Episode 58

Tips when Flying from Dan Markussen

About BizCast Greater La Crosse

We bring you news from the business community. From startups to experienced problem solvers, you’ll get in-depth insight on the challenges and opportunities of doing business in Greater La Crosse. Our show is a collaboration between WIZMNews.com and BizNews Greater La Crosse ( GreaterLaCrosse.media ).

Summary

Think of this podcast as not being that person on a flight – the one unknowingly committing a faux pas. Instead, you’ll be the other person – the one who seems like they’ve traveled a million miles and know their way around the airport and an airplane. This week’s guest is Dan Markussen. He is that other guy. His job with Chart Industries in La Crosse has taken him more than a million miles. He knows where to park, how to sweet talk a flight attendant, and how to give the social cues you would rather not talk. A business trip or leisure will never be the same for you again.

Full Transcript [generated by AI]

[00:00:00] Dan Markussen: Look at what others are doing. They’ve probably asked the security person that’s standing there. Do I need to remove my belt? 

[00:00:08] Vicki Markussen: Welcome to BizCast, Greater La Crosse. I am your host and founder, Vicki Markussen. We’re bringing you news out of the business community. And today we have an unusual guest. It is my husband, Dan Markussen. So full background here. I literally, it’s been less than 24 hours. Since you got home, where were you?

[00:00:28] Dan Markussen: I was in Europe. 

[00:00:29] Vicki Markussen: This is a podcast about airplane etiquette and you were in Europe. You’ve traveled, you’re more than a million miler. You’re a frequent flyer. Yes. And so how this. podcast idea started was we were talking about, he said, Oh, I sat next to that guy. And I’m like, Okay, well, who is that guy?

[00:00:53] Vicki Markussen: And you said, the guy who leaves the window open, and I go, How do you know that? How is anyone supposed to know that? He’s like, you fly a lot. So I said, a great podcast would be for the people like me who maybe go to a conference once a year, maybe a leisurely travel. for a second flight a year and you go a lot is the shortest explanation.

[00:01:16] Vicki Markussen: So the idea is that you’re going to tell people how to be more conscientious flyers for the people that are traveling either leisurely or for business. Okay. So let me, let’s go. Let me pause because people are probably going, why do you travel so much? And usually it’s to Europe and Asia. And so why do you travel so much?

[00:01:37] Dan Markussen: My job takes me to these places. 

[00:01:38] Dan Markussen: I’m the commercial director for Chart Industries, one of our product lines. 

[00:01:43] Vicki Markussen: And Chart. Is a La Crosse based company. Well, at least has a La Crosse plant. 

[00:01:48] Dan Markussen: Correct. 

[00:01:49] Vicki Markussen: And the La Crosse plant does what? 

[00:01:51] Dan Markussen: We manufacture at our La Crosse facility brazed aluminum heat exchangers.

[00:01:56] Vicki Markussen: And it’s a spinoff. I’m going to tell some of the story just because I know it. So it’s a spinoff of train from the 80s. Heat Exchanger was an element, is an element of their chillers. There’s a whole other product, many product lines based off of the heat exchanger and so Chart, which has, is it still 450ish employees?

[00:02:16] Dan Markussen: Somewhere in there. Yes. 

[00:02:17] Vicki Markussen: Losey Boulevard by the McDonald’s there on Ward Avenue and Losey Boulevard. So Dan travels a lot. I obviously see it. And so what I told him I would do, cause he’s a little jet lagged and grumpy, is just start with walking up to the counter.

[00:02:37] Vicki Markussen: First of all, now there’s the love, it’s not even new, the kiosks. What’s your take on the kiosks? Are you a kiosk person? Are you a wait for the counter person? 

[00:02:46] Dan Markussen: First of all, in case this, the guy that I sat next to in the plane is listening to this. 

[00:02:53] Vicki Markussen: Because I have such a global audience. 

[00:02:56] Dan Markussen: He lives in Minneapolis, or St.

[00:02:57] Dan Markussen: Paul. He was a super nice guy and we had a great conversation, so we just had this open window shade that was a beacon in the whole area of the plane. So anyways, we eventually got it closed, but yeah, I was just making that remark to you. 

[00:03:15] Vicki Markussen: Got it. 

[00:03:15] Dan Markussen: Yeah. 

[00:03:16] Vicki Markussen: So no, no comment to his personality, just it was a airplane faux pas.

[00:03:21] Dan Markussen: I think he just wasn’t aware of it. 

[00:03:24] Vicki Markussen: And that was my point. How do people know this stuff? Okay, so let’s start with walking in and kiosk, counter. What are your thoughts? 

[00:03:35] Dan Markussen: First of all, try to avoid it. Use get the airline app. Try to check in on the airline app. Try to, I try to pack bags just to finish this trip to Europe.

