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Another Flight Home
May. 10th, 2012 03:05 pmI was in DC this past week, from Monday afternoon to late this morning. The training covered the Freedom of Information Act. While it's obviously one of the most powerful tools for transparent government around, it is also the subject of the most boring training classes every put together. The instructors tended to be relatively dynamic, but it's like listening to someone be enthusiastic about wallpapering. The class is just a necessary work evil.
On the flight back, I was seated in the exit row next to a slender, older lady who was likely in her sixties. The flight attendant stopped to ask if we were aware we were in the exit row and whether we agreed to perform exit row duties in the case of an emergency. We both agreed.
After the attendant left, I looked at the exit door to see how it was supposed to be opened and noted the weight of the door was 42 lbs. I then looked at the lady and thought, based on her overall appearance, "I doubt you could heft 42 lbs. so easily."
I wondered if airlines shouldn't be more considerate of who sits in these seats. I can lift 42 lbs with no problem, one of the perks of working out (even at hotel gyms -- see Shameless Comment Whore photo to the left). However, if I were not there, I wondered if this lady could have handled the door on her own. These are choice seats for economy class. You get more leg room, so you can stretch out, which I'm sure is one of the reasons why she sat there.
Luckily, we didn't need to find out. The flight was pretty much routine and unremarkable, which is how I like it. No screaming children, no panicking passengers, no smelly person next to me.
It's good to be home.
On the flight back, I was seated in the exit row next to a slender, older lady who was likely in her sixties. The flight attendant stopped to ask if we were aware we were in the exit row and whether we agreed to perform exit row duties in the case of an emergency. We both agreed.After the attendant left, I looked at the exit door to see how it was supposed to be opened and noted the weight of the door was 42 lbs. I then looked at the lady and thought, based on her overall appearance, "I doubt you could heft 42 lbs. so easily."
I wondered if airlines shouldn't be more considerate of who sits in these seats. I can lift 42 lbs with no problem, one of the perks of working out (even at hotel gyms -- see Shameless Comment Whore photo to the left). However, if I were not there, I wondered if this lady could have handled the door on her own. These are choice seats for economy class. You get more leg room, so you can stretch out, which I'm sure is one of the reasons why she sat there.
Luckily, we didn't need to find out. The flight was pretty much routine and unremarkable, which is how I like it. No screaming children, no panicking passengers, no smelly person next to me.
It's good to be home.
