Airlines Don't Need 'Happiness Blankets' to Tell When Passengers Are Miserable
{"post":{"_id":"53b322b497b2f832c7000175","id":"2014/07/01/happiness-blankets","title":"Airlines Don't Need 'Happiness Blankets' to Tell When Passengers Are Miserable","title_tag":null,"author":"Heather Poole","post_date":"2014-07-01T21:05:51+00:00","post_date_rfc":"Tue, 01 Jul 2014 21:05:51 +0000","sort_key":"1x25fp","link":"http://ift.tt/1reIVBD","content":{"full":"
When I read about British Airways\u2019 new high-tech blanket, called \u201cthe \"happiness blanket,\" my first thought was that it had to be a joke. A blanket that analyzes the \u201cmeditative state\u201d of premium cabin fliers? What a waste of money.
\n
But it's not a joke. According to Businessweek , \u201cThe wool 'happiness blanket' is embedded with tiny fiber optic LEDs that change color based on brainwaves transmitted via Bluetooth from a band worn on a passenger\u2019s head.\u201d
\n
\n
\n
Let me stop right here and just say: seriously? We\u2019re putting headbands on first class passengers? I don\u2019t think so. Why not just invest in mood rings? Seems simpler. Much less expensive. Easier to wear. I owned one when I was a girl \u2014 loved it! But in a 1976 Peanuts comic strip, Peppermint Patty became so angry at Charlie Brown her mood ring exploded. Now there\u2019s a visual I don\u2019t want to see on an airplane.
\n
But back to the blankets. \u201cBlue signifies calm, peace, and relaxation and is seen most often when the person is sleeping deeply,\" according to Businessweek. \"The blanket displays crimson when the passenger feels stressed or anxious.\u201d
\n
I don't need fiber optics to tell you when a passenger is stressed and anxious, or how to make them more relaxed. Try two more inches of legroom, and a seat that fully reclines. And a neighbor who isn\u2019t chatting about the shade of their blanket.
\n
Plus, if you're sleeping, don't you think you're pretty relaxed? Is there anyone who really wants everyone knowing that much about them? Having your mood transmitted to the rest of the cabin sounds like something that could make you even more anxious.
\n
\n
Sure, we live in the age of Facebook where we put it all out there for the world to see, but at least we have some control over what we share.
\n
Imagine seeing 3B turning a dark shade of red. Must have been the pasta. (No joke: that tortellini in a cream sauce makes some passengers freak out.) Or imagine the opposite about 3A; we don't really want to know why he's so happy with his blanket, do we? If you know what I mean.
\n
British Airways said it will analyze data from the blankets to improve the flight experience, and that the color patterns will somehow inform when food should be served, what that food should be or what movies should be offered.
\n
\n
A man sleeps on a British Airways flight with a high-tech fiber optic blanket and headband.
There's just one thing. In the age of social media, people have no problem expressing themselves with words. Trust me. This is especially true for airline passengers.
\n
\u201cThis airline sucks!\u201d one passenger told me when I greeted him at the boarding door \u2014 after a two-hour weather delay.
\n
\u201cWe\u2019re not sitting together and it\u2019s your fault,\u201d said another after I complimented her glasses.
\n
\n
British Airways believes passengers would rather eat in the lounge before the flight, which is why they\u2019re focusing on shut-eye as soon as passengers board.
\n
Well, maybe people are choosing to eat in the terminal because airplane food is equivalent to hospital food. It's been a long time since I've heard anyone rave about the food. Or maybe it's because the flight departs late or because the service takes too long.
\n
My airline (a major U.S. carrier) expects us to deliver meals by hand in first class, leaving the cart behind because it doesn't look nice. But most frequent fliers are business travelers, eager to eat and be done with it so they can get back to work, so they hand me their meal trays before I can even finish serving the last row. The cart in the aisle makes the service move more quickly, but my airline doesn\u2019t allow it \u2014 even though nobody really appreciates elaborate, drawn-out service anymore.
\n
At least not the people in first class, except for maybe on the weekends when vacationers take the seats of the usual business travelers. The weekends are when I run out of champagne, and during the week it's red wine and Heineken.
\n
If there\u2019s one thing I know from working for an airline for 18 years, besides bad food and uncomfortable seats, it\u2019s people. I think we\u2019re getting way too personal here with this blanket, and no one wants that on a flight.
\n
Just ask Bose, which designed those noise cancellation headphones most frequent fliers never leave home without: Travelers want to disconnect, zone out, disappear at 30,000 feet so that when I come around with beverages I have to ask 20 times what they\u2019d like to drink (before erupting into a game of charades, then just handing them a can of Diet Coke \u2014 or Coke, depending on the destination).