[00:03:47] Dan Markussen: And I know a lot of people can’t do this, especially. You. 

[00:03:52] Vicki Markussen: My shoes alone are the size of your suitcase. But 

[00:03:56] Dan Markussen: I back to Europe and a carry on bag and a backpack with my work stuff in it and that’s it for that was gone for almost two weeks. So I try to pack as compact as I can and avoid the counters. It allows the traveler to be able to Move freely in case there are things that happen during your journey.

[00:04:19] Dan Markussen: In other words, you check in, There’s, you get to your gate, there’s a mechanical problem, you check your bag you’re stuck to that plane versus if it’s delayed and you want to move to another plane, you can easily do that when you’re carrying your own bags. Just a little more freedom and the ease of being able to go whatever.

[00:04:44] Vicki Markussen: Flexible. 

[00:04:44] Dan Markussen: You’re flexible. Be more flexible. 

[00:04:46] Vicki Markussen: Yeah. But. Sorry, 

[00:04:48] Dan Markussen: that was 

[00:04:49] Vicki Markussen: jet lag. Jet lag jabber. The people like me who bring you down and I have to check my bag, so first of all, there’s multiple lines. 

[00:05:02] Dan Markussen: Yeah. 

[00:05:03] Vicki Markussen: How do you know which line to go in? 

[00:05:08] Dan Markussen: Just look at the signs. 

[00:05:10] Vicki Markussen: Read. 

[00:05:11] Dan Markussen: Look, here’s the thing. Airports, especially for people that don’t travel very much, can be stressful.

[00:05:17] Dan Markussen: People are doing their, you know, their minds are, into what’s in front of them and not really paying attention to what’s around them. So just be, just be aware. Look for the signs. If you don’t know, ask. Just get in the right line. Myself as a frequent traveler and, person that has the status to go to the special line, we want, you’re 

[00:05:37] Vicki Markussen: a special line person, we 

[00:05:38] Dan Markussen: want our special line.

[00:05:42] Dan Markussen: No, but seriously it’s fairly self evident if you just look at the signs and if you don’t know, ask somebody. But yeah. 

[00:05:50] Vicki Markussen: Okay, so then the next stopping point is security. What’s some of the etiquette with security? 

[00:05:59] Dan Markussen: I guess first thing is a tip if you can, if you, even if you only travel a couple times a year, a few times a year, I’d recommend getting a TSA pre check.

[00:06:10] Dan Markussen: That’s a, you’re allowed to, that line is going to move a little faster than the regular line. I use clear, which is another line that, that, that prevents me from having to present a ID at the at the security point. All I need is my boarding pass. So essentially when I walk up, all I have to do is have my app open with my boarding pass on it.

[00:06:33] Dan Markussen: And I’m done. my eyes open because it’s an eye scan and you just they just do your eye scan and you go straight through and not only that then you go to a separate security line where the rules are a little bit different where you can you’re not You don’t have to take out your computer. You don’t have to empty your bags.

[00:06:54] Dan Markussen: You can wear a jacket through the security. But if you’re in the line you’re getting up to the security point and you get past the ID area, whether you’re in the clear line or not just start preparing yourself for. Getting through the security part, where you’re, Emptying your pockets you’ve some airports are different than others some require shoes off, some require belts off.

[00:07:19] Dan Markussen: Look ahead of you in line, see what people are doing. Try to notice that. Again, it’s just being aware of stuff. Look at what others are doing. They’ve probably asked the security person that’s standing there. Do I need to remove my belt? Do I need to remove my shoes? All that kind of stuff. Get all the stuff out of your pockets.

[00:07:36] Dan Markussen: People are always forgetting their phones. All this, all of these little things just add up to, holding people up. And again, it’s It can be a stressful place. People aren’t traveling a lot. People get stressed out and worried that they’re not getting through fast enough, and you see this all the time.

[00:07:52] Dan Markussen: The other thing, the other tip I, I look at, I look for when I’m going through the security lines. If you have your option of which line, there’s multiple lines in different lanes. I choose the lane without. Kids in it. He’s just 

[00:08:06] Vicki Markussen: being candid. 

[00:08:08] Dan Markussen: Sorry if you’re traveling with kids, Vicki and I traveled with kids in our day.

[00:08:13] Dan Markussen: We were those, we are that family from time to time, but if you’re traveling on your own as a couple and you’ve got kids, it’s just naturally you just kind of, it takes a little longer. 

[00:08:24] Vicki Markussen: Yeah. 

[00:08:24] Dan Markussen: Yeah. So anyways, that’s all just kind of stuff to get through smoothly and just be ready to get Your things outta have your things outta your pockets.

