Leaving on a Jet Plane

In a few hours time I will be boarding a plane for a long, fun weekend. I hate this waiting time, I just want to get on the plane and be there already… but alas patience is a virtue… one that I have been and will be learning for a long time.

I fly about once a month. This will be cutting down drastically once I move and have no job, and no longer have funds for travel… however in my travels (which are notably less then many friends of mine who travel for work) I have always hated waiting in line.

From trying to pull into the airport terminal to unload my excessive baggage*; to waiting in line to check-in; to the security gates; to the bar for a drink; to the attendant taking my ticket; to down the corridor; to the plane and then standing in the narrow isles while watching people attempt to cram far too much into a far too small space… none of this has ever been much fun for me. **

For a while I would wait in the bar until the final moment, just before they were to call my name as one of the few last lingering passengers not waiting to be corralled into the belly of the plane with anxious anticipation. This however proved to be problematic for a few reasons.

The first is that when you are obviously the last person on the plane, people who have waited in those multitude of lines aren't too keen on the lone girl walking happily down the isle as though she hasn’t a care in the world. The other problem is when everyone else on a plane has already crammed their items into the overhead compartments then my last remaining bag has no where to go, thus prolonging the process of take-off further and the glares and “pffts” from the passengers increase.

So I have come up with a solution. I don’t mind being on the plane prior to takeoff, it’s merely the line of people that bother me. So now when the flight attendant no announces, “We will now begin boarding flight ABC. First class passengers, Reward Member passengers, Passengers with small children and those needing extra time to board may now step forward” I step forward. I need extra time.

I feel as though it’s no biggie. I am one person who will immediately find my emergency row window seat, grab my book and not bother anyone for the remainder of the flight.*** I do have slight guilt, but not enough that it shall outweigh my sincere lack of love for those lines. I don’t think this is bad karma, as I am not hurting anyone, but if you have an argument otherwise, I am open to hearing it.

I may post while I am there, but if not… have an amazing weekend!



* My father always told me that one must be prepared for anything. That rule (and thus WAY too many bags) has followed me since.
** Though I am hardly implying this is your favorite part.
*** Now that I have blogged this they will probably stonewall me while attempting to board today.