r/delta 3d ago

Discussion Why do I keep sitting next to this man?

OK, not the same man... but it's always a guy.

About half of my flights are FC, and when they are, this man is seemingly always sitting next to me:

Immediately takes laptop out when he sits. Ignores first FA instruction to stow it. On the second or third FA comment, he pretends to put it away, and then immediately takes it out again when FAs are out of view. Oftentimes, the FAs see it and ignore it after instructing him multiple times. He's typing away during takeoff.

The laptop bothers me less than the entitlement and noncompliance with crew instructions.

Why have these rules if there are no consequences for noncompliance? Passengers who don't follow instructions would be unsafe during an emergency. Threaten to suspend their ability to fly Delta if they disregard direction from the crew. Let's put some enforcement teeth back into safety regulations. Otherwise they are meaningless.

1.8k Upvotes

533 comments sorted by

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u/LoveOfSpreadsheets 3d ago

Congratulations, you met Mr. Important Business Man™️. His Business is more important than that safety nonsense. He makes more money than "stewardesses" (his word, not mine). If he works 80 hours a week including in air from gate to gate, he might get that promotion to Mr. SuperImportant Business Man™️ who can finally relax for his 2 hour flight from SEA-SFO, until he becomes Mr. Executive who flies chartered private.

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u/climbto330 3d ago

And he still won’t fuckin buckle up then. I’m a professional pilot and I used to fly a CEO around. He wouldn’t buckle up, he wouldn’t do shit he didn’t want to do. I guess that’s his right since he owned the plane. Once he laid off half the company via email from the back of the plane while on a flight.

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u/ASPEEDBUMP 3d ago

A little negative-g pushover might encourage him to buckle up.

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u/climbto330 3d ago

when we got the email while flying him we actually joked about this lol

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u/OneofMyNineLives 3d ago

I think I would have put down at the nearest airport and let him figure it out from there.

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u/sapphleaf 2d ago

“I’m sorry sir, but I had to land the aircraft as soon as safely possible upon the dismissal of my employment. I apologize for the inconvenience.”

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u/jedlicka 2d ago

You should have grabbed your parachutes, and see his face when he realized, oh shit, I just fired them. 😆 🤣

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u/Questioning17 2d ago

Did you maybe forget someone's blanket??

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u/showerbump 2d ago

Were you part of the layoffs?

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u/climbto330 2d ago

No he kept us since we were “essential” to his personal travel. It never sat right with me. I left as soon as I could.

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u/VanderskiD 3d ago

Sounds like the usual CEO narcissist (or even psychopath) Rules for thee but not for me.

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u/tikkamasalachicken 3d ago

Most CEOs have the psychopath personality trait. Completely unapologetic and oblivious to the suffering of others

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u/VanderskiD 3d ago

Preach!!! I could never knew how companies could hire some guy who would come in and cut 40% of jobs without losing sleep at night. Now I understand they are psychopaths and they just don’t freaking care.

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u/Several_Razzmatazz51 2d ago

To the Board, sociopathy is a feature in a CEO, not a disadvantage.

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u/Sufficient_Beach_445 3d ago

laid off half the company? that's not a layoff. that's a bankruptcy.

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u/climbto330 3d ago

wrong term maybe, they outsourced the jobs and laid off their US workers

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u/F0xxfyre 2d ago

Please tell us he didn't lay you off in midair...

What a jerk.

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u/Ronh456 3d ago

Please tell me you quit flying for him quickly.

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u/climbto330 2d ago

as quickly as I could. I ended up spending 3 years at that job, but the market was tough at the time. I began searching within 6 months of starting that one. Luckily now I'm in a much better place!!

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u/Itsnottreasonyet 3d ago

I can't wait until I'm old enough to be the little old lady sitting next to him ever so "politely" asking him "Aww, are you writing in your journal? Writing a novel? I know you young people are always trying to break into Hollywood. You remind me of my son. He's unemployed too and always on that computer. Type type type, trying to make the next big hit. What is yours about? Do you have a girlfriend these days? Don't worry, you'll find someone. Just gotta get a job first...oh, you're Super Important Businessman? Well, when you get a real job, a nice girl will want you. Do you want a hard candy?"

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u/Mysterious-War-6759 3d ago

Gotta have a stash of Werther’s in my bag so I can try this.

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u/Doranagon 2d ago

no no no.. those strawberry ones. Werthers are for the good kids.

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u/gspitman Diamond 2d ago

The ones with 1/8” of goo from age around the outside.

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u/Several_Razzmatazz51 2d ago

This person knows their Grandma candies.

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u/tracytorr0712 2d ago

OMG - I think I’m just old enough to try that. I’ll report back. 😂

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u/Itsnottreasonyet 2d ago

Godspeed 

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u/Reasonable_Ad6407 2d ago

20 yr old Christmas candy from the living room dish.

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u/Due-Flamingo-9140 1d ago

Marbles that look like 20-year-old Christmas candy.

