I always get stuck sitting in between some 600 lb guy who only seems to expand as the flight goes on, and a 91 year old Voodoo witchdoctor performing her "safe flight" spell to the misfortune of one hapless vampire bat.

Movies and magazines go only part ways in easing the boredom of a long flight. The most enjoyable flights are the ones where, by happenstance, you meet someone who shares similar interests. You can then converse, make comments about the movie, and even make plans to see each other later if you have the same final destination. Your interests could be collected the same way online matchmaking is done, simply without the romance factor (or with one, if your desire is to meet a special someone). Seat assignments are then generated with the same algorithm used to match people up. Perhaps you're interested in meeting potential business contacts. Maybe you're looking to hook up with other young hostelers on a flight to Europe. Or maybe you'd just like someone who can talk about opera for three and a half hours. Time that would have gone to waste has the potential to become enjoyable and rewarding.

Obviously, it wouldn't work for everyone - it's highly improbable that everyone on a particular flight could be matched up perfectly. But it would be better than what we have now. And airlines wouldn't have as many irritable travelers to deal with.
-- yef, Jan 21 2001

cf. Fight Club's "Single Serving Friends" http://us.imdb.com/Title?0137523
JACK (V.O): "The people I meet on each flight -- they're single-serving *friends*. Between take-off and landing, we have our time together, then we never see each other again." [jutta, Jan 21 2001]

Airtroductions http://www.airtrodu...nonymous/Login.aspx
A private company is doing it somehow [yef, Jun 04 2006]

Hey, if you don't want the 91 year old witch doctor with the vampire bat, I'll take her; she sounds super amusing.
-- egnor, Jan 21 2001


I'd prefer people who sit quietly and don't pester me while I'm reading, and who keep their kids silent.
-- StarChaser, Jan 21 2001


Me too. Hey, we could sit together on the plane!
-- Lemon, Jan 21 2001


Speaking of screaming kids on planes, well, that's what the overhead compartment is for, right? It'd free up a few seats, too.
-- rachele, Jan 22 2001


The airlines "give a crap" about anything that increases their profits. If this was popular enough that it led travellers to preferentially chose a particular airline, they might do it.
-- egnor, Jan 24 2001


so are human-sized seats NOT popular then?
-- pipp, Apr 19 2001


so, do all the 600+ pounders get seated together or what??

anyway, I'll refrain from voting on the grounds that this is just one *more* reason for every BFCo. to profile me... again. :P
-- absterge, Apr 20 2001


Wow I like this. Combination airline, dating service. Maybe if you enjoyed sitting with one person you could give them a rating and then if you're ever on a plane with them again (and if they liked you too) you'd get to sit to gather again!
-- futurebird, Jul 22 2001


would you rate them with croissants and fishbones? I would.
I like the idea of seating all the large boys and girls together, but it would have to be in the centre of the plane, to guard against veerage in-flight. And toilet visits would have to be carefully choreographed by flight attendants - can't have five fatties moving out into the aisle to let one go to the loo - would cause a major imbalance.
-- lewisgirl, Jul 22 2001


I was just about to bake this, and was thinking of having a club and magazine too. Perhaps a Planemate of the Month.
-- neilp, Jan 12 2004


Speaking of Planemate of the Month, once I was in First Class coming back from London, and this...
-- theircompetitor, Jan 12 2004


Would the ticket price be dependant on the type of seatmate you were seated next to? For example, if you wanted a cheap flight, you could pick "Thinks he will die if he takes a bath" or "Mother with colicky twins". If you had money to burn, you could pay a premium for "sleeps quietly the whole flight" or "cute and single".
-- GenYus, Jan 12 2004


Damn I was just about to post the idea and found yours! +
-- nomadic_wonderer, Feb 01 2004


Some of my favorite people have nothing in common with me, and I really hate a lot of people that are in my peer group.

Still, good idea. bun.
-- epicproblem, Jun 04 2006



random, halfbakery