[00:08:32] Dan Markussen: I like to have as soon as I get to the airport and park my car, I put my keys in my, my, my backpack. Your carry on. I have a little hook in my backpack that I can put my keys on after I lock up my car. So they’re not in my pocket. I don’t have to worry about those having to. Send those through security, put your wallet, all that stuff, put that stuff in your backpack so you just, it’s all in there when it goes through security and you don’t have to have stuff that’s loose and, this bits of, bits and pieces of this and that.

[00:09:04] Vicki Markussen: Got it. You’ve made it through security. You’re trying to make it to your gate. What are some of those etiquette pieces about walking? 

[00:09:13] Dan Markussen: So walking through the airport, obviously walking seems like a simple thing, but 

[00:09:18] Vicki Markussen: don’t assume 

[00:09:19] Dan Markussen: people are 

[00:09:20] Vicki Markussen: like keeping the shade closed. Right. I mean, there’s 

[00:09:23] Dan Markussen: some people are in a hurry.

[00:09:24] Dan Markussen: Some people are miss, late for a flight. Just again, it’s all about being aware of what’s around you. When you’re walking, just walk with purpose. Get to your, get from A to B. An airport isn’t a place to stroll. If you want to go walk and stroll, walk to the side. Stay to the side. If you have to stop and check for something in your pocket, or you need to just stop for a second and answer your phone or whatever, pull over to the side.

[00:09:52] Dan Markussen: Get out of the main walkway. Because again, people are trying to get from point A to B in the airport. People are, likely stressed out trying to find their gates, get there on time and all that sort of stuff. Listen for steps behind you. I walk fast, pretty fast in the airport, but sometimes people are running.

[00:10:10] Dan Markussen: Sometimes people are really, walking a lot faster than me. Just make sure that you’re out of people’s way that are in a hurry that are coming up from behind. And when you’re on the, when you’re on the 

[00:10:22] Vicki Markussen: moving walkway, 

[00:10:23] Dan Markussen: when you’re on the moving walkway, stay to one side, if you’re going to stand or at least as you’re walking, and there’s, and people aren’t standing to the side, you’re, I always pull over to the right.

[00:10:34] Dan Markussen: so that there’s a passing lane in case somebody comes up from behind. 

[00:10:38] Vicki Markussen: And same thing with escalators? 

[00:10:40] Dan Markussen: Yeah, same thing with escalators too. 

[00:10:42] Vicki Markussen: Yeah, escalators are more challenging because usually people have luggage and it’s harder to get past. I 

[00:10:47] Dan Markussen: carry on all my bags so I’m just standing on the escalator usually because I’m not Calling that up the escalator.

[00:10:53] Vicki Markussen: carry on luggage one option is gate check, so it’s still technically on the plane with you, but why I don’t think you’ve, I’ve ever seen you gate check. Why do you not gate check? What do 

[00:11:04] Dan Markussen: you mean by gate check? 

[00:11:05] Vicki Markussen: You leave it get the tag, and then they go take it to a different area of the plane, it’s not coming, Inside the cabin with you.

[00:11:12] Vicki Markussen: See, that’s so foreign to you. You’re like, what are you even talking about? But you know what I’m talking about when you’re just about to get on the plane. 

[00:11:20] Dan Markussen: Sometimes the plane isn’t big enough to take the bag. So you have to do that. Yeah. That’s usually what I do. That is a 

[00:11:25] Vicki Markussen: lot of La Crosse flights. Yeah.

[00:11:27] Dan Markussen: Yeah. Those old La Crosse flights that used to come out of here. Yeah. They didn’t have a big enough overhead storage area to take a larger carry on bag. 

[00:11:37] Vicki Markussen: Yeah. Or they got full. 

[00:11:40] Dan Markussen: That’s a good point. The carry on bag that you carry, make sure it’s a carry on bag and not something that’s oversized and doesn’t fit.

[00:11:48] Dan Markussen: Usually the airline won’t let you get away with that anyways. But I, again, I like to have my bag with me. What happens if you arrive and for some reason you’re a late arrival and you’re trying to get to your meeting, you’re trying to get to your next flight, your connecting flight having that, having the bag in the overhead compartment is important because it’s, you’re not having to wait for that.

[00:12:12] Vicki Markussen: Yep. So one of the things that this is a little side note, but you’re talking about making a connection. So one of the things that you also have a body of knowledge on that I would have no idea is somewhat when to ask for help. For example, was. We were running late really late, and we weren’t even going to make it to the ticket counter in time for we were in jeopardy of missing the flight.

[00:12:37] Vicki Markussen: And you just bypassed, you found somebody, they shoot us up to the counter right away. Like, how do you know when to ask for help? 

[00:12:46] Dan Markussen: When I’m in a desperate situation. 

[00:12:50] Vicki Markussen: But somebody like me would just be part of the cattle train, so to speak, and follow orders and, but I suppose the worst, so I was waiting in line, the worst thing they can do is say no, and 

[00:12:59] Dan Markussen: yeah, I just realized that we were, things were getting pretty tight, and we weren’t going to make it to the gate if we didn’t get ahead, so 

[00:13:10] Vicki Markussen: they took us to a different counter area.

