Tied to a Chair and Forced to Watch Advertisements

[TromboneAl]

I admit I have a low tolerance for commercials, but I usually can find a way to avoid them.

Recently, a major corporation strapped me to an uncomfortable chair. Had I tried to get loose, I would have been arrested.

Next, the company put a video screen less than two feet in front of me and played advertisements. The audio was very loud, and I had no way to turn it down.

Sound like something from a thriller novel? No, it really happened.

The name of the corporation: United Airlines.

The ads play at the beginning of the flight, while the seatbelt sign is on.

 

[braumeister]

OTOH, United Airlines is serving as an outstanding example to other companies about what not to do in terms of public relations.

Anyway, look on the bright side: they could have chosen you at random and dragged you off the plane.

 

[bUU]

Airline travel is a voluntary activity.

 

[MRG]

Worse yet they confiscate anything that can be used to dismantle said device.

 

[LOL!]

Ha! I turn off the LCD on United flights and it only comes on during the safety blurb. I suppose yours malfunctioned somehow. Of course, my seatmates still have their displays on.

 

[aja8888]

I gave up flying after 35 years of constant business travel. Now we drive leisurely and also don't care to visit international destinations anymore.

Right now we are in Santa Clara, CA and drove there from beautiful Texas. No annoying commercials in the car. No Comcast either!! (double win).

 

[REWahoo]

Right now we are in Santa Clara, CA and drove there from beautiful Texas. No annoying commercials in the car. No Comcast either!! (double win).

You get that system up and running to power the O2 generator in the car?

 

[harley]

I'm leaving for Chicago in a few hours on United. Thanks for reminding me to take my Stealth Mini Remote. Hopefully it will control the little screen as well as it's done every TV I've ever used it on.

 

[Chuckanut]

I think these guys are the same crowd who put multiple TVs in to various bars and lounges playing all sorts of different sports games and such. They turn them up so as to make conversation with the person across the table difficult until people are shouting at each other. There is a special place in Heck for these people.

 

[sengsational]

I doubt it will work Har, but let us know if it does.

The best you can do is use over-the-ear headphones, and blast your own audio to mask whatever they're blasting at you.

 

[MichaelB]

I'm leaving for Chicago in a few hours on United. Thanks for reminding me to take my Stealth Mini Remote. Hopefully it will control the little screen as well as it's done every TV I've ever used it on.

You’re leaving sunny Florida for sub-zero Chicago? Most people go the other way.

 

[Car-Guy]

That's another good reason I'll add to my personal "no fly list"

 

[MRG]

I'm leaving for Chicago in a few hours on United. Thanks for reminding me to take my Stealth Mini Remote. Hopefully it will control the little screen as well as it's done every TV I've ever used it on.

You allowed to carry that on? Might confuse security.

 

[JoeWras]

I was on that flight and happened to capture the whole thing. It was pretty brutal for Al:

 

[omni550]

I'm leaving for Chicago in a few hours on United. Thanks for reminding me to take my Stealth Mini Remote. Hopefully it will control the little screen as well as it's done every TV I've ever used it on.

Harley, it's in the mid 70s and sunny here...what are you thinking?


----

Is this the one? Heck, looks like a fun key ring attachment...especially for overly-loud resstaurants/bars.

https://www.amazon.com/Stealth-Television-Remote-color-white/dp/B000P631PU


omni

 

[Alan]

Right now we are in Santa Clara, CA and drove there from beautiful Texas. No annoying commercials in the car. No Comcast either!! (double win).

What a coincidence, we drove to Edinburgh to meet up with my wife’s nephew and his wife from Santa Clara who are visiting their parents over the holidays. I’m sure they will enjoy the weather when they get back January 10th although they do seem to be enjoying the Scottish winter snow at present.

 

[Another Reader]

I gave up flying after 35 years of constant business travel. Now we drive leisurely and also don't care to visit international destinations anymore.

Right now we are in Santa Clara, CA and drove there from beautiful Texas. No annoying commercials in the car. No Comcast either!! (double win).

The air quality here today might compete with the worst days in Dallas or Houston. And when you drive home, you will likely enjoy the tule fog on I-5. Go the pretty way on 101 if you can take the extra time. Much better than the TSA and the air quality at 35,000 feet...

 

[harley]

You’re leaving sunny Florida for sub-zero Chicago? Most people go the other way.

Harley, it's in the mid 70s and sunny here...what are you thinking?

My nephew is getting married Sunday evening, in Chicago. We offered to give them all the money that we are spending to get there as a wedding present, if they preferred that to us coming. They said they wanted us there. It sucks to be so well loved.

Is this the one? Heck, looks like a fun key ring attachment...especially for overly-loud resstaurants/bars.

https://www.amazon.com/Stealth-Television-Remote-color-white/dp/B000P631PU

You allowed to carry that on? Might confuse security.

Yes, that's the one. It's pretty tiny, so I doubt they'll confiscate it. I've never used it a bar, but I use it all the time at doctor's offices. I'll let you know if it works on the airline screen. Mine's pretty old, so the stored TV codes might be getting out of date. Still, worth a try.

 

[braumeister]

I use it all the time at doctor's offices.

Priceless!
I just put one on my Amazon list. Thanks for the idea.

 

[CaptTom]

I don't think the seat-back displays have a receiver for a remote. It would be nice!

Mine usually is the only one around me that doesn't work - the sound or picture (never both) always seems to be failing, but only at my seat.

You'll never find me flying United again. This is from personal experience; the news stories about them only strengthen my conviction. If the only direct flight available were on United, I'd find a different airport.

 

[TromboneAl]

We have to go back to Denver in August for my daughter's wedding, and I'm looking for some alternative way to get there. Tried the train (too slow and boring) and driving (same).

Maybe we'll go first class.

This recent trip home was so unpleasant, even though nothing went wrong, that I don't understand how anyone can enjoy air travel. Of course, I was recovering from the flu.

Pretty sure the seat reclined by less than an inch.

 

[LOL!]

You probably just need to desensitize yourself by flying more often, say once every 2 weeks.

 

[HFWR]

If you don’t watch the video, you won’t know how to survive the crash...

 

[GalaxyBoy]

We mute all commercials on TV. When I was working, people would say, "have you seen the commercial where ..." I'd be clueless.

One movie theater in my former city of residence did't play commercials before the show. When we went to the movies, we drove extra miles to go there for that reason. Last time I went to the movies in my current city, they repeated commercials just like they do on TV these days.

 

[Sunset]

We have to go back to Denver in August for my daughter's wedding, and I'm looking for some alternative way to get there. Tried the train (too slow and boring) and driving (same).

Maybe we'll go first class.

This recent trip home was so unpleasant, even though nothing went wrong, that I don't understand how anyone can enjoy air travel. Of course, I was recovering from the flu.

Pretty sure the seat reclined by less than an inch.

I think Nobody enjoys air travel these days.
Even if you have a pass to wisk past security, you still have to follow a lot of rules to pack and show ID. Then you wait and wait until allowed on the plane, but if you are first on the plane, you get to sit and wait while all the poor slobs go past, nearly hitting you with luggage.
Finally the door closes, and now you realize you are in a germ factory, and maybe some nut-case slipped past security (or is the pilot) and you are in a metal coffin...

How about a sleeper car for a train trip. ?
We are going to try it from NY to Chicago overnight, costs about the same as flying cheap.