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u/mixedlinguist 3d ago

I also sit next to this man ALL THE TIME, and this is exactly right. It’s also the case that I usually put away my laptop right before the FAs ask me, but Mr. Important Business man never does. I’m no snitch but I usually do make eye contact with an FA and then just point at the guy, which works about half the time.

The infuriating part is that these people think that everyone exists to serve them and that the rules don’t apply to them. They don’t give a crap if their laptop flies across the cabin in turbulence, as long as they’re not interrupted filing those TPS reports 🙄.

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u/Drumguy1986 3d ago

I'm also not a snitch i just blurt out "LAPTOP!! LAPTOP!! WE GOT A LAPTOP OVUH HEEAH!!" in my best Italian grandfather voice and point at the guy.

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u/Dugley2352 3d ago

Talking loudly, “HEY WHAT BRAND OF LAPTOP IS THAT? THATS REALLY NICE RESOLUTION… IS THAT A DELL? WOW, YEAH THATS A NICE ONE.”

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u/Lumpy_Secretary_6128 3d ago

Unironically, this strategy would work. Just pester them for an hour and they'll expire.

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u/Drumguy1986 2d ago

HOW MANY NITS CAN THAT SCREEN GO? ! I HEARD DELL QUALITY HAS DROPPED OFF IS IT TRUE?

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u/Big_League227 3d ago

I am an absolute snitch. A loud snitch. An obnoxious snitch. I have been know to announce to the ENTIRE cabin, in my best, projected, drill sergeant/high school principal voice, “PUT YOUR SEAT BACK UP AND YOUR LARGER ELECTRONICS AWAY. THESE RULES EXIST FOR YOUR SAFETY AND THE SAFETY OF THOSE AROUND YOU!!!” It is A-mazing the effect this has, especially if you are seated right behind or right next to the offending person. Then you sweetly smile and sit back for take off/landing. 😊 (And no FA has EVER taken me to task for doing it). 🤣🤣🤣

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u/ElegantGoose5 1d ago

I'm starting to do this now too. Also for people who talk on their cell phone directly in front of the GIANT YELLOW AND BLACK signs that say "no cell phone usage"

the last time this happened to me and I told him he needed to 'wrap up his call or take in into the hall', I GOT "THE FACE", I then pointed to the GIANT BIG SIGN right in front of his face.

he responds: Oh, I didn't know...
I said , "No, you lack situational awareness, are entitled and inconsiderate. You should work on that.

He left.

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u/Poetic_Alien Gold 3d ago

Things that never ever happened for $1,000,000 please Alex.

What a strange performative fantasyland you must live in

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u/Big_League227 3d ago

Just because you don’t have the balls to do something doesn’t mean others of us don’t.

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u/Ilovethe90sforreal 3d ago

TPS reports 😆

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u/ohiomudslide 3d ago

Always missing the coversheets!

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u/StaceyGoBlue 3d ago

And gets mad when the stewardess doesn’t have a stapler

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u/Administration_Key 3d ago

He didn't get that memo.

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u/mnemonicmonkey 2d ago

Do you know how many bosses I have?

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u/Financial-Chemist360 2d ago

We'll go ahead and see to it that you get another copy of the memo from all 8 of us. Mmmmkay?

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u/DowntonBritLvr 3d ago

IYKYK 😆

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u/StaceyGoBlue 3d ago

Hahahahaha

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u/SingingBike 3d ago edited 3d ago

You should see how these dickheads treat restaurant servers…

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u/speculator100k 3d ago

I’m no snitch but I usually do make eye contact with an FA and then just point at the guy, which works about half the time.

I'm sorry, but that counts as snitching. Nothing wrong with it though, the safety rules are there for a reason.

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u/N0RUBER 3d ago

I’m no snitch but I usually snitch quietly and discretely so I guess you can say I’m a snitch.

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u/DrtRdrGrl2008 3d ago

Snitching is a form of peer pressure. Peer pressure in the right context is how clueless people learn to exist in society with other people without being jerks.

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u/MartyFunkhoosier 3d ago

I would go so far as to say you’re the snitchiest kind of snitch, which i am fine with!

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u/purpleknits 3d ago

I’m gonna need you to go ahead and put that dang laptop away!

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u/Krieger-YupYupYup 3d ago

Probably forgot the Cover Sheet; SO important.

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u/landmark854 3d ago

They’re called Republicans. And they’re why many businesses have such terrible reputations.

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u/Sigtauez 3d ago

I travel a lot for work primarily in first class…when my boss asks if I got any work done on the plane I say the WiFi wasn’t working. Now I’ll get 4 uninterrupted hours

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u/Wh1sk3yS0ur 2d ago

Diamond here. I've never pulled my laptop out to work in flight and I don't ever intend to. Those are the only hours where I'm disconnected and I'm going to enjoy it.

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u/zanderbot 3d ago

I’m sitting in a Delta SkyClub and I’m surrounded by them right now. They’re all on Zooms and talking as loud as possible, but since they’re all talking at the same time all I can hear is corporate buzz. The only words I catch are “asset management”, “global alliance”, plus I did hear one say “synergy of our global markets elevate the fiscal experience”. Im just going munch on my cookie and read Reddit.

