Talking to people in Airports

keith16 · 03-12-2013 07:09PM #1

Why do strangers think it's ok talk to others in airports or on an aircraft?

Is it an Irish thing?

Travelling for me is an opportunity to read / podcast / sleep.
I find it a bit cringey tbh. Some clown invariably pipes up with one of the following:

Sitting in the airport bar: "Where ya off to yourself?"

At the gate: "No sign of the feicin plane yet, RYANAIR, WHA?"

On the plane: "What were you /are you doing over in X Y OR Z yourself?"

Getting off the plane: "Back to this crap weather now, WHA?"

In the passport queue: "Jaysis, where's me passport, WHA?"

At the baggage belt: "Where is my baggage?"

On the 16A into town "€2.85, sure over in X Y OR Z the bus driver gives you money getting on"

Walking towards my house: "This is a lovely place, are ya renting or buying?"

Do you talk to other people in the airport? Do you make up elaborate stories in response to strangers' questions?

03-12-2013 07:11PM

has your flight been delayed

billie1b · 03-12-2013 07:11PM

keith16 wrote: »

Why do strangers think it's ok talk to others in airports or on an aircraft?

Is it an Irish thing?

Travelling for me is an opportunity to read / podcast / sleep.
I find it a bit cringey tbh. Some clown invariably pipes up with one of the following:

Sitting in the airport bar: "Where ya off to yourself?"

At the gate: "No sign of the feicin plane yet, RYANAIR, WHA?"

On the plane: "What were you /are you doing over in X Y OR Z yourself?"

Getting off the plane: "Back to this crap weather now, WHA?"

In the passport queue: "Jaysis, where's me passport, WHA?"

At the baggage belt: "Where is my baggage?"

On the 16A into town "€2.85, sure over in X Y OR Z the bus driver gives you money getting on"

Walking towards my house: "This is a lovely place, are ya renting or buying?"

Do you talk to other people in the airport? Do you make up elaborate stories in response to strangers' questions?

You must have made really good friends with them if they are on the 16A with you and walking to your house also ðŸ˜€

Mint Sauce · 03-12-2013 07:12PM

keith16 wrote: »

Why do strangers think it's ok talk to others in airports or on an aircraft?

Is it an Irish thing?

Travelling for me is an opportunity to read / podcast / sleep.
I find it a bit cringey tbh. Some clown invariably pipes up with one of the following:

Sitting in the airport bar: "Where ya off to yourself?"

At the gate: "No sign of the feicin plane yet, RYANAIR, WHA?"

On the plane: "What were you /are you doing over in X Y OR Z yourself?"

Getting off the plane: "Back to this crap weather now, WHA?"

In the passport queue: "Jaysis, where's me passport, WHA?"

At the baggage belt: "Where is my baggage?"

On the 16A into town "€2.85, sure over in X Y OR Z the bus driver gives you money getting on"

Walking towards my house: "This is a lovely place, are ya renting or buying?"

Do you talk to other people in the airport? Do you make up elaborate stories in response to strangers' questions?

They were casing you.

03-12-2013 07:13PM

I love that

Boombastic · 03-12-2013 07:13PM

your house is In the airpirt?

keith16 · 03-12-2013 07:14PM

Deleted User wrote: »

I love that

Please clarify whoopsy, otherwise, I am inferring that you love people following you to your house from the airport :eek:

Mint Aero · 03-12-2013 07:14PM

No but if someone talks to me I go full O'Gorman on their ass and get every minute detail of their lives.

antodeco · 03-12-2013 07:14PM

billie1b wrote: »

You must have made really good friends with them if they are on the 16A with you and walking to your house also ðŸ˜€

I think OP doesn't understand the etiquette of having a boyfriend/girlfriend

Daqster · 03-12-2013 07:15PM

keith16 wrote: »

Why do strangers think it's ok talk to others in airports or on an aircraft?

The nerve of them eh. Being all friendly and shit. Feckin Irish.

03-12-2013 07:17PM

10 years ago some of my friends went to Australia for the usual year out loads of folk do.

While waiting on their flight from Bangkok to oz, there was a guy on his own. One of my friends chatted with him and told him to join the group which he didn't initially but when the flight was delayed he decided he would. Happened that the dude was local enough to us and is now one of our best friends, was at his wedding earlier this year. Through him, we've made a whole new group of friends!

