Be careful when traveling by plane for Spring Break this year. I wouldn't want to hear about any UF students getting detained by airport security with any inappropriate substances or, better yet, getting kicked off the plane for being "too pretty."
Two Tampa girls, Nisreen Swedberg and Sarah Williams, were escorted off a Southwest Airlines flight to Los Angeles last week, according to a story on Tampa's local news station.
The airline's spokespeople say the reason for their corrective action was because the girls were disruptive on the flight.
One asked for water before the plane took off, and the other knocked on the plane's bathroom door when a man was in there. Apparently, a female flight attendant gave the girl attitude when she asked for a bottle of water, and the man in the bathroom yelled a profanity at the girl who knocked.
Wow. That's completely uncalled for.
I could tell you tons of horror stories about real disruptions on an airplane - screaming babies, snoring passengers and someone literally dropping their soiled barf bag in my carry-on. But no, my issues aren't as serious as refusing someone a beverage.
When asked what they thought of the fiasco, the college-age women said they were being discriminated against ever since they boarded the plane. The flight attendants were older women and must have been jealous.
"I mean, nobody else looked like us on the plane except us." Yeah, that would explain it.
Maybe the attractive young women were just looking for attention. Or maybe members of the in-flight crew were just bitter and cynical and sick of pointing to the emergency exits all day.
No charges were filed, but I'm sure the girls had to be just a little freaked out.
I don't know about you, but FBI agents don't usually escort me off the plane when I arrive at the gate.
While I doubt this is a common occurrence, it may happen again. Being a frequent flyer myself (I've flown six times in just the past nine months) here is a small list I have compiled of ways to survive air travel.
First, pack your carry-on lightly. You have to lug that thing around the airport for a few hours… best to not stuff it with a million things you don't need or probably can't even use on the flight.
Wear shoes you can easily slip off. When going through the metal detectors they make you remove your footwear. The people behind you will get pissed if you're spending ten minutes unlacing those espadrilles you thought looked cute with your new skirt.
Also, get a soda or bottle of water AFTER you go through security. No liquids, remember? They will just throw it away if you try to bring it through those lines.
Use the restroom BEFORE you board your plane. I'm telling you, this is the greatest piece of advice I can give, especially if you're chugging your drink to finish it before you reach security.
Once you get in your seat and the plane pushes off from the gate, it's at least 30 minutes before the seatbelt sign is turned off. For some reason, when you've got to go, the pressurized cabin only makes this pain worse. And don't try to get up while the seatbelt sign is lit - apparently the flight attendants have no courtesy anymore, according to the two Tampa flyers.
Lastly, it might be a wise decision to be courteous and try not to look too cute while up in the air.
Then again, maybe it would be better to take a cruise ship to your Spring Break hot spot this season.
I'm sure no one is getting thrown overboard for being too attractive.
Rebecca Ganzak is a journalism senior. Her column appears on Thursdays.