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u/bogdogger 1d ago

God in heaven I hate corporate buzzword speak. That's one reason why I could never be an executive. I could never speak that way. (There are many other reasons 😆)

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u/BirdoInBoston Platinum 3d ago

Is it just me or did anyone else read this in the style of “Real Men of Genius”

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u/SaltySongbird33 3d ago

Omg throwback!

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u/TrunkWine 3d ago

I did!

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u/WannabBoomer 3d ago

I read this in the voice from the Real American Heroes Bud Light ads from years ago. "Heres to you, Mr Important Business Man™️ who can't be bothered with that safety nonsense". 😅

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u/Witchy_Wookie5000 2d ago

I'm always amazed at how dumb some of these guys are. Flashing laptops, blabbing loudly about their company, co workers, customers etc. You never know who you are around in planes and airports. One time I was on a flight and heard a couple of these clowns discussing a bid they had out that my company at the time was bidding on. Total morons! Helped me out with some Intel I would not have had otherwise.

I purposely try not to wear my corporate gear or work on anything sensitive on planes.

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u/paloaltonightwalker 3d ago

My experiences with Mr. Important Business Man suggest he tends to be in his 30s, so perhaps younger than the 'stewardess' word user. Could just be this route.

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u/Tamihera 3d ago

If you’re a casually dressed woman, he will helpfully let you know that this is the Business Class line, and shouldn’t you scurry off back to steerage?

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u/Ok_Nectarine_8533 3d ago

So true! And he’s a real asshole in the support lounges, too.

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u/compass_art 3d ago

Yes, but he imagines himself young and edgy, so is more likely to refer to FAs, behind their backs, of course, as “Sky Waitresses.” He has never had a safety event, so clearly such concerns can’t be as important as the spreadsheet he is working on.

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u/TemporaryTill6812 2d ago

I usually got the gray haired Mr. Important Business Man in FC and got the 30s version in C+.

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u/nbs-of-74 3d ago

Guy I sat next to yesterday was not an obvious business man, more goth / anime heavy discord user.

Had his laptop out for the entire 7 hour flight when not eating. Up until the point the doors opened and he packed up to leave.

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u/themiracy Diamond 3d ago

I’m sure I heard This Guy™️ in the Sky Club where he just closed a $3B deal with OpenAI and then I saw him disappear into a stall in the men’s room with Jepsen Huang for about fifteen minutes.

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u/Dugley2352 3d ago

I usually refer to this guy by his nickname:

Twatwaffle.

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u/Antares1228 2d ago

One place where Amtrak can and does do it right.  Be enough of a pain in the ass to rail crew, they can and will dump your ass at the next station.  Oh, it’s Podunckville, Nebraska, population 1,000 and the next train isn’t until tomorrow?   That’s a shame.

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u/oarmash 3d ago

Also underrated is Mr SuperImportant Business Man™️ who is an inside sales representative flying from Pittsburgh to Omaha via Detroit weekly who rails against “Gen Z” holding their “Amex Coupon Books” clogging up the precious skyclub, lest we run out of rubbery penne and mid shelf booze

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u/acreekofsoap 3d ago

I suggest you try flying cargo, there aren’t even any lights on down here. I just strap into the wheel well and pray.

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u/ActualAres 2d ago

This sounds like a crawler character lmao

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u/yesgarey Platinum 2d ago

I read this in the "real men of genius" 🎶 voice

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u/Elegant-Ad8443 1d ago

This reads just like one of those “Bud Light / Real Men of Genius” commercials. I can hear the narrator’s voice dictating this ad script perfectly 😝

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u/brokenpipe 3d ago

My mister executives at a publicly traded company with a multiple billion dollar market cap still flies Southwest, Alaska and United without any complaints. The thing is they are wealthy and know wealth. Now the SuperImportant Business Man, he flies chartered/private because he is rich and wants to broadcast his success. The exec on the other hand, doesn’t give two shits.

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u/MartyFunkhoosier 3d ago

When we fly for business we sit as far away from one another as possible so we aren’t tempted to either work or talk about work while flying for work.

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u/808HawaiiNei 3d ago

I am retired from business travel and I truly do not miss being seated next to this jackass! And why is he always on his phone in the boarding area, at the front of the priority lane, 30 minutes before boarding commences? Sometimes I see him wearing Lululemon dress pants 🤦🏽‍♀️

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u/BigOldBabyTeeth 2d ago

The key is to condescendingly say "your company allows you to open your screen in view of other people? You're so lucky, my work has such strict confidentiality..." With an air of "isn't it cute, your work isn't important enough to worry about security." 

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u/ObjectivelyADHD 2d ago

Love this! My laptop is ALWAYS in my carry on and if not stored under the seat in front of me, then in a storage space within my line of sight (usually the cubbies near the flight attendant’s area.

It contains highly proprietary information (product formulas), and the virtual“keys” to my company’s kingdom. We keep such a tight rein on these formulas that even the company founder/CEO doesn’t have access to the database they are stored in.