[00:13:13] Vicki Markussen: past people. 

[00:13:14] Dan Markussen: Yeah. 

[00:13:15] Vicki Markussen: OK, so let me go back. Follow this in some sort of order here. So you’re on the plane with the carry on luggage, and so the carry on luggage is with you. There’s those awkward times when you go, oh, all of the carry on luggage from me to the front of the plane is full, so what happens if you have to go put your luggage far away?

[00:13:39] Dan Markussen: Then you just go do it. 

[00:13:41] Vicki Markussen: And then, how do you exit the plane adequately? Like you have to wait for all those rows to exit? 

[00:13:46] Dan Markussen: Yes, it depends on how far back it is. If it’s just a couple rows back, two, three rows back, sometimes you can ask somebody to help you Hey, that’s my bag, pull it out for me.

[00:13:57] Dan Markussen: If it’s more than that, you probably just need to wait. Just wait till everybody passes by. See if there’s an opening where you can scoot back and get it, you’re in a situation at that point where you’re going to have to just wait for everybody to get off the plane.

[00:14:11] Vicki Markussen: Is there any etiquette about oddities, like sombrero in Mexico and, Is there anything about overhead etiquette? Just stick it in there and hope somebody doesn’t crush it? 

[00:14:24] Dan Markussen: Yeah, usually the overhead is big enough to put the luggage in straight on. So you put the, push the, if I’ve got my carry on bag in the, I push, put the wheels in first.

[00:14:37] Dan Markussen: So don’t put it in sideways. Usually the overhead compartment is big enough that it can take it. It sometimes doesn’t look that way, but those, the overhead door is usually curved. So you can you should be able to fit your carry on bag with putting the wheels in first. Sometimes you have to turn it around.

[00:14:58] Dan Markussen: The wheels are in the front, but you want to put it in that orientation versus putting it in sideways. Cause that just takes up more room. If you don’t do that, usually the flight attendant will come by and fix that, but it’s, that’s just more jostling and stuff that goes on, while the boarding’s going on and it’s just creates more havoc.

[00:15:19] Vicki Markussen: So in the early days of traveling, I was that person, not the windshade or the shade person, but the person who was like, Oh, I forgot something in the overhead bin and I’d go in there. Two times, three times a flight. Is that a no no? 

[00:15:35] Dan Markussen: Yes. 

[00:15:36] Vicki Markussen: Why? 

[00:15:36] Dan Markussen: It’s just as disruptive too unless you’re in an aisle seat.

[00:15:39] Dan Markussen: If you’re in an aisle seat, okay it’s fine. You got to get something, you got to get something, but try to just plan for what you think you’re going to need. If you. If you want to have your headphones, if you want to have, your iPad, have all that stuff in your bag.

[00:15:55] Dan Markussen: And that’s another thing. You put your bag or your purse or whatever underneath the seat in front of you. Me, even I’m, as I’m tall. I do know that I have long legs, so I need that space under the seat in front of me for my legs. But During takeoff and landing, I can put my bag underneath the seat.

[00:16:15] Dan Markussen: And then when I, and when we take off, I just pull it up and have it, under, just between my seat and the seat in front of me, and I can put my legs under there. Put the stuff that you’re going to need in your purse or in your bag your backpack, whatever it is. and have that stuff just so you don’t have to be up and down.

[00:16:34] Dan Markussen: Again, it comes back to just, some common courtesy and awareness and things like that and thinking ahead. 

[00:16:42] Vicki Markussen: Yes. And so you and I have had this joking conversation because you’re six foot four and I’m five foot two and the leg room required for each of us is very different. And you sometimes grumble with Oh, this really short person is sitting in the exit aisle or they took my exit aisle and they don’t even need the leg room.

[00:17:03] Vicki Markussen: But that being said, there is a courtesy about seats, right? Not necessarily. Selection of seats but we talked about the shade being, okay, let’s talk about the shade. What is the etiquette with the shade? 

[00:17:17] Dan Markussen: Plan goes up, put the shade down. Like 

[00:17:19] Vicki Markussen: instantly? 

[00:17:21] Dan Markussen: A lot of times they’ll have you, depends on what time of year it is too if it’s summer time, they want those shades shut anyways, they’re gonna, you’re gonna walk on the plane with the shades shut because the hot, the heat.

[00:17:32] Dan Markussen: But, Once you take off and you’re moving, okay, you can glare out the window and that sort of stuff. A lot of times people want to maybe watch a movie or watch something on their computer or whatever, just shut the window shade, especially on, on international flights.

