5 FAQs and How to React
If you made the smart choice and had a car service drop you off at the door of the airport, it could possibly be the only thing that goes right for you on your next flight. You have no control over how many people have decided to take a flight out the same day as you which could put you at the end of a ridiculously long line through security. In the off chance you packed a bottle of cologne in your carry-on that is slightly bigger than their regulations allow, you have to spend a few more minutes letting the TSA agents go through your bag piece by piece. After that, you have to fight the throngs of people as you try your hardest to get to the loading gate on time. Once you’re finally able to load the plane you think your ordeal is over and you can sit back and relax until it’s time to land only to have the world’s chattiest passenger decide to sit next to you. What do you do then?
You don’t have to let an obnoxious passenger ruin your trip, especially if you’re prepared to answer the most frequently asked questions asked by chatty airplane neighbors. We’ve got the most common topics of conversation for you and how you can react to each depending on just how talkative you want to be.
1. Where are you headed?
To be honest, this can be a pretty frustrating question considering the fact the person asking you is on the same flight you are. However, not all flights take you directly to your desired destination. You may have a layover in one city only to hop another plane to get where you’re headed. If you don’t want to engage in a lengthy conversation with the person asking, you can just tell them the city and leave it at that. Otherwise, you can give them a rundown of your flight plan as we mentioned above. This question can be a great ice-breaker for the kind of people that like to meet and talk to new people. So if you are that kind of person, your answer will let them know whether or not you’re down for chit chat.
2. Business or pleasure?
You never know why the person sitting next to you is taking a trip, just as they don’t know why you’re flying out that particular day. While they could be genuinely interested in why you’re flying out, most people want to hear juicy details about upcoming vacations. If you’re not looking to make small talk with the person seated next to you just let them know you’re flying for business. Sometimes it can be seen as a boring topic and they’ll either move on to a different subject or ask you about your line of work; which takes us to the next question.
3. What line of work are you in?
This question is usually the natural follow-up question after someone asks you the reason behind your trip and you’ve answered that it’s for work. You don’t have to tell them anything more than you feel comfortable sharing. You can just give them a vague answer about the general industry you’re in and be done with it. For instance, if you’re an executive in the upper management of a bank, you can just tell them you’re in finance. You can even fib a bit and tell them something completely different if you feel it would deter them from speaking to you further.
4. Are you married?
If you have a visible wedding ring, this can be a pretty difficult question to avoid. If they’re sitting on the side you aren’t wearing your ring, you can just flash it and nod. This question is a very good indicator on whether or not your neighbor intends to keep you engaged in conversation as long as possible.
5. Do you have kids?
If you’ve already made it through the above questions and they’ve shown no signs of stopping, they will more than likely ask you increasingly personal questions. If you’re uncomfortable talking about your family with a complete stranger, just tell them no and leave it at that. If you’ve developed an easy-going rapport with your airplane neighbor, then by all means, feel free to chat about your family. It’s usually harmless and an easy subject that can keep the conversation going.
All of the answers to these questions really just depend on your own level of comfort. If you don’t like the vibe of the person sitting next to you and want to let them know you aren’t interested in any small talk, just put a pair of headphones in your hears, put on an eye mask, and lay your seat back. That should give even the chattiest of airplane neighbors the hint that you’re not up conversation.
Image Credit: freedigitalphotos.net/nitinut