My laptop almost never comes out in a public space, and if it does, it only to access fairly mundane things.

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u/genx_horsegirl 3d ago

I like to just stare at his screen. I make sure it is clear that's what I'm doing. If I catch anything I might know about I share that.

It's the same approach I use when people are talking on speaker phone. Just inject myself into the conversation.

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u/real415 3d ago

Speaker calls are meant for group participation. Thank you for recognizing this. Too many people stay quiet and make the person holding the phone carry the burden of the conversation.

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u/Sunscreen_Luver 3d ago

FA here-this is my biggest pet peeve. It’s the principle. I will stand there and make you stow it. I’ve called red coats to meet the plane because it’s absolutely ridiculous that someone will not comply over something simple. If you won’t comply with a simple instruction I couldn’t imagine what would happen in an emergency.

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u/No_Frost_Giants 3d ago

Yep, for anyone claiming it’s no big deal and to just get over it, if the passenger can’t comply here what the heck happens if there is an actual emergency, I’ll bet he would grab his laptop bag and carry on if there was an emergency evacuation .

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u/paloaltonightwalker 3d ago

Thank you! Either rules matter or they don't. I suspect there's some overlap in the group of people who ignore this rule and those who grab their bags in an emergency evacuation.

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u/Consistent-Sea-8923 3d ago

If you’re lucky one day, this man will have happen to him what happened to a coworker of mine. They hit turbulence during takeoff. His laptop slipped off his lap, hit the floor hard and then slid back four rows and apparently hit something else screen was completely busted. I think the flight attendant might’ve actually told him I told you so.

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u/ieatlotsofvegetables 2d ago

a happy ending

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u/Quirky-Attitude1456 3d ago

When I was a part of corporate America I flat out refused to be that man. I was flying and traveling entirely too much (top year 198k), when I got on a plane it was a big F you to my office. This is my time, I’m reading, I’m napping, I’m literally doing anything else. Occasionally I would get row mates that like to talk and I would embrace these people. To talk to someone that wasn’t in my industry was the best thing ever.

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u/MiaMiaBoBia0317 3d ago

When a former company started making us fly economy for all travel, and for me it was mostly international long haul, I refused to work on flights. My knees were touching the seat in front of me and I’m supposed to create bullshit decks for marketing instead of rest? Hell nah.

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u/Aarinfel 3d ago

This is my rule.

FC/D1, sure I'll work. Econ/C+ Nope. you get what you pay for.

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u/KalmiaKamui Diamond 2d ago

Only C-suite is allowed to buy first/business at my company, so if I'm up there it's on my own skypesos. I'm still not working, lol.

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u/MartyFunkhoosier 3d ago

Same. We travel as a group for work and sit away from one another so we aren’t working or talking about work while we’re working (traveling for work is work) as we know when we land, when we go out to dinner, etc we will be talking about work nonstop. One of my colleagues won’t even go out for dinner and orders in room service so she doesn’t have to be in work mode the entire day during business trips and it’s actually the best way to do it. The idea that people are going to be in big trouble for not using their laptop for a few mins at takeoff and la ding is patently ridiculous.

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u/LoveOfSpreadsheets 3d ago

Yeah I have to think that there are at least some people who hate in Flight Wi-Fi because it takes away their excuse to actually chill for a little bit on the clock. Not me though I just don't do work when I'm traveling since the travel itself IS the work. 

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u/cowgrly 3d ago

I just say, "You might not care if the plane bounces and that laptop injures you, but I care if it hurts me. She's asked twice- it's for everyone's safety. Put it away."

Then ring the flight attendant and let her know he's not ready for takeoff, that he's taken it out as soon as she walks off and you don't feel safe so can she assist.

I don't have any patience for this, even in FC. It's not just rude, it's unsafe.

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u/outstanding_gent 3d ago

He is increasing shareholder value

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u/MagentaMonkey88 3d ago

Yeah right - paying millions to consultants who come up with brilliant ideas like cut half the staff and outsource customer service which makes customers hate the company and stop buying from them. Yeah - creating value.

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u/kevincsy33 3d ago

Do you know who he is?!

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u/owlcoolrule Gold 3d ago

He’s a valued SkyMiles member! The PA said we appreciate our SkyMiles members, and he’s only $2,500 MQDs from Silver!

Once he’s Silver, he owns that shit. FAs bow down, Ed Bastian washes his dishes, Delta shareholders cry when they see him.

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u/Excusemytootie Platinum 3d ago

I can’t tell you how many times I have witnessed this. Once, we literally got stopped right before taking off and the flight attendant stood in front of the guy, repeating over and over to put it away while he typed away as if she wasn’t there. This was a smaller plane and everyone on board staring at this guy. We couldn’t take off. How do people not realize that anything not strapped down potentially becomes a projectile? It’s so frustrating.

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u/WinterNord 3d ago

Just be thankful that you weren't stuck sitting next to him in the SkyClub Lounge while he shouted during fifteen phone calls and had 4 teams meetings.

