Surprises when you travel economy class ?

The travel season is upon us. Most people choose economy when it comes to air travel, and that means cramped seats and other woes. Here are some incidents recounted by Bengaluru passengers:

Arre whiskey!

You can't expect a business class or first class experience when you travel economy. So prepare to sit close together and compromise on freedom of limb movement.

Ankit Pathak, student, was among eight friends travelling from Boston to Bengaluru. He was sitting between two tall friends.

"In their sleep, the two simultaneously flung their legs towards me. This caused my glass of whiskey to spill," he says.

To his luck, other passengers had placed their luggage below their seats. The whiskey fell on their luggage. "The family complained to the air hostess. She pacified them and spoke to us. We were ashamed but ended up laughing," he says.

Blanket ban

Some airlines give you free blankets, others charge a bomb.

Bhavani Rao Gooram, entrepreneur, says a pan-Asia budget airline loves to keep the cabin temperature as low as possible.

"While most of us wear a jacket or carry a shawl, the temperature gets so low that you just need a blanket," she says. "The airline then charges you Rs 5,000 for one!"

No stretching

Passengers watch movies, listen to music and fall asleep on long flights. Tall people find they can't really stretch out and relax.

Abhishek Vanam, entrepreneur, is six feet tall. "I travel to the US every couple of months. The journey is 18 hours long," he says.

He chooses airlines with more comfortable seating, but still finds it a struggle "when the person in front pushes the seat back."

He doesn't protest though. "Even I push my seat back, and for all I know, the passenger behind me is uncomfortable too," he says.

Water pity

Drinking water is something passengers pay for on many budget airlines.

Anita Jobin, lecturer, finds this inconvenient when she is travelling abroad. "You have to pay in US dollars or the local currency," she says.