Post #97: Travelling Anxiety

A friend of mine shared a really helpful article on Facebook earlier, it was a link from the BBC News Website: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/disability-39489898. In a nutshell, the jist of the text is that travelling can prove difficult if you have a mental health condition, such as anxiety, ADHD, OCD and depression.  I should know, I am currently in the process of renewing a passport which expired back in 2009, mainly because I haven't left the UK since 2006.

Why is that you may ask?  Well, allow me to explain: I don't mind flying, I don't believe that the great metal bird I'm strapped into is going to plummet from the sky, but what I cannot abide is the person in front reclining their seat into my personal space.  It first happened back in 2005 when myself and my husband boarded an Al Italia flight from London Heathrow to Rome.  It was a midday service, but as soon as we were up in the air, the Italian bloke in front of me decided to fully recline, until I politely asked him to wind the seat back up. Being Italy's flag carrying airline, he quickly beckoned to the Italian stewardess and a heated exchange, all in rapid Italian ensued.  The stewardess, an overpainted skinny harridan, implored me to 'show a little consideration' for his plight. Consideration?  On a midday flight?  I know that most southern Europeans seem to believe that women should be seen and not heard, but this is a post feminist era and even Italian men should realise that everybody deserves respect?  He ended up moving his seat back up to the semi upright position, probably after getting rather tired of my foot's location in the small of his back.  Seriously though, if you're blonde and busty, Italy's a great place to go if you enjoy men staring at you incessantly.

I also got into a row on a flight back from Spain the following year, in the year of Our Lord, 2006, when some old English git made the decision to stick his head in my lap.  I honestly thought that they'd call the armed guards to remove me from the 'plane, like they did with that bloke from REM did back in the 1990s.  That didn't work well for him, an no it wasn't Michael Stipe, but the unlucky Georgia bluesman later was charged with air rage at Hounslow Magistrates' Court, or whatever.  I could Google the incident, but I cannot be arsed; you get my point.

Having Asperger Syndrome is very difficult at times.

*Update*

This very subject has been hotly debated on Mumsnet's Am I Being Unreasonable? AIBU message boards, here: https://www.mumsnet.com/Talk/am_i_being_unreasonable/2911606-Airlines-seats-passive-aggression

I have read through 2 of 7 pages of opinions, which seem to be divided between those who think that reclining their seat is a divine right and others, such as me, believe that some consideration is required.  I didn't contribute to the debate as I've had issues on Mumsnet before with other posters being rather hostile and I'd personally rather steer clear.