I’m sitting on an American Airlines flight right now as I write this. I’m in first class, which is great, because I have my own power outlet. My last four domestic flights were in coach.
- One of them was on Southwest, which didn’t have seat power at all. (Some offer USB power, but not enough juice for your laptop.)
- One was on Delta, where I had to share power with the person seated next to me.
- Two were on American, where I had to share also.
I always wait until we’re up in the air to plug in. I’m seated at the aisle, and wouldn’t want to impede an exit in the event of an emergency, since the cord stretches from the seat in front of me, and anyone walking into the aisle might trip over it.
You won’t be surprised to learn that my sense of decorum isn’t universally shared, and that on all three Delta and American flights, the person beside me plugged in before I could.
Having to share power in coach has become more of a problem as passengers increasingly rely on their devices – either for inflight entertainment (because American Airlines flights lack screens) or to connect to the world (Delta’s free wifi).
But how about this passenger in first class who seems to need more than one outlet for themselves – and deprives the passenger behind them?
Reached my seat to discover person in 1st row using USB in row 2, best way to approach situation if i need the USB port?
byu/gartoz22 inamericanairlines
Is it any surprise this passenger’s feet are propped up against the bulkhead in front of them, too? I suppose it’s too bad TSA has spent the last 23 years standing for ‘taking scissors away’ because that would be one approach to solve this. A comment responding to this photo makes the simple point,
Unplug, politely state, “Excuse me Sir/Ms., I believe this is yours.” while handing the plug over.
Even having power on planes like on this American Airlines flight is new to part of their fleet. When America West took over US Airways, management actually took power out of planes that offered it because that would reduce weight and save fuel. Several years ago, then-American Airlines CEO Doug Parker suggests he couldn’t remember why the legacy US Airways fleet mostly did not offer seat power (“for.. some reason.. cost, I’m sure”) and said “in retrospect, we should’ve started earlier [installing seat power], we thought we could live with this.
In fact, the CEO of American didn’t want to add seat power. He liked that US Airways customers knew they wouldn’t have it, and had to have their devices charged before they traveled. (Never mind those cross country connections with long delays that outlasted even the best batteries.)
He ultimately changed his mind because customers did not know what to expect when American planes had power but US Airways planes didn’t. He could have removed power (like in the old days after taking over US Airways in the first place) or spread it to the full fleet.
Now, though, we need more than one plug! And coach often doesn’t have even one per passenger.
Everyone who needs USB power from the airplane should carry a USB splitter with them. Personally I always carry a partially charged power bank (fully charged lithium ion batteries are more likely to break down and overheat compared to partially charged ones). I have helped out a fellow passenger before when she was low on cell phone charge, so she could call the people picking her up, as we were taxing to the gate.
No need for a confrontation, destruction of property or a passive aggressive comment. Just discreetly unplug them and leave it hanging in your magazine rack so they are unaware anything changed.
Exactly, I would have simply unplugged it and then hand it to the “Karen” sitting in front of me.
I do NOT miss that bulky power adapter for USAirways & some Continental flights!
Was a shame when Poug Darker took them out of the LUS Airbus fleet…
Obviously unplug it. My high-watt charger has an A and C port. I use it with C to C for my devices. If I were in a shared situation, the other person can use one of the two ports, they get to choose. I have the cables, if you don’t. Or, offer me a similar deal with your charger. Plus, I carry a UK to US plug, which means I may be the only one to have the ability to plug into the “loose” outlet. I can lend you my power bank, but only if you have proven yourself of worth in our preliminary negotiation.
The last time I was in AA bulkhead first class, the flight attendant instructed me to do exactly what the person in the picture did re: USB power because the bulkhead didn’t have a USB port. I didn’t do it, but that was the instruction they gave. Could just be a miscommunication with the Reddit user.
Row 1 does not have USB. Only a universal outlet under the armrest.
OK, just like my dating life, I come up with a better reaction. If you don’t need the USB port, let in slide. If it’s not called out by a FA before, wait until they come to talk to you, and look at them a give the “what the heck” look unplug it, and hope the FA puts them in their place if they say something.
Fold up the center armrest on AA First class. Voila, power outlet! Plug the usb into the plug it came with. I’m sure she didn’t know that’s where the outlet was.
An additional option is to carry a portable charger in you purse or carry on. They are about the size of a deck of cards or smaller and will charge a phone multiple times. I always gave at least 2 in my bag and always offer to share one.
Kamala voted 100%.
Your seat, her choice. I guess.