It's good to chat to people, they could be your best friend!

03-12-2013 07:21PM

keith16 wrote: »

Please clarify whoopsy, otherwise, I am inferring that you love people following you to your house from the airport :eek:

I love when people talk in airports, or anywhere really.

Had great chats with a couple of homeless lads earlier this year in a train station in Europe while I was waiting for a friend! They offered me a can of beer first and when I declined tried to insist on buying me a coffee instead. That's deadly like.

keith16 · 03-12-2013 07:21PM

Daqster wrote: »

The nerve of them eh. Being all friendly and shit. Feckin Irish.

I'm not saying "the nerve of them" as such, but it seems ok at the airport, where perhaps, if you did the same thing at a bus stop, people might think you were a bit special?

I guess with air travel, everyone is either stuck in a terminal or on a metal tube hurtling through the air, and perhaps, there is a sense of communal belonging? :cool:

onemorechance · 03-12-2013 07:24PM

Talking to people is a big deal now?

bodhrandude · 03-12-2013 07:25PM

Its kinda like what humans do sometimes though, like, talk to each other :pac:

Daqster · 03-12-2013 07:26PM

onemorechance wrote: »

Talking to people is a big deal now?

Shush.

MadsL · 03-12-2013 07:29PM

They have these fantastic inventions these days. Earbuds. Pop a pair in and pretend to listen to music. No more chatty people.

Unless you are on the LUAS, crying, in which case some weirdo will pull them out and ask if you are alright.

HansHolzel · 03-12-2013 07:35PM

That boring wa*ker Declan what's-his-name in the Sindo once wrote that he always brought a book with a naked woman on the cover with him on the train so no one would talk to him.

yeah.

Boombastic · 03-12-2013 07:42PM

my vote is invalid
I voted yes I do, but I thought the question was 'do you like talking to randomers at airports' so my vote should be the other one

keith16 · 03-12-2013 07:46PM

Boombastic wrote: »

my vote is invalid
I voted yes I do, but I thought the question was 'do you like talking to randomers at airports' so my vote should be the other one

I shall refer this matter to the returning officer.

Thank you.

RayCon · 03-12-2013 07:46PM

Deleted User wrote: »

It's good to chat to people, they could be your best friend!

I checked ... they're not.

03-12-2013 07:47PM

I don't know what the problem is. I love those random chats with complete strangers, it brightens up the day. It's nice to connect with your fellow humanity.

Tasden · 03-12-2013 07:48PM

I'm one of those annoying people that talks to anyone around me, although I do know when to stfu if someone doesn't wanna know

Alun · 03-12-2013 07:53PM

Candie wrote: »

I don't know what the problem is. I love those random chats with complete strangers, it brightens up the day. It's nice to connect with your fellow humanity.

Me too, I really don't get this obsession with cutting yourself off from the rest of the world with earphones or whatever. It's true that there are some odd people out there, but the majority are actually pretty interesting. My last chat with a random stranger was on the Dart with an aul fella that used to fly flying boats for the RAF.

Daqster · 03-12-2013 07:54PM

Selling stuff on adverts you meet some odd-balls, let me tell you. Some sound folk too, but the weird ones really are weird-fcuking-ooos.

I sold something on Adverts last week (was gonna say what but the guy freaked me totally out and I'm actually scared that he could potenially see this post, become angry and wear my skin for Christmas) but when he came in he started saying mad crap to me in a weird low mono-tone voice. Oh it was weird and I just tried to act cool and say yeah, I understood where he was coming from and that but I didn't nobody could.

Had one guy drive all the way from Wexford once to buy modem and he phoned a few times on the way for directions, then got lost near the house and finally when he arrived and this is no word of a lie, I opened the door and before I could say anything he said: "I'm sorry, I've made a mistake, I wanted the silver one not the black one". I hadn't even shown him the thing and I said: "Mate, it is the silver one, hang on I'll get it" and he just jumped on his motorbike and said: "No, I need a silver one"

Yesterday I sold a new sealed CD and the person collected it like it was a kilo of cocaine. No eye contact at all and legged it when I gave it to them. Then have had positive experiences too where bought a concert ticket off someone and ended up going out with them for the night afterwards

One thing I don't like though, is if I am eating alone in a cafe or wherever and someone sits at the same table. Even if the place is packed, I don't like it. Or alone at an event like a play or something as once you have made acquaintances with someone then you feel you have to act different throughout the show.

