Plane Behaviour

.

The line to get the boarding pass checked was everything but a line: the French expression ‘file Indienne’ should be in relation with the North American Indians. 

Before departure, some people start wondering what all these buttons in their seat separators are for. So they start pushing them, observing carefully what the button will trigger. Some keep on pushing the flight attendant call button way after take off, without realising the sound it makes; the hostess rarely comes to the call. Other people think it is a ‘fasten your seatbelt’ sound and start wondering what is wrong. Some wink at each other as they put the headphones on… to listen to the safety instructions. Many passengers feel compelled to do things they would never do otherwise; like avidly searching for the in-flight magazine or the free newspaper his neighbour managed to get.

Many people look uninterested by the action, but, make no mistake, they too want to benefit from all the in-flight services. They may throw a look at the safety instructions, but they act like it’s not for them, the frequent travellers.

It has always struck me. Contagious behaviour. You eat because everyone is eating, you force yourself to watch the movie that’s making the passenger in front of you laugh.

.