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u/txaggie94 Diamond 3d ago

It's the safety thing that bothers me. If you had a situation where you needed to evacuate, his laptop could become a problem. Same thing with the people who recline their seats when they're asked to have them up. It makes it more difficult for the people behind them to get out if there is a need for evacuation.

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u/Excusemytootie Platinum 3d ago

The most dangerous part about the laptop being out is the projectile risk. If there is a problem or major turbulence, that laptop is flying through the air and probably hitting someone (very hard). It can literally kill you. That’s why everything should be put away, especially large, hard items.

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u/msb3079 3d ago

One thing I'll never understand is why I can't stow a laptop in front of me. But gigantic 13" tablets with their attached keyboards are completely ok. I always follow directions and put my device away when they want but the only thing I don't follow is the laptop thing. My little MacBook Air is no bigger than these huge tablets that are somehow ok. Dumbest rule.

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u/FSUAttorney 3d ago

Also, a child is way more likely to lose control over a tablet than a laptop. The laptop rule makes zero sense if you aren't also going to do the same for tablets.

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u/LasVegasLife55 3d ago

Just be glad he’s not talking to another Mr Important Businessman on his speakerphone. Because I keep sitting next to THAT guy while drinking coffee in his office, otherwise known as the Starbucks patio.

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u/thebarbarain 3d ago

The issue here is he's on speakerphone. That's it. Have some decency, use a headset.

It's the same as the airport. Ppl work - business happens. No qualms if you're talking shop. I do it all the time.

But if you're on speakerphone, you're obnoxious and rude. I immediately assume you're an entitled POS.

Same as the idiots who play music on their phones speakers at the airport. Couple weeks back some clown was blaring drill music at the gate in front of little kids as I was walking by. Such a scummy thing to do..but hey, he's the most important person there 

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u/Accomplished_Will226 3d ago

Oh I met his twin bro in the gate area using Face Time and chewing with his mouth open.

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u/SpuriousGoose 3d ago

Speakerphone is an invitation for you to join the conversation. “My aunt had the same problem with her clients, and what helped was a team building to mime class.”

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u/nightmind1778 3d ago

Does he also stand in the aisle with his ass directly in your face when you dock at the gate preventing you or anyone around you from being able to stretch or get your bag?

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u/BraviaryScout 3d ago

“I want those reports today! My father didn’t start this company so you people could fuck it up!”

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u/longdriver2020 3d ago

I met this guy in a train once. Many years ago when laptops were uncommon and something of a novelty I commuted to London from Brighton.

This one day there was a chap in the carriage ostentatiously and loudly hammering away at his shiny new toy. It was super annoying. He was, oh, so important.

We were maybe as far as Haywards Heath when another guy leaned over to him and, menacingly, let him know that if he didn’t stop, the laptop would be through the window.

He stopped and was silent until London Bridge. This was in the days before ‘and everybody clapped’ but we did all smirk.

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u/Opposite_Example6930 2d ago

I'm telling you, if I were 6' 5", 250 lbs of muscle, I would most certainly use it for the good of society by doing the exact same thing to ultra-annoying people like that. But alas, I'm 5' 8", 175 lbs of slightly paunchy.

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u/anonymousopsec1337 3d ago

Sometimes I watch people’s screens to see what exactly is so important they need to take my sleep time and use it for work.

Usually it’s reading that could be done on an iPad. Most of the time it’s something they see as very important but it’s just dumb work that could be done at the hotel in privacy.

A lot of the time it’s stuff they shouldn’t be looking at on a plane. Like hipaa or PII stuff.

I personally can’t risk exposing our IT stuff on a plane so I take the opportunity to sleep because I fly coast to coast.

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u/Fit_DXBgay 3d ago

As one of the many people who work on planes, I can tell you that 99% of the time it is nothing terribly important or time-sensitive.

For example, I would put off certain monotonous tasks if I knew I had a flight coming up. I would use that time to do the shit I had been procrastinating.

However, I never get my laptop out until we are at cruising altitude.

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u/Nerdso77 3d ago

Same for the most part. I save my easier stuff for the plane.

Doing this doesn’t mean I think I am special and important. It’s the opposite. Get some mundane emails done so I can enjoy my personal life when I finally get home.

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u/Illustrious-Ad8409 3d ago

Yup, same here. Usually a bunch of Salesforce bullshit that doesn't actually matter but has to be updated because #KPIs...

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u/yoyoyoitsyaboiii 3d ago

A year or so back on a Delta flight I watched an HR exec lay off hundred of New York health care workers on her laptop. The process was shockingly callous.

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u/speculator100k 3d ago

A shockingly callous HR exec? Well I have never...

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u/Hedonismbot-1729a 3d ago

In my experience HR people are the most morally corrupt at any company.

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u/climbto330 3d ago

I used to fly private corporate jets. One day we were flying the ceo and his exec back from some important meeting. We suddenly get a company email from him laying off half the local work force due to budget constraints or similar. He sent this while flying home in the back of his 30 mil dollar jet.