\n
Great service on a long-haul flight doesn't require a magical tech solution. It requires a smiling face, and nothing makes me happier than being able to provide passengers with what they want. It's us, the flight attendants, who know how to relax passengers. Not a high-tech, color-coded blanket.
\n
Too bad more airlines don\u2019t listen to the people on the front lines.
\n
A friend of mine said it might be better if the flight attendants had this fiber optic fabric in our uniforms. That way, passengers will know who to go to when they need something \u2014 like, say, a regular blanket.
\n
Heather Poole is a flight attendant for a major U.S. carrier and the author of the New York Times bestseller Cruising Attitude: Tales of Crashpads, Crew Drama and Crazy Passengers at 35,000 Feet. You can follow her on Twitter at @Heather_Poole.
\n
Have something to add to this story? Share it in the comments.
","intro":null,"plain":"When I read about British Airways\u2019 new high-tech blanket, called \u201cthe \"happiness blanket,\" my first thought was that it had to be a joke. A blanket that analyzes the \u201cmeditative state\u201d of premium cabin fliers? What a waste of money.\nBut it's not a joke. According to Businessweek, \u201cThe wool 'happiness blanket' is embedded with tiny fiber optic LEDs that change color based on brainwaves transmitted via Bluetooth from a band worn on a passenger\u2019s head.\u201d\nSee also: Crew Life, Mile-High Selfies and Our Lasting Obsession With Flight Attendants\n\nLet me stop right here and just say: seriously? We\u2019re putting headbands on first class passengers? I don\u2019t think so. Why not just invest in mood rings? Seems simpler. Much less expensive. Easier to wear. I owned one when I was a girl \u2014 loved it! But in a 1976 Peanuts comic strip, Peppermint Patty became so angry at Charlie Brown her mood ring exploded. Now there\u2019s a visual I don\u2019t want to see on an airplane.\nBut back to the blankets. \u201cBlue signifies calm, peace, and relaxation and is seen most often when the person is sleeping deeply,\" according to Businessweek. \"The blanket displays crimson when the passenger feels stressed or anxious.\u201d\nI don't need fiber optics to tell you when a passenger is stressed and anxious, or how to make them more relaxed. Try two more inches of legroom, and a seat that fully reclines. And a neighbor who isn\u2019t chatting about the shade of their blanket.\nPlus, if you're sleeping, don't you think you're pretty relaxed? Is there anyone who really wants everyone knowing that much about them? Having your mood transmitted to the rest of the cabin sounds like something that could make you even more anxious.\nSee also: 13 Ridiculous Travel Accessories No One Will Ever Need\nSure, we live in the age of Facebook where we put it all out there for the world to see, but at least we have some control over what we share.\nImagine seeing 3B turning a dark shade of red. Must have been the pasta. (No joke: that tortellini in a cream sauce makes some passengers freak out.) Or imagine the opposite about 3A; we don't really want to know why he's so happy with his blanket, do we? If you know what I mean.\nBritish Airways said it will analyze data from the blankets to improve the flight experience, and that the color patterns will somehow inform when food should be served, what that food should be or what movies should be offered.\n\nA man sleeps on a British Airways flight with a high-tech fiber optic blanket and headband.Video: YouTube, British AirwaysThere's just one thing. In the age of social media, people have no problem expressing themselves with words. Trust me. This is especially true for airline passengers.\n\u201cThis airline sucks!\u201d one passenger told me when I greeted him at the boarding door \u2014 after a two-hour weather delay.\n\u201cWe\u2019re not sitting together and it\u2019s your fault,\u201d said another after I complimented her glasses.\nSee also: Score the Best Flight Deals on These 10 Sites\nBritish Airways believes passengers would rather eat in the lounge before the flight, which is why they\u2019re focusing on shut-eye as soon as passengers board.\nWell, maybe people are choosing to eat in the terminal because airplane food is equivalent to hospital food. It's been a long time since I've heard anyone rave about the food. Or maybe it's because the flight departs late or because the service takes too long.\nMy airline (a major U.S. carrier) expects us to deliver meals by hand in first class, leaving the cart behind because it doesn't look nice. But most frequent fliers are business travelers, eager to eat and be done with it so they can get back to work, so they hand me their meal trays before I can even finish serving the last row. The cart in the aisle makes the service move more quickly, but my airline doesn\u2019t allow it \u2014 even though nobody really appreciates elaborate, drawn-out service anymore.