Standard class and working on a laptop in airline seating.

[47271]

In my experience it isn't the worker on their laptop who tries to claim more than their fair share of the table it is the person or couple who treat it as their dining table, with food, drink, newspapers and magazines spread all over the place.

Not quite as bad as the clowns who think it is OK to put their luggage under the table in the space where my legs and feet should be.

Exactly, selfish and inconsiderate passengers come in many different guises. Some of them are business laptop users. Some of them are laptop users watching TV.

 

[trebor79]

In my experience it isn't the worker on their laptop who tries to claim more than their fair share of the table it is the person or couple who treat it as their dining table, with food, drink, newspapers and magazines spread all over the place.

Not quite as bad as the clowns who think it is OK to put their luggage under the table in the space where my legs and feet should be.

Or the clown that stretches his legs right out under the your seat instant you get up to go to the toilet, and pretends not to notice your return.
Last time that happened, despite me saying "excuse me" upon my return, I just got back into my seat and clobbered his shins with the heel of my shoe. He shifted them then!

Travelling on the GEML I make a beeline for standard class table if I need to work. I actively avoid first class because the tables are too far from the seat and the seats too reclined to make for a comfortable working posture.
I've not found a seat back table yet that is usable with a laptop, usually unable to open the screen far enough due to the slope of the seat back. Might try it on the Stadlers when I'm out and about again in the week.

 

[AM9]

In my experience it isn't the worker on their laptop who tries to claim more than their fair share of the table it is the person or couple who treat it as their dining table, with food, drink, newspapers and magazines spread all over the place.

Not quite as bad as the clowns who think it is OK to put their luggage under the table in the space where my legs and feet should be.

Either way, if I sit in an empty seat at a table on which an existing passenger is taking more than a reasonable amount of the space, I ask them politely to reduce their spread and allow me to use that in front of my seat. If they fail to do so I am usually prepared to place my table-top items over those of theirs that are using my space. It has never failed and they are usually too embarrassed to do more than tut and glare.

 

[edwin_m]

Either way, if I sit in an empty seat at a table on which an existing passenger is taking more than a reasonable amount of the space, I ask them politely to reduce their spread and allow me to use that in front of my seat. If they fail to do so I am usually prepared to place my table-top items over those of theirs that are using my space. It has never failed and they are usually too embarrassed to do more than tut and glare.

I did try to sit at a table a few years ago occupied by one such person who spouted various obscenities and shortly after got on the phone to his soon-to-be-ex wife threatening here with all sorts of unpleasant fates. I decided discretion was the better part of valour in that instance.

 

[Mikey C]

These issues over tables are one of the main reason why many people prefer airline seats

Not so good for work and large laptops perhaps, but no foot tennis, no arguments over space etc

 

[Bletchleyite]

I'm quite a fan of those folding tables where each passenger has their own folding bit - not only do they allow you to choose "table over space" or vice versa and ease access to the window seat (for which reason VTWC have them on the priority table seats), but they also clearly delimit each person's quarter of the table without being quite as obvious as drawing lines on it.

 

[Grumpy Git]

Yesterday on a completly crammed 350/2 the bloke sat opposite me had his rucksack between his feet for the whole journey (3+ hours). He put a bunch of flowers in the rack but for some obscure reason wouldn't do the same with his "luggage", despite never needing to use it?

Last time on a 2+2 350 I sat in a table aisle seat. The opposite passenger had his laptop open and completely on "my side" of the table for the full journey. Fortunately I was only reading a paper, but it still didn't stop him opening his screen to the extent of actually overlapping beyond "my side" of the table. Some people are simply rude, I nearly said something, but bit my lip (for a change).

 

[Peter Mugridge]

Lucky them - had they been understood, it would have been by a competitor, then able to do them down...

I am reminded of http://worldwar2headquarters.com/HTML/posters/british/careless-talk.html - which some people using mobiles need to remember

I think I can see @tellytype chuckling to himself at this, and he could probably tell you that it's not a good idea to assume that if you're sitting in front of a deaf person that they won't understand what you're saying if your voice matches exactly one of the good frequencies for the deaf person's ears...

 

[Bletchleyite]

Yesterday on a completly crammed 350/2 the bloke sat opposite me had his rucksack between his feet for the whole journey (3+ hours). He put a bunch of flowers in the rack but for some obscure reason wouldn't do the same with his "luggage", despite never needing to use it?

He's entitled to put it by his feet if he wants. Though it does grate when people do it and it takes up more than their half of the floor space. 350/2 bay seats are very generously spaced (except the bays by First Class and I think one by the bog) so the "interlocking knees and feet" thing needn't happen even with tall people.

 

[noddingdonkey]

Standard seats are there for passengers to travel. Until all trains that the stock in question runs as have adequate seating for current and some expected growth, acheive that capacity should take priority above acommodation dedicated to specific purposes. Providing enhanced facilities for no additional fare for one privileged group should not be at the cost to others.

The railway industry advertises the ability to work during the journey as a benefit of train travel over driving. You can't have it both ways.