TheMommyBlog

Tuesday, March 09, 2010 QOTD

“Mom, where did you put all the stuff piled in our room when you packed? I need to find something. It’s small and red.”

Monday, March 08, 2010 Momversation

I added what was cut from my footage in a comment:

I know people who cannot fly coach because they have long legs. I can barely fly coach because my knees are always up against the seat in front of me and get crunched when the guy in front drops his seat into my lap. If I could afford business or first class, I would buy tickets there, but as I can’t, I know I have to keep my knees bent and my feet up on something to make room.

I agree with SilverXeno on the standards issue. What didn’t make it into the video was that I believe this issue should not have to come up on the plane, at the gate, or even after the ticket is purchased. There should be guidelines clearly stating seat dimensions on the web site or wherever the purchase is made. If there’s any doubt about being able to sit comfortably in a single seat, then you can have the option of purchasing an upgrade. I think buying two tickets feels… wrong, though I can see the business end of the argument. If you need two chairs, pay for two chairs.

However, there are a few smart business moves/compromises that would attract and retain the “of size” customer base.

1. People could be offered the two seats at the price of a seat-and-a-half. It’s psychologically friendlier, and the difference would be more than covered by the increase/retention in business.

2. If there is an empty seat on a flight, invite passengers to rearrange seating so that the passenger can have two adjacent seats so that they don’t have to be thrown off. If a seat is going unsold, give it up rather than humiliate that passenger in public and destroy travel plans.

3. I’d go so far as to suggest that the airline, when faced with an inadvertent situation like this, offer a $200 certificate to anyone willing to be bumped. That’s just enough money to make it worth someone’s while, and not so much that the airline will miss it. Again, it’s less than the lost business that would result from the negative experience and subsequent treatment in the press.

But that’s just my opinion.

Saturday, March 06, 2010 QOTD

Yesterday, my middle schooler told me he’d watched a South Park Episode called “Eat, Pray, Queef.” At Dad’s house. In my defense.

I kept my hands at ten and two on the wheel and asked, “Do need me to define any of that for you?”

“Um, no.”

“That’s fantastic.”

“Mom, are you okay?”

“We must never speak of this again.”

“Maybe that’s best.”

Friday, March 05, 2010 Me, Me, Me

I had no idea what was up with all the traffic from this baby blog, until I actually read it and realized it’s Jim Halpert and Pam Beesly from the TV show The Office.

Dude, it’s their wedding site, baby site, and video blog all in one. How cool is that? And I’m on the blogroll!