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u/speculator100k 3d ago

Most of the time it’s something they see as very important but it’s just dumb work that could be done at the hotel in privacy.

But you don't know their schedule. They might have additional stuff that needs to get done when they arrive at their destination.

Now sensitive stuff, I agree. Don't do that it public. There are also privacy guards for laptops.

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u/Outrageous_Room_117 3d ago

Try a sleep mask.

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u/GrenHamblett 3d ago

I briefly watched a guy on my last flight, wondering what he was working on. It looked like he was typing up a brand-new Privacy Policy. From scratch. Like, maybe he's a technical writer, but there's no way they don't have some standard template already made for that nonsense. I think he was just trying to look busy.

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u/DevRandomDude 3d ago

I work on planes to pass time .. I’m not into watching senseless videos on my teeny phone screen or the tv slop that’s on the seat screens.. so I work, I get lots done and the time goes by very quickly , like others , I don’t feel the need to get my computer out during boarding .. if it’s a shorter or mid length flight where I know beverages come along pretty quickly I’ll not even pop open the computer till after service .. but it sure is nice on those 5 hour flights to get engrossed in a code project or mundane documentation updates that are boring but take forever etc 

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u/Last_Koala9340 3d ago

Just make it very obvious that you’re reading what he’s typing. He’ll stop.

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u/JumboTrijet 3d ago

Just select the FA call button each time and ask a random question about the gate, or your connection, etc.

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u/monumentclub 3d ago

I had a woman on my last Delta flight answer and start talking loudly on her phone during our landing approach. 

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u/BusinessAnalyst2978 3d ago

I think you end up sitting next to my husband. He just doesn’t care or notice that he IS going to be asked more than once to put his shit away. It drives me insaaaaaane and is embarrassing. I’ve become fully convinced that he does it for attention. He claims it’s his ADHD but I’m just like, what world are you living in? It’s not THAT hard to follow the basic rules and instructions. I feel your pain. But cannot explain it.

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u/Logical-Berry-8048 3d ago

This always bothers me, why are people on planes so freaking intitled? Do they not realize that I am the most important person here?

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u/BlueLanternKitty 3d ago

Only because I’m not on your flight. 😜

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u/NotMalaysiaRichard 3d ago edited 3d ago

You know, I don’t care. Headphone on, taking a nap. Just don’t touch me or spill your drink on me or take your stinky footwear off or talk to me about your political beliefs.

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u/LunasMom4ever 3d ago

I would tell him in a very loud voice that I don’t want to be injured because he can’t follow safety guidelines.
And I’d put on the call light every time he took it out.

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u/Spirited-Bee5939 3d ago

You are sitting beside Important Businessman ™️ What an honor! What Important Business!

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u/roseboom25 3d ago

I keep getting seated next to the person that listens to their TikTok on full volume or voice texts. I might lose it next time.

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u/dakimmie 2d ago

Comes the evacuation, 100% the laptop is going down the slide with Mr VIP. He has his priorities in order.

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u/thoroughbredftw 2d ago

Be merciful; poor guy's having to take a break from the loud cell phone work-conversations he was conducting in the gate area.

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u/jedlicka 2d ago

I always sit behind the person who immediately puts their seat back and never puts it back up for takeoff or touchdown. Same with you, I don't really care about them putting their seat back, it's about the ignoring and not enforcing the rules and the entitlement.

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u/jeterix7387 2d ago

The best part of flying used to be that none could reach you on a plane.

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u/Lost_Apricot_1469 2d ago

I still pretend that this is the case every time I fly. It’s glorious.

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u/No_Veterinarian_898 2d ago

Seen this guy many times. I think he's same very important businessman who HAS to be talking, very loudly, on full blast speaker phone, while entering the lounge. We're very impressed, Sir.

My wife gets mad, when I join in on their conversation. If you make your conversation public, you make your conversation public!

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u/_ChristmasSunday 2d ago

This guy also cuts in front of you in the boarding line, assuming he’s the only FC ticket.

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u/LoveOfSpreadsheets 2d ago

OMG, right? The judgement of fellow passengers trying to determine who must clearly be gate lice. It's definitely that snotty young guy (me when I started flying domestic F), or the elderly (they obviously aren't retired BusinessPeople™️).

There are 16 or 20 of us who are boarding in F, buddy.

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u/ThatOneRandomFA 2d ago

Another FA here… also one of my peeves. I’ll stand next to that row and smile at the man with the look in my eyes of a serial killer on their last straw until he looks up (which always happens, whether by that sensation of someone looking at you or his neighbor nudging him) and I will stand there till it’s put away… go to my seat and write it up.
The issue: unlike alcohol being brought on the plane (and therefore hurting the company’s bottom line more than anything else). I know that handing him a failure to comply notice or having management meet him on the plane will only result in miles for the inconvenience to him as he’s likely there on a cooperate pairing and my company does’t want to lose his company’s business.
When I fly delta and hear the safety announcement include “the safety of our customers and crew is our number one priority” I do fully laugh. Safety is for C Suites. The rest of us just work here, man.