[00:17:50] Dan Markussen: They’ll instruct you to do so, but sometimes people don’t do that, even when that’s said, and then it makes for awkward situations. And so anyways, My suggestion is once you get up, all you’re looking at is tops of clouds usually anyways, or you can’t see anything below you. So just put the shade down.

[00:18:08] Dan Markussen: If you need light put the light on, the reading light. 

[00:18:11] Vicki Markussen: Yeah. It’s funny because once you told me that that was like an etiquette thing, now you notice the one shade that’s open oh, it’s like a beacon. 

[00:18:22] Dan Markussen: It’s like a beacon. 

[00:18:23] Vicki Markussen: Yeah. It’s like a lighthouse. 

[00:18:26] Dan Markussen: And yes, I implore all. people that may not need the leg room too.

[00:18:34] Dan Markussen: If you don’t need the leg room, save it for somebody that can. You’d like to shove 

[00:18:39] Vicki Markussen: me in the middle seat, I think, like the least valued seat. So anyway, speaking of middle seat, so there’s a reason nobody likes the middle seats. Like they’re the last ones to fill up on airplanes. And so you end up with Three seats and two middle armrests.

[00:18:57] Vicki Markussen: What’s the etiquette there? 

[00:18:59] Dan Markussen: Usually I try to give the person sitting in the middle of the armrest or at least the priority of the position of the arm on the armrest. 

[00:19:06] Vicki Markussen: What is the priority position on a tiny armrest? 

[00:19:09] Dan Markussen: Wherever they wanna put their arms. If, if they’re putting their arms all the way back on the armrest, I might use the little space in front of their elbow if I wanted to put my el if I wanted to even put my arm on it.

[00:19:21] Dan Markussen: But. The thing is, the seats to the sides of the Biddle seat, you have an armrest. 

[00:19:28] Vicki Markussen: A guaranteed armrest. A guaranteed 

[00:19:30] Dan Markussen: armrest. I always try to, be a little cognizant about that. middle person and sympathetic about their seat and, that they’ve got to sit there and be squeezed between two people.

[00:19:40] Dan Markussen: And 

[00:19:40] Vicki Markussen: yeah, I know I’ve sent you a text of this person sitting next to me that was literally like so far over and he’s just a big guy so far over into my seat that I had a kink in my back trying to be like all the way to the left. But anyway okay. So we talked about middle seats and 

[00:19:58] Dan Markussen: the other thing is when you’re sitting, you’re When you’re seated, you don’t really need to take off your shoes.

[00:20:08] Dan Markussen: Keep your shoes on. 

[00:20:10] Vicki Markussen: From, are you saying from a smell perspective? Yes, 

[00:20:12] Dan Markussen: we don’t need, on international flights if you want to take your shoes off, I understand that, it’d be a little, especially if you’re trying to get some sleep and it’s, take an extra pair of socks with you. 

[00:20:23] Vicki Markussen: A clean pair of socks?

[00:20:24] Dan Markussen: Oh, just something to put over top of it. It helps you keep your feet warm and it’s, a little nicer to the other passengers in case you’ve been sweating on the way to the airport. 

[00:20:34] Vicki Markussen: We don’t need visuals. Okay, so there’s three seats. Only one person has the aisle, which of course can get up at any point that they want.

[00:20:41] Vicki Markussen: What’s the etiquette if you’re in one of the inner seats and you need to get out? 

[00:20:48] Dan Markussen: Try not to get out.

[00:20:53] Dan Markussen: Seriously if I know if I’m boarding the plane for the No, you should know where you’re sitting before you board the plane. I would recommend that. That way, most flights, if you’re on a domestic flight, you’re going to be someplace in three hours. Three hours or less. If you are getting on the plane and you already have to go to the bathroom and you’re in the window seat and you’ve got to go across two people just try and take care of business before you get on the plane and hopefully you can last to the end of the flight and not have to do all that jostling because somebody might fall asleep or two or three or two people might fall asleep and it’s just, Uncomfortable for you to ask them and try and get them to move.

[00:21:36] Dan Markussen: They’ve got to get up. Not only do they have to get up when you get out, they have to get up when you get back in. That’s part of the reason I always like to try and get an aisle seat. That’s easy. Escape to get to the bathroom. If I need to use the restroom or in just to get off the plane, it’s faster to get off the plane.

[00:21:53] Dan Markussen: I’m not, I’m. I want to encourage everyone to get the aisle seat because 

[00:21:57] Vicki Markussen: they’ll take your seat. 

[00:21:58] Dan Markussen: That’s more competition. 

[00:21:59] Vicki Markussen: And the ones with the more leg room. We have traveled with our kids. So that means we’re needing five seats and, we get split up on the plane and I’m like, oh my gosh, we’re all over the plane.

[00:22:11] Vicki Markussen: And you’re like, don’t worry about it. You just ask people to switch seats with you. And I’m like, that’s a thing. Like, how often do you see that happen so that people can sit together that weren’t seated together? 

