The 'Flight Whisperer' - Are We Going Too Far?

I am a self-admitted frequent flyer. My carbon footprint over the last couple of years has been abhorrent, I'm sure, but none-the-less, my partner and I like to take off at least two times a year. In 2009, we spent the entire year travelling, and can only begin to guess as to how many flights we took, and out of those some 40 flights, I can count on one hand how many times I've allowed myself to come face-to-face with a raging passenger in-flight. I am the first one to admit that I get road-rage, and at times, I can most certainly be described as an impatient person, but never have I lost my cool mid-air. And I've only ever treated my fellow passengers with the utmost respect. But I'm sad to say, that statistically, air passengers are becoming less and less tolerant of each other. So who's responsibility is it to keep the peace?

Virgin Airlines believes it's theirs, and has taken it upon themselves to hire a "Whispering Coach" to train their flight attendants to speak in hushed tones to promote and quiet and peaceful environment in the flight cabin. In an effort to promote their new "upper-class dream suites", all flight staff on long-haul flights, will be required to participate in an extra day of training, to learn how to speak between 20-30 decibels so as not to disturb sleeping passengers. Apparently telling the staff to use their "inside voices" isn't enough!

At first glance, the headline sounds a bit extreme. But are they onto something here? How many times have you been on a long flight and been ripped out of your sleep by some obnoxious passenger who'd decided to strike up a rousing conversation with someone next to them in the middle of the night? Or maybe you've been forced to crank the volume up in your headset because the gaggle of bimbo's two rows up have had two cocktails too many, and think that now is a perfect time to start gossiping about all the debauchery that is to ensue when they touch down. Do we really need to be privy to all the details? Yikes!

I think it's all well and fine that the cabin crew are trained to speak in soft melodic tones, but what of rowdy, obnoxious blabber-mouths who just don't want to listen? Well, perhaps it's time for a little perspective. If you have the ability to actually get on a plane, and leave your home, you are immensely privileged, never forget that. So lose the holier-than-though attitude, crank your headset to full volume and suck it up. There are 7 billion people on this planet that aren't going anywhere, so you might as well get used to it! Unless you've paid an obscene amount to fly business or first class, quit your complaining and be grateful!