Have you been on a long-haul flight recently? Or even just near a busy airport? These days, asking if you’ve ever been in a medieval torture chamber or if a recurring nightmare has come true.
With our two monopoly airlines battling to see who can most annoy their customers with rising prices, shrinking seats and legroom, scheduling debacles and overworked staff, the motto of the major airlines really does seem to be: “We’re not satisfied until you’re not satisfied.”
Speaking of nightmares, our neighbors just told us about their “little” trip to Vancouver. In the recent past, members of our own family of four have made that flight many, many times because Rotten Kid, the daughter, lived there part-time, studied there, and performed there, and for the most part, it was a pretty straightforward experience of a typical air travel trip. You know, the usual parking hassles, claustrophobic lines, ticket mix-ups, fights for the carry-on bin and seats for an 8-year-old, all at a price 30 percent higher than your last flight. And you flew two weeks ago.
But our well-traveled neighbors described how a routine hour-long flight from the coast turned into a day-long ordeal of frustration and heartache that included airline computer failures, canceled flights, lost luggage, and marathon, mind-numbing sessions of sitting motionless in surprisingly uncomfortable airport seats that were obviously designed by deranged sadists. That’s airline rawdogging!
Excuse me? – you might be asking. Flight rawdogging?? Is this something new that airlines have come up with to make your travel experience even more torturous than it already is? Well, the answer is surprisingly no. The latest travel trend called “flight rawdogging” was created by the passengers themselves. Not entirely healthy passengers, though, as you will soon see.
Although the term “rawdogging” (which I’d never heard of until yesterday) apparently has a much more daring original context, “rawdogging in flight” is anything but daring, according to an article in Travel Week magazine. But it’s all the rage, especially among a small number of, shall we say, unique travelers who got the idea from TikTok and other social media swamps (my words).
The latest trend, especially among men (obviously), requires people to “sit through a long-haul flight without any distractions or entertainment.” No phones, movies, music, books or entertainment. Oh, and no sleep, no food, and no water. (And no brain??) And we’re talking 7-11 hour flights. Excuse me??
Here’s a guy sitting like a zombie for an entire flight and then posting a photo or video on social media of his “incredible accomplishment.” Here’s a real TikTok post: “Wow! I just completed a 7 hour flight without fighting back, new personal best. The power of my mind knows no bounds.” Really?? Really.
Now you’re probably shaking your head in disbelief at the depths of lame stupidity that some people (mainly men) stoop to. Supposedly there’s a much more lofty reason for flight rawdogging than posting your stupid face on TikTok.
Some R-Doggers claim it’s a form of meditation that leads to a “spiritual experience” and “changes you”. Well, of course it changes you – have you ever heard of deep vein thrombosis? Aside from the psychological damage that experts warn rawdoggers do, sitting on an airplane can cause blood clots in the legs, which can lead to a heart attack. Go ahead – Tik your cardiac arrest on Tok, Mr Smartypants Dogger!
No. But I wouldn’t mind having a Rawdogger sitting next to me. Then at least one of us could sleep.
Harley Hay is a writer and filmmaker based in Red Deer. Contact Harley with your thoughts or ideas at [email protected].