\nAt least not the people in first class, except for maybe on the weekends when vacationers take the seats of the usual business travelers. The weekends are when I run out of champagne, and during the week it's red wine and Heineken.\nIf there\u2019s one thing I know from working for an airline for 18 years, besides bad food and uncomfortable seats, it\u2019s people. I think we\u2019re getting way too personal here with this blanket, and no one wants that on a flight.\nJust ask Bose, which designed those noise cancellation headphones most frequent fliers never leave home without: Travelers want to disconnect, zone out, disappear at 30,000 feet so that when I come around with beverages I have to ask 20 times what they\u2019d like to drink (before erupting into a game of charades, then just handing them a can of Diet Coke \u2014 or Coke, depending on the destination).\nGreat service on a long-haul flight doesn't require a magical tech solution. It requires a smiling face, and nothing makes me happier than being able to provide passengers with what they want. It's us, the flight attendants, who know how to relax passengers. Not a high-tech, color-coded blanket.\nToo bad more airlines don\u2019t listen to the people on the front lines.\nA friend of mine said it might be better if the flight attendants had this fiber optic fabric in our uniforms. That way, passengers will know who to go to when they need something \u2014 like, say, a regular blanket.\nHeather Poole is a flight attendant for a major U.S. carrier and the author of the New York Times bestseller Cruising Attitude: Tales of Crashpads, Crew Drama and Crazy Passengers at 35,000 Feet. You can follow her on Twitter at @Heather_Poole.\nHave something to add to this story? Share it in the comments."},"shares":{"twitter":5,"facebook":17,"linked_in":1,"total":23},"comments_count":0,"image":"http://ift.tt/TANIi5","responsive_images":null,"short_url":"http://on.mash.to/1o4sl2n","choice":false,"spotlight":false,"shortcode_data":{"see_also":[{"data-url":"http://ift.tt/1mu7ff3"},{"data-url":"http://ift.tt/1o2PJlj"},{"data-url":"http://ift.tt/ZjVycS"}],"wp_shortcode_manager":[{}]},"excerpt":"When this flight attendant heard about \"happiness blankets,\" she thought they were a joke.","channel":"Lifestyle","channel_link":"http://ift.tt/Ltn0jB"},"hot":null,"big":null,"channel":{"_id":"4d38ebfc5198407a110044b6","id":"lifestyle","name":"Lifestyle","follower_count":504,"posts_count":3629,"url":"http://ift.tt/1cHrDTK","responsive_images":null}}
{"post":{"_id":"53b322b497b2f832c7000175","id":"2014/07/01/happiness-blankets","title":"Airlines Don't Need 'Happiness Blankets' to Tell When Passengers Are Miserable","title_tag":null,"author":"Heather Poole","post_date":"2014-07-01T21:05:51+00:00","post_date_rfc":"Tue, 01 Jul 2014 21:05:51 +0000","sort_key":"1x25fp","link":"http://ift.tt/1reIVBD","content":{"full":"
When I read about British Airways\u2019 new high-tech blanket, called \u201cthe \"happiness blanket,\" my first thought was that it had to be a joke. A blanket that analyzes the \u201cmeditative state\u201d of premium cabin fliers? What a waste of money.
\n
But it's not a joke. According to Businessweek , \u201cThe wool 'happiness blanket' is embedded with tiny fiber optic LEDs that change color based on brainwaves transmitted via Bluetooth from a band worn on a passenger\u2019s head.\u201d
\n
\n
\n
Let me stop right here and just say: seriously? We\u2019re putting headbands on first class passengers? I don\u2019t think so. Why not just invest in mood rings? Seems simpler. Much less expensive. Easier to wear. I owned one when I was a girl \u2014 loved it! But in a 1976 Peanuts comic strip, Peppermint Patty became so angry at Charlie Brown her mood ring exploded. Now there\u2019s a visual I don\u2019t want to see on an airplane.
\n
But back to the blankets. \u201cBlue signifies calm, peace, and relaxation and is seen most often when the person is sleeping deeply,\" according to Businessweek. \"The blanket displays crimson when the passenger feels stressed or anxious.\u201d
\n
I don't need fiber optics to tell you when a passenger is stressed and anxious, or how to make them more relaxed. Try two more inches of legroom, and a seat that fully reclines. And a neighbor who isn\u2019t chatting about the shade of their blanket.
\n
Plus, if you're sleeping, don't you think you're pretty relaxed? Is there anyone who really wants everyone knowing that much about them? Having your mood transmitted to the rest of the cabin sounds like something that could make you even more anxious.
\n
\n
Sure, we live in the age of Facebook where we put it all out there for the world to see, but at least we have some control over what we share.
