Remember: Relax, there’s nothing you can do

I was going to call this: You aren’t the only person on the plane but figured I’d take a softer title instead.

On a recent Airtran flight from MDW to ATL we were delayed quite a bit leaving MDW and thus our 40 minute connections quickly became 15 minutes.  I always sit towards the back of the plane to get zone 3 seating so there is space for my overhead.  This also means that short connections get even shorter when the plane is slow to deplane.  The lady the row behind me was very adamant that Airtran needed to make an announcement that people without short connections should remain seated so she could make her flight.  The flight attendants did eventually make this announcement which appeased her, but when everyone began deplaning she got upset.  She didn’t believe that many people would also have such a close connection.  I explained that’s how hub work.  She said that Chicago is a hub too and no one was connecting.  I said MDW isn’t a hub for Airtran and therefore people aren’t usually connecting there because they connect in ATL.

So to my point: every day there are situations out of your control: traffic accidents leading to delays, people not showing up when they say they will, internet downtime.  Sure, they suck.  I hate them too, but there is nothing a passenger can do about a plane delay that will make it any less delayed.  The only thing you can do at that point is exactly what I did: find out the gate your next flight is at and run like the wind to that gate.  That’s it.  The flight attendants can’t get it any faster, the pilots would if they could, but usually either the FAA or airline controls are preventing them from going anywhere.

Breathe in, breathe out, and wait for your window to open.