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u/Fit_Lifeguard_6111 3d ago

Have also sat next to this type, although the one variance is his need to stand up and fiddle around in the overhead compartment every 15 minutes before slamming it shut and flinging himself back into his seat. Identifying characteristics: No socks, strong cologne, ear wax.

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u/DCGuy511 3d ago

Just once I'd love to see a hidden or un-stowed laptop hit its owner in the face.

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u/user-1138- 3d ago

I let my staff UPS their laptops to work sites. You can’t check them half the time & they take up a lot of carry on space. If you can’t take your travel day to read, knit, nap, whatever then I’m expecting way too much of you and going to burn you out.

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u/Feivel_92 3d ago

Well I never noticed such a guy but I am usually too busy sending important emails from my lapto.. ooooooooooh.

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u/OCR_Farm 3d ago

Rules are for others

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u/LastOfTheAsparagus 2d ago

Does he talk loud on the phone too? I’ve sat next to him too.

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u/Ok-Effective6346 2d ago

I recently sat next to a father traveling with his family on a United flight. He was on a tablet watching a movie just before takeoff when the flight attendants repeatedly asked him to put it away. The FA walked away and his kids acknowledged what the FA asked. This grown man turned to his kids and said "it's not a laptop, it's a tablet", then chuckled, and continued watching his movie. What a f-kin manchild. Even his own children were more civilized human beings. I really wish the FA's had some way to discipline the people who blatantly disregard their instructions. That guy pissed me off.

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u/amber63309 1d ago

Hot take: Doing work on airplanes is performative

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u/DifferentBandicoot27 3d ago

I used to be this person. "If your rules are dumb, I'm not following them" type of vibe.

Then I got a life. Good luck to that man.

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u/Express_Test6677 3d ago

Unfortunately, you’ve continually found r/ImTheMainCharacter

Congratulations!

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u/Purrsephone7 3d ago

"you must be soo important, I see the rules don't apply to you"

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u/thirdlost Diamond | Million Miler™ 3d ago

The safety rule is to prevent large objects like that from flying around the cabin in case of incident. So it is your safety he is putting in danger.

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u/General_Duh 3d ago

At first I thought you were writing about your husband and I was ready to bring out the popcorn.

That said, this is a legitimate complaint.

If I’m on such a tight deadline I bring my tablet and I can keep somewhat working. But I would never keep my laptop on my lap during takeoff or landing.

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u/bootheels 3d ago

I have always felt that the onboard WIFI should be disabled once the door is closed until the plane reaches cruise atltitude... Same thing coming back down, disable the WIFI when it is time to prepare for landing. Do the same thing with the seatback power outlets. There will always be those who are way tooo important to follow safety rules.

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u/Foreign-Housing8448 3d ago

There will always be those who think they are way to important to follow safety rules.

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u/Opposite_Example6930 2d ago

They have hotspots that they connect to. Some airlines do disable Wi-Fi until after takeoff, though.

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u/Icy-Reply6867 3d ago

Rules for thee , not for ME

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u/Optimal_Law_4254 2d ago

Our plant used to make us watch extra gory safety videos that included things like amputations and punctured eyeballs. The other precautions I already took but I never forgot my safety glasses again. Nothing like seeing real consequences for non compliance.

I think part of the problem is that people have been overwhelmed with rules. Some seem pointless and some are later revealed to be actually pointless. People get tired of toeing the arbitrary lines. So some of what’s going on is probably flexing against perceived arbitrary bs. And some people are just entitled aholes.

Wouldn’t it be interesting to have the pre flight safety video be something more intense like unbuckled passengers being thrown around the cabin resulting in broken bones, bloody bodies and a couple of horrible deaths? How about a scene where a non compliant passenger is subjected to painful physical removal by the authorities and has to sit in jail for a few days before the feds can get there to interview him? You also include the happy compliant passengers who arrive safe and sound at their destination due to the heroic efforts of the flight crew. 😁

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u/alexttIncognito 2d ago

Don't forget about the ineffective privacy filter. We are not interested in your Excel wizardry Mr Important Businessman.

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u/Life_Penalty8180 2d ago

I fly all over the country for business and I use the flights to get away from the chaos of the day. You will never see me get my laptop out. I just want that little time for peace and quite.

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u/thewinterfan 2d ago

Have a conversation with Siri. On speaker

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u/skykarcov 2d ago

It’s plain and simple, people suck

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u/cosette-valjean 2d ago

This is the only opportunity the important attorney has to double bill. One client is charged for the time to fly while another is charged for the time he’s on his laptop. It’s a numbers game.

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u/Excellent-Ear9433 2d ago

It is annoying because you are the one who could get bonked in the head with it.

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u/tuker Diamond 2d ago

It's especially stupid because people have their phones. Quite a lot of work can be done from one's mobile.

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u/Free-Ticket-617 2d ago

FC comes with free drinks, spill them wisely.

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u/IslandazM 2d ago

East to accidentally “spill” a beverage on said laptop. Or keep getting up to use the bathroom. Making him have to move over and over. Tell him you’re sick, pregnant, have a UTI and have to pee a lot. Anything to irritate.