\n
Imagine seeing 3B turning a dark shade of red. Must have been the pasta. (No joke: that tortellini in a cream sauce makes some passengers freak out.) Or imagine the opposite about 3A; we don't really want to know why he's so happy with his blanket, do we? If you know what I mean.
\n
British Airways said it will analyze data from the blankets to improve the flight experience, and that the color patterns will somehow inform when food should be served, what that food should be or what movies should be offered.
\n
\n
A man sleeps on a British Airways flight with a high-tech fiber optic blanket and headband.
There's just one thing. In the age of social media, people have no problem expressing themselves with words. Trust me. This is especially true for airline passengers.
\n
\u201cThis airline sucks!\u201d one passenger told me when I greeted him at the boarding door \u2014 after a two-hour weather delay.
\n
\u201cWe\u2019re not sitting together and it\u2019s your fault,\u201d said another after I complimented her glasses.
\n
\n
British Airways believes passengers would rather eat in the lounge before the flight, which is why they\u2019re focusing on shut-eye as soon as passengers board.
\n
Well, maybe people are choosing to eat in the terminal because airplane food is equivalent to hospital food. It's been a long time since I've heard anyone rave about the food. Or maybe it's because the flight departs late or because the service takes too long.
\n
My airline (a major U.S. carrier) expects us to deliver meals by hand in first class, leaving the cart behind because it doesn't look nice. But most frequent fliers are business travelers, eager to eat and be done with it so they can get back to work, so they hand me their meal trays before I can even finish serving the last row. The cart in the aisle makes the service move more quickly, but my airline doesn\u2019t allow it \u2014 even though nobody really appreciates elaborate, drawn-out service anymore.
\n
At least not the people in first class, except for maybe on the weekends when vacationers take the seats of the usual business travelers. The weekends are when I run out of champagne, and during the week it's red wine and Heineken.
\n
If there\u2019s one thing I know from working for an airline for 18 years, besides bad food and uncomfortable seats, it\u2019s people. I think we\u2019re getting way too personal here with this blanket, and no one wants that on a flight.
\n
Just ask Bose, which designed those noise cancellation headphones most frequent fliers never leave home without: Travelers want to disconnect, zone out, disappear at 30,000 feet so that when I come around with beverages I have to ask 20 times what they\u2019d like to drink (before erupting into a game of charades, then just handing them a can of Diet Coke \u2014 or Coke, depending on the destination).
\n
Great service on a long-haul flight doesn't require a magical tech solution. It requires a smiling face, and nothing makes me happier than being able to provide passengers with what they want. It's us, the flight attendants, who know how to relax passengers. Not a high-tech, color-coded blanket.
\n
Too bad more airlines don\u2019t listen to the people on the front lines.
\n
A friend of mine said it might be better if the flight attendants had this fiber optic fabric in our uniforms. That way, passengers will know who to go to when they need something \u2014 like, say, a regular blanket.
\n
Heather Poole is a flight attendant for a major U.S. carrier and the author of the New York Times bestseller Cruising Attitude: Tales of Crashpads, Crew Drama and Crazy Passengers at 35,000 Feet. You can follow her on Twitter at @Heather_Poole.
\n
Have something to add to this story? Share it in the comments.
","intro":null,"plain":"When I read about British Airways\u2019 new high-tech blanket, called \u201cthe \"happiness blanket,\" my first thought was that it had to be a joke. A blanket that analyzes the \u201cmeditative state\u201d of premium cabin fliers? What a waste of money.\nBut it's not a joke. According to Businessweek, \u201cThe wool 'happiness blanket' is embedded with tiny fiber optic LEDs that change color based on brainwaves transmitted via Bluetooth from a band worn on a passenger\u2019s head.\u201d\nSee also: Crew Life, Mile-High Selfies and Our Lasting Obsession With Flight Attendants\n\nLet me stop right here and just say: seriously? We\u2019re putting headbands on first class passengers? I don\u2019t think so. Why not just invest in mood rings? Seems simpler. Much less expensive. Easier to wear. I owned one when I was a girl \u2014 loved it! But in a 1976 Peanuts comic strip, Peppermint Patty became so angry at Charlie Brown her mood ring exploded. Now there\u2019s a visual I don\u2019t want to see on an airplane.\nBut back to the blankets. \u201cBlue signifies calm, peace, and relaxation and is seen most often when the person is sleeping deeply,\" according to Businessweek. \"The blanket displays crimson when the passenger feels stressed or anxious.\u201d\nI don't need fiber optics to tell you when a passenger is stressed and anxious, or how to make them more relaxed. Try two more inches of legroom, and a seat that fully reclines. And a neighbor who isn\u2019t chatting about the shade of their blanket.