Pearls Before Swine by Stephan Pastis for December 23, 2016

That’s why Rat flies coach — to make the miserable even more so.

But the guy in front of you? He’s the evil one.

Better be careful, Rat — you’re light enough that the guy behind you can shove your backrest forward, creating a rat sandwich.

:

For that matter, you’re small enough that he can pick you up, stuff you into the airplane toilet, and flush, sending you into a screaming free-fall to the ground.

I’m not, and it’s one of the many reasons I prefer high speed trains over planes.

I hate to say it, but Rat may have a point there.

Rat being Rat again….

And they don’t come any “stranger” than this crew!

Maybe I want to screw over my fellow woman!

I think the airlines should fix the seats so that as they recline they elevate so the person is smashed against the ceiling of the plane. That way everybody is uncomfortable. In this era of “fairness” it would only be fair.

Tragedy of the commons, people. When I first flew cross-country in 1970 it was about $200. Wider seats, free baggage, meals, airlines competed on service. But people wanted cheap flights. Inflation since then has been about six-fold. So you can have the same level of comfort for $1200. Business class. You can still fly for $200, but you gave away all your comfort for it. The solution is to let airlines return to 1970’s levels of service and give the ones who do all the prime routes. You want JFK-SFO in the daytime? Pay the fare. Otherwise we have a nice 2 AM Utica to Stockton trip for you.

Choir loft wardrobe out the wazoo, huh, Stefan? How symbolic.

I don’t seem to be able to embed the strip from exactly 9 years ago. Same date, same subject.

http://www.gocomics.com/pearlsbeforeswine/2007/12/23

All the easier to garrote them, my dear.

Here’s a trick. Right after takeoff, lower your tray table and wedge the In-Flight Magazine between the tray-table arm and the reclining mechanism for the seat in front of you. That prevents the person in front from reclining.

Does it ever seem like Rat could possibly be Stephan’s doppelgänger.

If everyone reclines, then nothing changes.

Wow. Really? We never expected that from you, Rat. What a shocker!

xxx

All this jibber jabber, the great recline issue is only a concern for 6’6" and higher giants. I fly SWA and never have had a problem. If your that large take a train or pay the fare for business class.

I think I’m gonna challenge Rat’s Theory of Zero-Sum Happiness.

One’s happiness should not, does not, require someone else’s sorrow….

I’ve had folks do that to me. Tried reclining in an airline seat once, my seat went back maybe an inch or two. Yet the guy next two me seemed to be able to go back a foot. Guess my seat was busted.

Olongapojoe, that is just not true. I’m a woman 5’7". On the thinner side, and I have had several flights made totally miserable by people who reclined their seats all the way. After a Baltimore to Rio di Janeiro flight, My back was so bad for the next week that I had to walk like Groucho Marx!

Horribly inconsiderate thing to do!

It should be legal to punch anyone who reclines an airplane seat.

Recline your seat far enough and you’re just asking to get honey-roasted peanuts shoved in your nose.