[00:22:22] Dan Markussen: Usually people work with you, especially I see a family with kids. What sometimes people might not want to trade if they’ve got a aisle seat and you’ve got a middle seat.

[00:22:32] Dan Markussen: So Just be cognizant of the seat that you’re trading. If it’s an aisle seat for an aisle seat so that somebody can sit next to you or a window for a window or whatever that is, okay, but try not to put somebody in an uncomfortable situation where they’ve got a aisle seat and you’re trying to put them in a Middle seat or something like that.

[00:22:55] Vicki Markussen: Right. The dreaded middle seat. So how about bathrooms? So I remember I swear, I’ve done everything and then you’ve pointed it out. So I’ve been the person that goes through the curtain and goes to the bathroom in the first class area. And I came back like you’re not supposed to use that bathroom. Like it’s a bathroom.

[00:23:16] Vicki Markussen: I’m not supposed to use it. So we literally just had this conversation. So how do you know that you’re not supposed to use the bathroom up there? Because sometimes there are people from other areas that use the bathrooms. What’s the indicator? 

[00:23:29] Dan Markussen: The screen that they put across. It’s movable. That bathroom in the front of the plane is.

[00:23:36] Dan Markussen: Reserved for, typically reserved for the people sitting at the front of the plane. If you’re sitting behind that curtain, use the room, use the one in the back. Look at it as an opportunity to stretch your legs and walk if 

[00:23:48] Vicki Markussen: you’re 

[00:23:49] Dan Markussen: right next to the curtain on the other side of the, the first row there.

[00:23:53] Dan Markussen: Yeah, just walk to the back and stretch your legs. 

[00:23:56] Vicki Markussen: Got it. How about the per, so this is always the awkward one. So if you’re in one of the middle or the window seats and the person on the aisle or whoever in that mix is sleeping. Do you wake that person up or do you not wake that person up? 

[00:24:12] Dan Markussen: Oh, I guess it depends on the situation.

[00:24:15] Dan Markussen: So if you really need to get out. Okay, that, wait, and there’s really no room for getting, stepping over this person. Sometimes it depends, on the seat, if you’re, if you are in an exit row or something like that, you might be able to step over them. Try to do that. If you can’t do that very easily, just, you’re just going to have to, and you really have to get out of there, just tap them on the shoulder or shake their arm or something like that. 

[00:24:41] Vicki Markussen: So I remember coming home from a conference. Most 

[00:24:44] Dan Markussen: people aren’t in a deep sleep at, and an airplane, they’re probably, taking a rest and maybe slightly asleep. So you’re not gonna, you should be able to wake them up.

[00:24:53] Vicki Markussen: Yeah, the guy, that really big guy that was next to me that was taking up half of my seat or a large portion of it was snoring. That was really annoying. So I literally tried to bump his elbow to wake him up a little bit, but he’d just go right back to snoring. That was a hard one. So 

[00:25:08] Dan Markussen: You tap him on the shoulder or shake their arm a little bit and say, excuse me, or something like that.

[00:25:13] Dan Markussen: And just typical, something, 

[00:25:15] Vicki Markussen: really? Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. This guy’s One and a half of me. So anyway, that’s it. Wow. I didn’t know that so Another faux pas that I did you got to get out of there. You got to get out of there. No, he was on the window seat I was in the middle and then there was a person at the aisle But he was like so far into my seat and then he was snoring and it was really annoying 

[00:25:37] Dan Markussen: Yeah, that part of it.

[00:25:38] Dan Markussen: I yeah, I don’t know. 

[00:25:40] Vicki Markussen: Yeah, 

[00:25:40] Dan Markussen: what you do with that 

[00:25:42] Vicki Markussen: I did nothing. I went out going, I need a chiropractor after that one. 

[00:25:46] Dan Markussen: Depends on how long the flight is. If it’s an international flight, I would probably ask him to 

[00:25:54] Vicki Markussen: Really? 

[00:25:55] Dan Markussen: I probably would, yeah. 

[00:25:57] Vicki Markussen: Glad I don’t sit next to you and snore. So here’s another The 

[00:26:01] Dan Markussen: snoring part.

[00:26:04] Dan Markussen: The AirPods or any earphones or headphones are great on a plane because if somebody is snoring next to you and you’re on a long flight and somebody is snoring or making noise, or if people are talking and they’re, sometimes if you want to take a rest or whatever it is, having those, having a pair of headphones is highly recommended.

[00:26:27] Dan Markussen: Headphones or AirPods are something that you can put in your ear to, If you think you want to take a little rest or something like that, or even if you just, sometimes people just talking is obnoxious. 

[00:26:40] Vicki Markussen: I was just going to bring that up. 

