In flight meal?

Well, I expirienced a first on this trip to Chattanooga. I was in Detroit getting ready to board the plane for Chattanooga. I looked at my ticket and saw a good seat, row 1C. Now, I like legroom, which being in row one is a good thing for. So, Legroom, Check! I like to be near the front of the plane. Don't know why really, but I like the front. Generally, Delta keeps the front of the plane for the more frequent fliers, so that's generally a good location to sit in. So, front of the plane, Check! I also like the isle seat. When you're on these small regional planes, the window seat is not what a window seat is in a larger plane. The window is at about the right height for your knee to look out, so you spend so much time hunched over, the neck ache you get by the time you land isn't worth it at all. Plus, with the small plane, the curve of the plane is right on your shoulder in the window seat, so thus, I prefer isle. Isle seat, Check! I'm ready to roll. Zone 1 is called, I get on the plane! This also gives me a chance to do one of my favorite activies: people watching. I see alot of interesting people get on airplanes, and this day was no exception.

As I'm sitting there, a lady comes onto the plane and is immediately stopped by the flight attendant. On the small aircrafts, they are fairly particular about how big of a bag they let in the cabin. This lady had a rather tall box with handles. So, the flight attendant will not let her pass, and tells her that the box will have to go under the plane for the ride from Detroit to Chattanooga. The passenger beings to protest, "No, this cannot go under the plane it needs to ride with me in the cabin. I will just sit it in front of me and the put my feet on it." The flight attendant continues to say that it is against safety regulations (which it is, carry on luggage must fit in the overhead bin, or under the seat in front of you). The pilot hears the commotion from the open cockpit door and steps out the intervene. "Ma'am, what's the issue?" "Well, I have to keep these in the cabin. These are live lobsters." WHAT??? Did I just hear that correctly?? Live lobsters?? Now I've seen people bring their pets in the cabin. Small dogs or cats in a carrier are permitted. Often, for hunting season, dogs will be in a kennel that is checked, and they will ride in the belly of the plane. I've never before seen lobsters. The pilot worked out a deal with her, and she left a happy camper, and her lobsters stayed right at the front of the plane.

I was still trying to make sure I had all that correctly. That's when the seat beside me became occupied. The lady sitting next to the window came on board with her family. A dad, a mom, and two boys. They appeared to be from India. They talked to one another briefly and the English was good, so I figured no problems. That's when the pilot picked up the microphone. "Good evening ladies and gentlement, welcome aboard flight 1111 tonight to Knoxville, Tennessee. The first officer immediately corrected him, and I could see the pilot from my seat look over at him and then dig for a paper to see where they were really going. Meanwhile, the lady beside me starts freaking out. "No, No, No!!!!" She then started muttering something and looking at her family and down at her seat belt and started trying to get it undone, but she was too paniced and flustered to get it undone. I turned to her and said, "Relax, the pilot is just joking around, we're not going to Knoxville." She didn't buy it. She kept trying to figure out how to get off the plane (which would have been easy, the door was still open). The pilot came back on said, "Just messing with ya folks, we're headed down to Chattanooga, tonight." Hahahahaha. That generally happens once per trip, one pilot pulls out that joke. Everyone on board chuckles and thinks, 'Haha, he used the oldest pilot trick in the book'. Well, I'm sure the pilot would have been proud to know that this one time, it actually worked on a passenger! I hope there is more excitment when I head home on Friday!!