\nPlus, if you're sleeping, don't you think you're pretty relaxed? Is there anyone who really wants everyone knowing that much about them? Having your mood transmitted to the rest of the cabin sounds like something that could make you even more anxious.\nSee also: 13 Ridiculous Travel Accessories No One Will Ever Need\nSure, we live in the age of Facebook where we put it all out there for the world to see, but at least we have some control over what we share.\nImagine seeing 3B turning a dark shade of red. Must have been the pasta. (No joke: that tortellini in a cream sauce makes some passengers freak out.) Or imagine the opposite about 3A; we don't really want to know why he's so happy with his blanket, do we? If you know what I mean.\nBritish Airways said it will analyze data from the blankets to improve the flight experience, and that the color patterns will somehow inform when food should be served, what that food should be or what movies should be offered.\n\nA man sleeps on a British Airways flight with a high-tech fiber optic blanket and headband.Video: YouTube, British AirwaysThere's just one thing. In the age of social media, people have no problem expressing themselves with words. Trust me. This is especially true for airline passengers.\n\u201cThis airline sucks!\u201d one passenger told me when I greeted him at the boarding door \u2014 after a two-hour weather delay.\n\u201cWe\u2019re not sitting together and it\u2019s your fault,\u201d said another after I complimented her glasses.\nSee also: Score the Best Flight Deals on These 10 Sites\nBritish Airways believes passengers would rather eat in the lounge before the flight, which is why they\u2019re focusing on shut-eye as soon as passengers board.\nWell, maybe people are choosing to eat in the terminal because airplane food is equivalent to hospital food. It's been a long time since I've heard anyone rave about the food. Or maybe it's because the flight departs late or because the service takes too long.\nMy airline (a major U.S. carrier) expects us to deliver meals by hand in first class, leaving the cart behind because it doesn't look nice. But most frequent fliers are business travelers, eager to eat and be done with it so they can get back to work, so they hand me their meal trays before I can even finish serving the last row. The cart in the aisle makes the service move more quickly, but my airline doesn\u2019t allow it \u2014 even though nobody really appreciates elaborate, drawn-out service anymore.\nAt least not the people in first class, except for maybe on the weekends when vacationers take the seats of the usual business travelers. The weekends are when I run out of champagne, and during the week it's red wine and Heineken.\nIf there\u2019s one thing I know from working for an airline for 18 years, besides bad food and uncomfortable seats, it\u2019s people. I think we\u2019re getting way too personal here with this blanket, and no one wants that on a flight.\nJust ask Bose, which designed those noise cancellation headphones most frequent fliers never leave home without: Travelers want to disconnect, zone out, disappear at 30,000 feet so that when I come around with beverages I have to ask 20 times what they\u2019d like to drink (before erupting into a game of charades, then just handing them a can of Diet Coke \u2014 or Coke, depending on the destination).\nGreat service on a long-haul flight doesn't require a magical tech solution. It requires a smiling face, and nothing makes me happier than being able to provide passengers with what they want. It's us, the flight attendants, who know how to relax passengers. Not a high-tech, color-coded blanket.\nToo bad more airlines don\u2019t listen to the people on the front lines.\nA friend of mine said it might be better if the flight attendants had this fiber optic fabric in our uniforms. That way, passengers will know who to go to when they need something \u2014 like, say, a regular blanket.\nHeather Poole is a flight attendant for a major U.S. carrier and the author of the New York Times bestseller Cruising Attitude: Tales of Crashpads, Crew Drama and Crazy Passengers at 35,000 Feet. You can follow her on Twitter at @Heather_Poole.\nHave something to add to this story? Share it in the comments."},"shares":{"twitter":5,"facebook":17,"linked_in":1,"total":23},"comments_count":0,"image":"http://ift.tt/TANIi5","responsive_images":null,"short_url":"http://on.mash.to/1o4sl2n","choice":false,"spotlight":false,"shortcode_data":{"see_also":[{"data-url":"http://ift.tt/1mu7ff3"},{"data-url":"http://ift.tt/1o2PJlj"},{"data-url":"http://ift.tt/ZjVycS"}],"wp_shortcode_manager":[{}]},"excerpt":"When this flight attendant heard about \"happiness blankets,\" she thought they were a joke.","channel":"Lifestyle","channel_link":"http://ift.tt/Ltn0jB"},"hot":null,"big":null,"channel":{"_id":"4d38ebfc5198407a110044b6","id":"lifestyle","name":"Lifestyle","follower_count":504,"posts_count":3629,"url":"http://ift.tt/1cHrDTK","responsive_images":null}}
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