Dumb random irrelevant questions :)

TheWife

New Member
Ok, here are the random things I wondered about while travelling this last week.

1-What's with the Boeing #'s? Does 707, 737 etc.=length in feet? Size of engine? Something about weight? Is it totally random?

2-We were on a 757, with 6 rows of first class. Why did the economy class start at seat 19? Not that I am complaining, that put us closer to the front then I thought we'd be, but just wondering if there was a reason.

3-Why can't a car seat be in the row directly in front of an exit? I see why it can't be IN the exit row, but what's wrong with in front of it? You'd think you'd want to get infants out as fast as possible?

4-How long does a flight have to be to get food? We were on a 4.5 hour flight and got what they called "snacks" which I thought meant peanuts, but I was grateful to find out that it was a sandwhich, water, chips, and brownie. (Not the BEST tasting thing in the world, but I was hungry). So how many hours would get you a "meal" instead of a snack? I was on a three hour flight once and we only got pretzles, so where does it cross from pretzles to snack?

5-Why are the head phones $5 but then they give them to you for free AFTER the movie? This puzzles me.

6-Why aren't there any changing tables in the bathrooms? Ok, I might not actually want an answer to that question, it's more of a complaint.
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But you have no idea how hard it is to change a 30" baby on a 12" toilet, unless you've had to do it yourself.

Thanks for humoring me.
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>>1-What's with the Boeing #'s? Does 707, 737 etc.=length in feet? Size of engine? Something about weight? Is it totally random?<<

Just model numbers like Version 1.0 2.0 etc.

>>2-We were on a 757, with 6 rows of first class. Why did the economy class start at seat 19? Not that I am complaining, that put us closer to the front then I thought we'd be, but just wondering if there was a reason.<<

Not sure - I have wondered this before and guessed that there could be some reasoning with seats number and exit on certain types of planes.

>>3-Why can't a car seat be in the row directly in front of an exit? I see why it can't be IN the exit row, but what's wrong with in front of it? You'd think you'd want to get infants out as fast as possible?<<

No idea..........

>>4-How long does a flight have to be to get food? We were on a 4.5 hour flight and got what they called "snacks" which I thought meant peanuts, but I was grateful to find out that it was a sandwhich, water, chips, and brownie. (Not the BEST tasting thing in the world, but I was hungry). So how many hours would get you a "meal" instead of a snack? I was on a three hour flight once and we only got pretzles, so where does it cross from pretzles to snack?<<

Depends on the airline but now a days you have to go pretty far. I always take Togo's - and go with a regular, large, family, depending on the length of trip. I hate airplane food, Togo's is much better.

>>5-Why are the head phones $5 but then they give them to you for free AFTER the movie? This puzzles me.<<

Revenue generator - it is pretty cheap IMHO. I do not like watching movies inflight, I get the FA's to babysit me.

>>6-Why aren't there any changing tables in the bathrooms? Ok, I might not actually want an answer to that question, it's more of a complaint.
smile.gif
But you have no idea how hard it is to change a 30" baby on a 12" toilet, unless you've had to do it yourself.<<

Virgin had them in an extra big bathroom, but peope kept breaking them as they used them for alternative reasons on long flights.
 
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I get the FA's to babysit me.


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Geez, I didn't know that was an option... What does it cost?
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2-We were on a 757, with 6 rows of first class. Why did the economy class start at seat 19? Not that I am complaining, that put us closer to the front then I thought we'd be, but just wondering if there was a reason.


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Probably because if they reconfigured first class to all coach, it might actually work out that way, depending on the configuration. There is a higher seat pitch in first class.

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3-Why can't a car seat be in the row directly in front of an exit? I see why it can't be IN the exit row, but what's wrong with in front of it? You'd think you'd want to get infants out as fast as possible?

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Those seats most likely will be thrown forward during an evacuation and if there is a car seat there, it might create a 'node'.

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6-Why aren't there any changing tables in the bathrooms?

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Some do! I dunno which ones though. I think if you ask the flight attendant, she might be able to help. Thanks for not changing him in the cabin because some people do that and then the entire aircraft has to smell poorly digested Gerbers.
 
I can't answer #1 or #2 but here's the answers to the rest:


3-Why can't a car seat be in the row directly in front of an exit? I see why it can't be IN the exit row, but what's wrong with in front of it? You'd think you'd want to get infants out as fast as possible?

A: It has to do with the exit operating procedures, sometimes the standard operating procedure for a window exit requires that exit to be tossed into the row of seats in front or behind it. Basically the rule is there to make sure there are no obstructions to getting that exit out of the way in a hurry. Don't take this the wrong way (I'm a mom too!) but it's that way so that opening the exit won't possible be delayed while a baby is being removed from a car seat. Also the exit will fit better, and not fall off the seat row, if there isn't a bulky car seat there. No car seats in exit rows, or rows directly forward or aft of an exit.


4-How long does a flight have to be to get food? We were on a 4.5 hour flight and got what they called "snacks" which I thought meant peanuts, but I was grateful to find out that it was a sandwhich, water, chips, and brownie. (Not the BEST tasting thing in the world, but I was hungry). So how many hours would get you a "meal" instead of a snack? I was on a three hour flight once and we only got pretzles, so where does it cross from pretzles to snack?

A: These days you're lucky to get anything on any flight. Used to be we served meals in First class on all but the absoulute shortest flights. I remember serving a full dinner between ORD and MSP! Talk about having to hustle! Our rules at AA changed to be meals in First on flights over 2 hours in duration during 'meal' times. Meals in coach were reduced to the 'snack' you had, and for us it was flights over 4 hours during meal times. The only time you'd get a real 'meal' in coach on a domestic flight was if it was a transcon.


5-Why are the head phones $5 but then they give them to you for free AFTER the movie? This puzzles me

A: The airline makes it's headset money for showing the movie, then afterwards sometimes they'll show a TV program (we had CBS Eye on American), and the airlines are actually paid by the network (in our case CBS) to show these programs. It's basically a way for CBS to advertise, and it's a part of the contract between the airline and the network that people be able to watch the TV program for free. Also some airplanes are equipped with audio programming that you plug into at your armrest, and they'll give the free headsets after the movie so people can listen to that.


6-Why aren't there any changing tables in the bathrooms? Ok, I might not actually want an answer to that question, it's more of a complaint. But you have no idea how hard it is to change a 30" baby on a 12" toilet, unless you've had to do it yourself

A: Actually there are a lot of planes out there with changing tables in the lav. A way to tell is often on the lav door there's a generic picture of a lady bent over a table with a baby on it.
 
Ahhh! I feel 2.35 times smarter! SO when there is not a changing table in the bathroom, why isn't there a picture of a lady bending over the toilet?
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Don't take this the wrong way (I'm a mom too!)

[/ QUOTE ] I didn't take it the wrong way! That makes perfect sense, I didn't know that the seats in front and behind of the exit would be affected if the exit was open! (Just wish they had not assigned us to that row first, then moved us after we were all strapped in and settled.)
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[ QUOTE ]
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I get the FA's to babysit me.


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Geez, I didn't know that was an option... What does it cost?
laugh.gif


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FA's seem to love me - one even wanted to take me home (not that way!!!!!!!!!).
 
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