[00:26:41] Dan Markussen: Yeah. If people are talking in the row behind you or something like that, and they’re having a good time carrying on a conversation.

[00:26:47] Dan Markussen: They’re fully right to do that, you might be trying to read something or, Something like that. And, you just have your AirPods and get in your own little world. 

[00:26:56] Vicki Markussen: So what about the guy, the Minneapolis guy was very talkative, as you said. Is that, how do you, if you don’t want to talk to somebody, is there a good way to avoid that?

[00:27:09] Vicki Markussen: Is that putting in your AirPods? 

[00:27:11] Dan Markussen: Yes. Yes. 

[00:27:13] Vicki Markussen: Okay. Or headphones or whatever. 

[00:27:16] Dan Markussen: There’s a variety of social cues that you could use that I’m sure people will get the hint. 

[00:27:21] Vicki Markussen: Such as? 

[00:27:23] Dan Markussen: Such as putting in your earpods. That’ll do 

[00:27:25] Vicki Markussen: it, yes. 

[00:27:26] Dan Markussen: Yeah. 

[00:27:26] Vicki Markussen: Got it. Because you also want to know that if somebody’s giving you that cue to not be Right.

[00:27:31] Vicki Markussen: Yeah. 

[00:27:32] Dan Markussen: Opening up a book, 

[00:27:34] Vicki Markussen: Oh, I probably violated that one. Something 

[00:27:36] Dan Markussen: like that. And, anything like that. Try those things 

[00:27:41] Vicki Markussen: Okay, how 

[00:27:42] Dan Markussen: or you can always just say hey I’m I think I’m gonna watch a movie or something like that whatever it is, whatever you’re 

[00:27:48] Vicki Markussen: and then they’ll say Oh, I’ve seen that movie.

[00:27:50] Vicki Markussen: That’s So So, that actually brings up another good point, which is the flight attendants. Is there any etiquette with the flight attendants? The one I think about, because I’ve seen it with our boys traveling, is they’re sleeping when the snacks come around. Can you ask the flight attendant for a snack?

[00:28:11] Vicki Markussen: if you got missed on it and you, cause you were sleeping or like anything, but the flight attendants. 

[00:28:18] Dan Markussen: Flight attendants are always ready to help you out and be, they’re usually for the most part, pretty nice. Some of them are having 

[00:28:26] Dan Markussen: Bad day from time to time, just like you and me, but for the most part there if you wanted to grab a snack or you missed out on your goldfish crackers or your your Coca Cola they’ll be happy to get you one or go back to the galley and get one from them. It depends on the, you know, do you have 20 minutes left in the flight?

[00:28:48] Dan Markussen: Don’t do that. If you’re halfway through the flight and still have half of it to go, that’s fine. 

[00:28:57] Vicki Markussen: Is that a button push thing for them, or you just wait till they walk by? 

[00:29:02] Dan Markussen: I usually just try to wait till they walk by, or even just walk back to the galley where they’re gathered and ask them.

[00:29:11] Vicki Markussen: Got it. So we’ve covered flight attendants. We’ve covered That’ll 

[00:29:15] Dan Markussen: depend on where your seat is. Obviously, you’re sitting in a window seat. Maybe you just hit the button. 

[00:29:20] Vicki Markussen: Got it. Okay. So then we’ve even had conversations of literally, Oh my gosh, we’re starting to descend. The trays are up and I have to go to the bathroom.

[00:29:33] Vicki Markussen: And Like, when is it too late to go to the bathroom before you land? 

[00:29:40] Dan Markussen: They’ll tell, they’ll put the seatbelt sign on. They’ll make the announcement where we’ve started our descent, our initial descent. You still have time at that point. If there’s a long line, you probably don’t have time.

[00:29:57] Dan Markussen: If there’s no line for the bathroom and they say they make the announcement of the initial dissent, you want to scoot back there quick. Go ahead. I did that yesterday. We’re honored to announce the initial dissent and I knew I had to go through customs and get my passport control, so I didn’t know where there’s 

[00:30:19] Vicki Markussen: no bathrooms.

[00:30:20] Vicki Markussen: Yeah, 

[00:30:20] Dan Markussen: well, there is one, but you don’t want to lose your line, your place in line on the Passport control and be at the end. So I wanted to take care of business before we landed. So Yeah, and we were now we were clearly descending while I was in the bathroom, but it was You know, it’s not too late at that point, but if they make the announcement for the initial descent and it’s 10 minutes later, it probably, it’s, you missed your chance.

[00:30:55] Vicki Markussen: And so you’re, you’ve landed and then you’re exiting the airplane. Anything about exiting the airplane? 

[00:31:04] Dan Markussen: Just have your stuff ready. You don’t want to be Stuff and stuff in your backpack that’s in the that’s in the, that seat back area. If you’ve got books or iPads or stuff like that have all that stuff packed up and ready to go.