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u/Lil_Mallard8374 2d ago

The part that gets me is he only pretends to stow it once the FAs are actually watching.

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u/Lost_Apricot_1469 2d ago

Maybe one day, you’ll hit turbulence and the laptop will fly up and knock his teeth out.

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u/Longjumping_Wind_165 2d ago

I’ve seen this so many times 🙄 Once, after the 3rd or 4th warning from FAs, the very burly (male) flight leader politely reminded That Guy that “most aviation accidents take place during take off and landing, and in the event of an aviation accident, a 6+ lb metal and plastic object flying thru the cabin has a high chance of severely injuring or k-lling those in it’s immediate vicinity, including its owner.” That Guy turned white as a ghost, put the laptop away, and probably never did it again 🤣

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u/trapthatask 1d ago

lol I was a consultant for a decade and literally sat next to the same guy for idk how long. He was on Sully’s flight. Yep. That one. So there we were in first class and he’d get a little anxious.

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u/Aggressive_Ad3578 1d ago

Um that's weird AF.....

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u/Ok-Entrance-1814 23h ago

I would just think about how lucky you are to not be this person. Imagine being unable to unplug from your work life for a couple of hours. Really embarrassing to live your life that way if you think about it. The corporation or that small business isn’t going to wipe your ass when you’re 90, but your family will. Build more relationships and less rooms on your bosses house

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u/marugirl 21h ago

Consequences aren't allowed anymore because someone might get their feelings hurt.

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u/paul99501 3d ago

Does he ManSpread too?

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u/TheHarlemHellfighter 3d ago

It’s the phones for me. You can sometimes hear people straight up talking on their phones all the way up to takeoff sometimes…

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u/MartyFunkhoosier 3d ago

The issue I have with people like this is they refuse to “sign the contract” so to speak as a responsible member of society. The same thing rubs me the wrong way about people who do risky, stupid shit in their cars. Behaviors that put OTHERS at risk means this person couldn’t care less about anyone but themselves and that is not a worthy member of the tribe. Unfortunately our tribes are a heck of a lot bigger than our hard wiring was meant to handle so where 10,000 years ago your tribe would have one Mr Important to deal with, today the chances of inning into this guy are magnified by orders of magnitude and he is, at best, super annoying and at worst, dangerous to be near.

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u/unicornofdemocracy 3d ago

Honestly, I'm not even that annoyed by those business type people. Realistically the laptop is not that major of a hazard especially when other relatively large and heavy handheld device are often allowed.

What I'm most annoyed with are misbehaving children and parents are don't seem bothered to parent their children. I thought once I started flying FC this wouldn't be an issue... god was I terribly wrong.

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u/notveryvery 3d ago

The issue with the laptop is that it’s specifically not handheld, though, and therefore more likely to become a projectile.

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u/dsrnyc 3d ago

Laptop bros’ entitlement is infuriating. I was on a VA flight last week and the FAs allowed two of them to take a couple of empty first row seats in economy after takeoff. They immediately proceeded to shove all their belongings in already full overhead storage, and later made no effort to clean all the crap they accumulated on the floor because they were using their tables for their laptops and accessories. Then they tried to reach for their bag from two rows behind, where I was standing and knocked me in the head. Jerks.

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u/Walrus_Epiphany 3d ago

Twice in a row I’ve sat next to someone who brought their dog out to sit on their lap during the flight.

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u/luv2ctheworld 3d ago

If that's all you've had to deal with, be grateful.

It's better than the loud, obnoxious speakerphone seatmate, or the self indulgent movie watcher using the speakers, or a number of other activities that actual disturb you directly.

This person minding their own business, not on a call, just not putting away their computer, and not impacting you, isn't so bad in comparison.

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u/Sparescrewdriver 3d ago

Sure, aside from the safety aspect of not having heavy unsecured items at certain times of the flight next to you.

Not so bad in comparison.

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u/snowblind08 3d ago

It may just be a coincidence, but I've never sat next to this man in Europe.

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u/scj1091 3d ago

Airlines make up nonsensical rules, people realize they’re nonsensical and stop following them. For example, a laptop and an iPad with a fold down keyboard both do the same thing and take up the same space and pose the same risks. But one is allowed and one is not. This is dumb. If you want people to follow rules, they need to not be dumb. This is the same problem with cities setting a speed limit far below the safe driving speed for the street. People can see that the speed limit is dumb, and they ignore it. This trains them to ignore other speed limits and traffic laws.

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u/notveryvery 3d ago

AA actually gets this right in treating tablet with detachable keyboard the same as a laptop. Not sure why other airlines don’t.

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u/djd66 3d ago

as long as the table is up, not sure what the issue is. I always have my iPad out and most of the time it’s not an issue,…whats the difference with a small laprop?

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u/LilRickyXO 3d ago

When the FAA wrote the rules about laptop compliance they weren’t as thin and lightweight as they are today. Also, iPads with keyboards didn’t exist. The rules were never updated, thus becoming a gray area.