So I spent the day flying up and down the West Coast. Trying to add a last 4 PQF on United to get an upper tier for 2024 travel. It’s been interesting, flying just to fly. Not headed anywhere particular. Not thinking about baggage. Not thinking about rent cars, Uber or security lines (except Burbank at 5:30 am which I highly recommend).
I've seen a lot of stress today. For me it shows on faces. Grimaces and weariness on what would otherwise seem to be regular people engaged in regular life. I’ve noticed the stress when flying before but never as distinctly as this day. I can’t be certain but perhaps my own travel stress interfered with my ability to discern. Or perhaps I couldn’t notice those in similar stress and just the outliers popped into my vision. Makes sense to me (at least right now it does).
Earlier in the day my fellow passengers seemed to be mostly non-work related travelers, perhaps headed home. Later in the day most passengers seem to be work related travelers maybe headed out to get ahead and start Monday bright and early (I used to do that a lot as well). But most all seemed to have a lot of stress.
Couples are always interesting to watch. I’ve seen couples who sit across the aisle from each other maximizing personal comfort. I’ve seen couple that sit on separate rows (some even on purpose it appears). In particular I notice the older couples.
Typically they seem to be full of anxious and avoidant couple stereotypes. It’s stressful for me to watch because it’s so much like having watched my parents. Just miserable to watch and I’d guess miserable to be in as well. Ugh