Frequent Flier: Strangers on a Flight, Just Taking a Fling

I don’t even get upset about delays and cancellations. I’m not that guy who is going to make a fuss. My trip isn’t any more important than someone else’s trip. So I just take it as it comes.

One thing I still don’t understand is frequent flier clubs. There’s such a weird, almost elitist vibe in the clubs, even though some of them really aren’t that much better than what you can find in most main airline terminals. People just ignore each other and don’t seem to be enjoying themselves at all, in my experience.

When I’m flying someplace for business, it’s almost always domestic for our HGTV television shoots. I’m pretty old school and still dress up for flights, and usually wear a vest and dress pants.

I was getting ready to sit down on one flight, and a woman asked me if I could help her with her carry-on. I said no problem. Then she handed me some crumpled bags and a napkin.

I took them, just because I didn’t know what else to do. Then I looked at myself, and realized that my navy blue vest, white shirt and gray pants looked like a uniform. She thought I was a male flight attendant.

When you fly a lot, you know that almost anything can, and probably will, happen. I don’t mind talking to seatmates at all, but I’ll let them take the lead. Seatmates on a recent flight from Los Angeles to New York City took getting to know their fellow passengers to a whole new level.

I was seated in coach in the window seat. My middle seatmate was an attractive young woman probably in her 20s. About five minutes later, a guy in his 30s sat down in the aisle seat. It was a late evening flight, and everyone looked tired. I got myself situated and just looked over and smiled at them, and then stared out the window.

The woman in the middle dozed off, and in the corner of my eye, it appeared that she was leaning her head against the guy in the aisle seat. He was asleep, too. I figured they were a couple traveling together, and I thought, “How sweet.” But I also thought it was kind of strange that they didn’t talk at all before takeoff.

When the flight crew made an announcement, the two were roused awake and began a very quiet conversation. And then they started to kiss, and they kept on kissing. It was kind of ridiculous, and very uncomfortable, but I wasn’t going to say anything. After all, they seemed to be a couple in love. They finally stopped kissing, and started holding hands.

The plane began its descent, and the female part of the equation turned to the guy and asked him, “Is this your final destination, or are you connecting?” As the brief conversation continued, it was very clear they weren’t a couple. They didn’t even know each other before the flight.

Once the plane landed, the woman was completely uninterested in this guy. She made a swift exit out of our row, and the guy was just left sitting there looking very disappointed.

I just mumbled, “Excuse me,” as I made out my way out of the row. Saying, “Sorry, buddy,” just seemed like rubbing salt in the wound.

By Brian Balthazar, as told to Joan Raymond. E-mail: joan.raymond@nytimes.com.

Article source: http://www.nytimes.com/2013/02/19/business/strangers-on-a-flight-just-taking-a-fling-frequent-flier.html?partner=rss&emc=rss