Would have simply unplugged it (if you needed the port) and reached forward handing it to her saying something like “here you go, I wouldn’t want you forgetting your cord when we eventually deplane.”
But, would probably wait until I had another passenger near me or a FA to witness incident to avoid possibly lurid accusations about reaching forward toward a female passenger.
I’m still perplexed, I only travel by plane maybe once per month, but have always recently had my own USB charger port (even in Economy.) I usually fly Delta because of routing convenience and because their agents usually go out of their way to make situations “right” … even for Economy passengers. Several times recently I had gate agents waive fees for changing my plans. I don’t expect it, but appreciate the airline’s apparent prioritization of garnering goodwill and repeat customers.
Those shoes are sick I gotta say
Yeah I’m just pulling it and not even thinking twice about it
Ok personal experience here, recent trip (3 nights) traveled with multiple charging cables (all hotels have USB outlets) no cube .
On AA first row in economy there’s no USB plugs but there was behind me.
One of the people was not using the fog and I asked them. Hey can I plug it in? All I had in front of me was a regular power outlet on the bottom and the person was like either. They didn’t understand that they were just being unfriendly but they said no.. my seatmate then offered his cube .
For every Karen out there, there is somebody who asks nicely for something that could be given easily and is refused so yeah it’s both ways
AndyS, don’t you mean Trump 100%?
It was your USB she was using. Harris believes that if it’s yours, you decide what to do with it.
What you may not realize that the AC outlets and USB outlets in many of the first class seats are inoperable/broken. I have been on numerous Transatlantic flights on Delta, Air France, British Airways and KLM. I can’t tell you how many times my outlets have not worked, my tv or headphones did not work and I even had a KLM lay flat that was broken. I had to tell them when I wanted the bws laid down and again prior to landing to raise. No in between. So maybe exercise some patience
Caroline: Harris doesn’t actually believe anything. She is devoid of any morals or original thoughts. She is driven solely by ambition and Willie Brown’s D.
@ Buck Fiden — Let me guess, you dropped out of school in 7th grade? Grow up.
Unplug it and throw it back at them brazen ONCE, after that, I’m likely getting arrested.
I always carry a pair of fingernail clippers when I travel. Clip the cable and unplug the plug, replace it with my own. Problem solved….
I would have unplugged, handed the it to her and said I need it. There is an outlet in row one, you just need to connect your cord to a plug. Is is really that hard?
Simple. As soon as you sit down, plug in your cord and tuck it in the pouch in front you. I can’t believe there is even a debate about this
I’m thinking that I would let this slide, but the passenger in front better not recline!
I have found that often these usb ports don’t work. I have resorted to carrying my own when traveling.
Wait, people actually use those USB ports? I never plug my phone into a public data port… Way to easy for bad actors to get access to everything on my phone. I only ever charge using a regular power port + high speed mini charger.
I was just on a UA flight. Newark to San Francisco. I sat in the middle seat. No USB for the middle. Just for the aisle and window. I
This is easy, if it’s your seat unplug it and let it hang.
How about just talking to the person in case you need it?
IF the conversation does not go well then you could make a case about entitlement.
Instead the person sitting behind’s does not even bother to talk to the other passenger but posts about it on reddit instead.
Her feet on the bulkhead wall… disrespectful. This isn’t your house/furniture shown some respect.
lol, I wouldn’t unplug it all the way. I would play cat and mouse and just pull it out just enough to lose the connection.
When eye contact was made, I would just shrug and play innocent and then do it again and again until she thought it was her plug at fault.
One more reason not fly on American.
I would have pulled that cord right out and put mine in.
I’d unplug hers and plug mine in. If/when she finds out and says anything, I’d simply ignore her. Courtesy begets courtesy. If I were her, I would ask the person behind me first. But that’s the courteous thing to do and apparently, she’s not courteous. So she deserves what she gets.
Frequent fliers would always have a fast charging portable travel charger with us anyway, so to me while it would be good for airlines to provide charge points for every seat, I wouldn’t rely on them as the charge speed is super slow anyway.
IF I needed it, “excuse me, I think this is yours.” If I didn’t, then whatever. Between broken or slow charging USBs and the possible security issues, I’d rather avoid airline USBs altogether. I recently purchased a portable travel charger that has USB C and lightning cables hardwired to it- no additional cables needed, plus additional USB ports as well. Best of all, it has 120V plug and International adapters allowing it to be plugged into the regular power port in a secure manner. Usually have some extra cables to share as well.
I believe Delta has standard outlets for each passenger. No sharing 🙂