Flight Seatmate Profiling

Anyone who has had to travel by airplanes to go somewhere for work or vacation knows how much they fear the screaming kid or the needy passenger that needs to stand up and stretch every fifteen minutes and is sitting at the window seat. Who doesn't get a headache from their fellow passengers? Well, a Dutch airline has decided to introduce a system where passengers can choose who they sit next to based on Facebook and other social network profiling. Considering the last flight I took home from February vacation included a special package of three screaming children and another one who was kicking my seat from behind me, this new system doesn't sound too bad. But, let's be realistic. A profile for flying character? This could include qualities of "cracking my knuckles" or "humming constantly" (Weiner). I think the system could work, except there could be a lack of honesty from those high maintenance passengers that need to ask, talk, and do everything in the squished passenger area of an airplane.

Juli Weiner's "That Seat Is So Taken" is a comic profiling article with an unique structure and ability to make the audience laugh. Weiner starts out with the facts and informs her audience of the what, who and how the Dutch airline KLM is going to introduce this seatmate profiling system. Then, with a sense of humor, makes the ideal profile of who not to sit next to and somewhat mocking the system. With categories of name, birthday, occupation, relationship status, interests, favorite quotes, and views on religion and politics, Weiner puts the most antagonistic qualities on the profile. From a favorite quote of "Sorry, do you mind moving your hand just a bit? I think you're technically touching my side of the armrest," to an interest of "stretching" and an occupation of "Perfume, cologne, and bathroom-spray human test subject," (Weiner), the audience can laugh and relate to past obnoxious and needy seatmates that they have had in the past. Weiner sure did know how to get a chuckle out of her audience when she wrote this one.

Click here to read the article

Source: Weiner, Juli. "That Seat Is So Taken." The New York Times 4 Mar. 2012, Sunday ed., sec. Opinion: n. pag. The New York Times. Web. 4 Mar. 2012.