[00:31:23] Dan Markussen: Just be just be ready to exit the plane. in a smooth, quick, orderly fashion. 

[00:31:31] Vicki Markussen: So this one’s happened to us as well, which is you have a really tight connection. Can you, can you quick jump in front of people and get off the plane? 

[00:31:41] Dan Markussen: People understand if they want, and also if If you really have a quick connection make the have the flight attendant know.

[00:31:55] Dan Markussen: Let them know that you have a quick connection if you’re in the back of the plane. They’ll make an announcement and say there’s people trying to catch a connection. I’ve been on, that’s happened to me before where I said they’ll say everybody remains seated once we land and are ready to go.

[00:32:14] Dan Markussen: We have people trying to make tight connections on the plane. And so everybody waits for them to pass through and then we get up and go. But, that’s, those are rare instances. Be conscious of people that if you do land late, there are probably people on the plane that are pushing their connections.

[00:32:34] Dan Markussen: So just be aware of that as you’re getting off the plane as you’re going up the jetway. Keep narrow and let there be a passing lane for anybody that’s really rushing to a connection. 

[00:32:48] Vicki Markussen: And if you do miss your connection, then what? Call 

[00:32:52] Dan Markussen: Janet. 

[00:32:55] Vicki Markussen: Janet’s the person at Chart who fixes everything for Dan.

[00:32:58] Vicki Markussen: Sometimes Janet’s the person I call going, Could you tell me where Dan is? I just know he’s gone somewhere in Europe. But anyway, most of us, Dan, do not have a Janet. 

[00:33:09] Dan Markussen: No, a lot of times if you’re going to miss your flight your airline will rebook you on something. And if you missed your connection, that airline will likely re book you.

[00:33:23] Dan Markussen: If that’s not the case, you can go to a, you can go to a counter, find somebody. Especially right, right when you exit the plane, there’ll be usually a ground crew, ground support 

[00:33:37] Vicki Markussen: at 

[00:33:37] Dan Markussen: the gate. That can direct you, to help you out where to go if you need to go talk to somebody. 

[00:33:45] Vicki Markussen: So that they can find you a new flight and get you where you need to go.

[00:33:48] Dan Markussen: Yeah. 

[00:33:49] Vicki Markussen: So then, luggage baggage. He’s looking at me like, I don’t check my luggage. When I’m with you, and we have to go get the baggage, is there any etiquette there? Okay, how about a tip? Like, stay closest to where it is coming out so that there’s less chance that someone else grabs your luggage accidentally?

[00:34:15] Dan Markussen: That and it’s less, the belt doesn’t move very fast, so you can always, if where it’s coming out and putting it on the belt, that’s the quickest place to grab it and get out of there. But that’s also where a lot of people gather. So everybody else is doing the same thing. 

[00:34:33] Vicki Markussen: Yes. 

[00:34:34] Dan Markussen: One of the reasons why I don’t check my bags as well. 

[00:34:38] Vicki Markussen: And it can be a significant delay. I forget where we were that had like an hour wait for baggage because they’re understaffed. Okay. Anything else? 

[00:34:50] Dan Markussen: Parking. 

[00:34:51] Vicki Markussen: Okay, there you go. 

[00:34:52] Dan Markussen: When you do have to go through Minneapolis, I’m mindful of where I park. First of all, when I do park, how many days was I gone on this trip? Twelve days. Who can remember where they parked twelve days later?

[00:35:06] Vicki Markussen: The people who don’t travel very frequently, but you’re not one of them. Anyway, go ahead. I’m 

[00:35:10] Dan Markussen: just saying, twelve days later, what level was I on? What section was I on? Take a picture of where you are in the parking lot. I do that every time. Now, where, this last one I was in 4T, red, red ramp, 4T took a picture of the pillar nearest to where my car was.

[00:35:33] Dan Markussen: That is a good tip. That can save you from wandering around the parking lot like that Seinfeld episode. 

[00:35:41] Vicki Markussen: I don’t remember that one, but that’s okay. 

[00:35:44] Dan Markussen: And then also what that does too I try to I park in the red or blue ramp because you can access that from The bridge that goes across from G to A terminals, and it’s a quick exit, especially if you come in on G, you’re out of that airport, and once you get off the plane, you’re in your car and driving in 10 minutes.

[00:36:10] Vicki Markussen: As long as you haven’t checked your luggage. 

[00:36:11] Dan Markussen: Yeah you can, that’s the quickest exit. So I, I plan my parking for my quickest exit. How can I get out of there the fastest? 

[00:36:23] Vicki Markussen: You’ve been listening to BizCast, Greater La Crosse.

[00:36:27] Vicki Markussen: That was Dan Markus and my husband giving you airline tips For when you’re flying whether business or leisure. I’m your host Vicki Markussen. We’ll catch you next week