You know what, I've changed my mind now. Fcuking leave me be!

NeonCookies · 03-12-2013 08:02PM

I dunno...like, I understand the benefits of chatting to someone ie. they could turn out to be your best friend! Only a few weeks ago, someone started chatting to me on the bus to work, and we've hung out a few times since - we're both new in this country so great opportunity to make a friend!

BUT if I'm travelling longer distances, no. I'd prefer to chill out, read my book, watch a movie etc. I think it's just because I've ended up chatting to some weird people in my time that I was so relieved to get away from after 10 minutes, that I'd be very wary of chatting to someone when I know I'll be stuck with them for the next few hours!

03-12-2013 08:05PM

Daqster wrote: »

I opened the door and before I could say anything he said: "I'm sorry, I've made a mistake, I wanted the silver one not the black one". I hadn't even shown him the thing and I said: "Mate, it is the silver one, hang on I'll get it" and he just jumped on his motorbike and said: "No, I need a silver one"

You probably shouldn't have opened the door in your BDSM gear.

Setun · 03-12-2013 08:11PM

I generally enjoy chatting with strangers - anybody I've ever met in an airport has had an interesting story to tell.

I remember once I was flying back to Dublin from the Netherlands, and I got chatting to a lad from Dublin, travelling back on his own too. I ended up sitting beside him on the plane too, he barely stopped chatting away to me the whole time during our ascent but I was enjoying listening to him so I went along with it. Anyways, a while later the air hostess comes around with the trolley and I order a sandwich and tea, and next thing I know the lad pays for my stuff for me. I objected but he turned to me and said "listen, to tell you the truth I'm terrified of flying and chatting away with you has helped keep me calm, so lunch is on me". Nice bloke

taytobreath · 03-12-2013 08:14PM

Daqster wrote: »

Selling stuff on adverts you meet some odd-balls, let me tell you. Some sound folk too, but the weird ones really are weird-fcuking-ooos.

I sold something on Adverts last week (was gonna say what but the guy freaked me totally out and I'm actually scared that he could potenially see this post, become angry and wear my skin for Christmas) but when he came in he started saying mad crap to me in a weird low mono-tone voice. Oh it was weird and I just tried to act cool and say yeah, I understood where he was coming from and that but I didn't nobody could.

Had one guy drive all the way from Wexford once to buy modem and he phoned a few times on the way for directions, then got lost near the house and finally when he arrived and this is no word of a lie, I opened the door and before I could say anything he said: "I'm sorry, I've made a mistake, I wanted the silver one not the black one". I hadn't even shown him the thing and I said: "Mate, it is the silver one, hang on I'll get it" and he just jumped on his motorbike and said: "No, I need a silver one"

Yesterday I sold a new sealed CD and the person collected it like it was a kilo of cocaine. No eye contact at all and legged it when I gave it to them. Then have had positive experiences too where bought a concert ticket off someone and ended up going out with them for the night afterwards

One thing I don't like though, is if I am eating alone in a cafe or wherever and someone sits at the same table. Even if the place is packed, I don't like it. Or alone at an event like a play or something as once you have made acquaintances with someone then you feel you have to act different throughout the show.

You know what, I've changed my mind now. Fcuking leave me be!

you must have a big rapist head on ya:D

srsly78 · 03-12-2013 08:16PM

OP if you wish to avoid travelling with the hoi polloi then it might be best to choose another airline.

Legs.Eleven · 03-12-2013 08:40PM

Plane was delayed here for hours going back to Dublin a few years ago. In the end, we all had to be transferred to another airport an hour away and a load of Irish and a few Polish (who lived in Dublin but had been visiting Madrid) palled up and we'd a great time! Got chatting to a couple who'd been over to get IVF treatment for about the 15th time as they desperately wanted to have kids and Spain has very high success rates in it and I always wonder about them and if that time was successful for them...

Anyway, yes, it's an Irish thing. As soon as the plane was delayed, I expected to getting chatting to someone. When we all formed a "crew", I was reminded what I miss the most about home and long may it last. I really love unexpected conversations with friendly strangers.

Talking to people in Airports

Do you mind randomers talking to you in airports? 193 votes

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