you want to be social, go and hang out at the bar. It's pretty explicit that you want to be sociable when you do that... that's where I'll be in about 5 hours on the VS3!

Cheers!
Mike

[fozzyo]

Only ever travelled with people myself. My first long haul flight was with BA to Seattle ... looong long flight and the IFE was a projector on the bulkhead!! Sat at the back with a rather large American dude who worked just assumed I worked for Boeing or Microsoft not sure he believed me when I said I didn't. Have to admit I rather enjoyed the time alone in my own little world.

I am one of those people who every so often likes to tell the universe to bugger off and have my own space and thoughts, and occasionally the voices - but thats another story ;o)

For our SFO flight in less then two weeks I have hired the first His Dark Materials Audio Book. One night flights I can't really sleep and can't concentrate enough to read or watch a movie. So thought I'd give listening to one of my faves book a listen to on the way home. Well it does last 9hours!

Foz xx
)

Audio books are marvelous on aeroplane flights! I have iTunes on my Mac and often download a Patrick o'Brien novel from the Master & Commander series. It's a great way to allow the hours to pass.

JC

quote:Originally posted by colbornjames
Audio books are marvelous on aeroplane flights! I have iTunes on my Mac and often download a Patrick o'Brien novel from the Master & Commander series. It's a great way to allow the hours to pass.

I've downloaded the 9/11 Commission Report - definitely worth a read or listen - Discworld series by Terry Pratchett is good as well. An Audible.com subscription is very handy

Cheers,

Sahajesh