Selfies in the cockpit

OMG. That one truly takes the biscuit.

Kathy, I think she just sneaked in.

I actually took a picture of her taking selfies. I was in the middle of people with more limited English, but we all a good chuckle together…. A little passenger bonding. Ha!

As long as she didn’t try to fly the plane, I guess it was ok.

Flew Atlanta to Rome yesterday. Collected an airline passenger story... will be in a trip report in the next few weeks.

LOL! People are bizarre. She clearly doesn’t fly much as she violated protocol.

She clearly doesn’t fly much...

Or maybe she does, and is just one of those people (and there seem to be more every day) who think the world revolves around them and to &*%% with the rules. Sorry, it's my one a day brand vent.

I’m sorry, but I thought cockpits were supposed to be closed and locked these days!?!?

But she use a selfie stick? Never mind .....

In the US they should be closed and locked when the boarding door is closed. If the plane is still boarding it can be open. I often see pilots take children in there and show them around. If she held up boarding and the crew did nothing about this then they need to learn how to do their job and a complaint to Croatia might be inline.

But I am not surprised... there's a Delta facebook group with people who think that EVERYONE wants to see selfies of them with the pilot or on the plane etc as if it's a "new and exciting" experience LOL!

Oh my word...speechless! I hope it was a short flight and that you did not have to let her out again!

I was on a crowded (aren't they all) budget airline last week and was astounded as my seat mate walked up with two large stuffed animals, which she could not fit in the overhead bin (they weren't that large, it was just full). She proceeded to sleep on one of them, so it wasn't that bad, but jeeezzzz. But let's just say this airline was a little lax about getting your personal item all the way under the seat in front of you.

TTM, that was almost worth the price of the flight! Thanks for the morning giggle.

Sounds like Hyacinth Bucket taking photos to show at her Candlelight Supper.

Well I know full well that TexasTravelmom has adventures but g'grief girl! And you let her back in her seat???

I don't fly much but I'd have been tempted to point to her seat to your other seatmate and shove over one space. Then special girl could have the thrill of the aisle for a while

Lol, Carol, I will count myself lucky! Ha!

Ok, Dave, I am going to be waiting for this. And we all know you tell the best stories!

Tammy and TC, I am going to guess she doesn’t fly much and it was a grand adventure (for her). We WERE headed to Paris, so maybe she thought she was documenting the start of a big trip. There were several tell-tale signs she had no idea about flying.

Lyndash, no idea on protocol in other countries on small planes - but everyone around me thought it was a bit odd, also.

Ok, Pam, how did you know she also needed to get up for the bathroom on a 2 hr flight? LOL!

Mr. É, nary a selfie stick in sight! She did fine without one……

valadelphia, that sounds a little like coming home from Orlando!

Carol, she definitely held up boarding - but that was with her taking so much time to put stuff in the overhead bin……

Trotter, it was pretty good. The lady next to me (who spoke little English) and I had a good laugh together several times.

Ok, Lindy, now I am going to have to go look that up!

Now, Nigel, you don’t think I was going to move my seatmate to the window and me to the middle, do you? Ha! Although I COULD have taken the window…….

So a lady in her 60’s, with little experience flying, perhaps even on her first flight, was so excited about her trip that she wanted to document it? Good for her! Good for her for flying solo when it was clear she hadn’t flown often yet. Good for her for being excited about her trip to Paris!

If she had broken any rules, the pilots or other crew members surely would have said something and send her back to her seat. But they didn’t, so perhaps they too enjoyed seeing someone feeling excited about their flight.

Well, sorry if I came across as critical. Humor was my intent.

But the truth is that we all encounter situations where someone is individually doing something that is outside the norm of a group situation and not terribly convenient for others. When that happens, my initial reaction is to start making up scenarios to explain it. First trip to Paris (no idea what her destination was); doesn’t travel much (for all I know she travels all the time and has a collection of cockpit selfies); in her 60’s (just a guess - I am, too); crew didn’t mind (no idea - maybe they were irritated and just didn’t tell me); etc.

I always prefer to relax and find the humor in situations. Sometimes that turns a mundane irritation into a fun travel experience. She made that a memorable, not-boring flight for me. I love traveling, people, and the travel stories mixing the two creates - and thought I would share this one. :) It was a new one for me.

Another possibility: maybe she wanted to take photos when boarding but had been instructed by the crew to sit, wait, and come forward when the doors had closed. That would explain why she was moving into and out of a window seat. So sweet.

It reminds me of years ago when the passenger next to me, a large lady with tons of carryon, was bringing a
year's supply of food from her country for her US based kids and grandkids. Another sweet nana.

For me, these moments are the joys of travel.

I love this, Bets! Also it is the most logical explanation on timing.

And Mr. É, yes. :) No one wants to hear about me on my first airplane flight ever when I was 20 and moving internationally. But I sure hope I made a few people laugh with my process…..It’s a similar story.

Many years ago I flew from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur. The captain ended his standard welcome talk with the following unexpected words; “It’s going to be a long flight, so I suggest you get to know your neighbor ”.
It was great to see how his words had an immediate effect on all passengers. Passengers turned their heads to look at their neighbors, introduced themselves and engaged in a conversation. Ever since I took that flight, I always try to talk to the people sitting next to me. Over the years, it has lead to some great conversations.

My point with this is that she might have a special reason to want to have a selfie. A special reason that could have lead to an even funnier story had you asked her.

Agreed, Dutch_traveler - a missed opportunity!

A fews months back @Eric made a profound comment on another thread:

As the old saying goes, when the wind changes, it's easiest to just adjust one's sails.

That image of sails and winds comes up in a lot a lot of poetry. Here's one:

Tis The Set Of The Sail -- Or -- One Ship Sails East

by Ella Wheeler Wilcox

But to every mind there openeth,
A way, and way, and away,
A high soul climbs the highway,
And the low soul gropes the low,
And in between on the misty flats,
The rest drift to and fro.

But to every man there openeth,
A high way and a low,
And every mind decideth,
The way his soul shall go.

One ship sails East,
And another West,
By the self-same winds that blow,
'Tis the set of the sails
And not the gales,
That tells the way we go.

Like the winds of the sea
Are the waves of time,
As we journey along through life,
'Tis the set of the soul,
That determines the goal,
And not the calm or the strife.

avirosemail, thank you for that. Nice to find this morning.

I've been an airline captain for 25 years. I allow passengers to come up and take pictures if they are polite about it. If it's with their kids I'll let the kids have the seat while the parent take pictures. I just say "don't touch anything red." Usually gets a chuckle.

But you have to do this well before departure time. If you ask as we're closing the door I tell people to come back up after the flight. Some people want the pilots in the picture, some don't. Just let me know ahead of time if I look foolish as we often undo shirt collars and ties enroute!

that's a good service, Scott. I remember when I got my "wings" at about 8 years old on B.O.A.C.

LOL, Scott, that made me both smile and laugh. I should be so lucky as to be on one of your flights some day. :)