Airplane Buds. Airplane ride experience could be… | by Elizabeth Odelia | Sep, 2025

Airplane ride experience could be different, all depends on how you choose it

What do you usually do on airplanes?

I think films are at least 2 times better when I watch it 30,000 feet above ground, and I can remember it more when I discuss it with other friends (‘I watched Indiana Jones meeting Aristotle when I am flying above Singapore’).

But I took a lot of budget flights this year, and without the entertainment tablet in front of me, I trust my phone and pair of earbuds to work. Usually what I do are:

• fill up my browser’s reading list
• download a whole playlist that has been happening at the moment
• save a video or two from Youtube or sometimes its a movie from Netflix

And it was my plan for my 4-hour flight from Taipei to Kuala Lumpur this time.

Music was blasting from both of my ears and I was reading a short story on my phone. Then, this guy beside me struck up a conversation. Not just a hi, or a where are you going.

Well, it did start with that, and continues on until I know where he lives, what he does, his current concern, plans about the future, etc. We continue on and on until he ends by ‘if I did not talk to you, you would be sleeping right now, right?’, which I replied with a solid yes.

It turns to a 2-hour conversation that I was sure was disturbing for everyone around us who intended to sleep.

How did I know?

Because after an hour of finally dozing off, the woman beside me tells me exactly that.

She expresses how annoyed she was when she was about to sleep and hear our non-stop blabber, until at some point, she became invested, and thought as far as maybe, some people are fated this way.

A completely bizarre idea, but I could not deny it that it was an interesting conversation.

Surprisingly, it struck as another full-blown conversation, this time with the lady besides me.

I had a mixed feeling at that time; growing up in this digital era- plane rides have never been wired with socializing for me. Maybe it was normal when they have not installed the in-flight entertainment (according to Google: before 1992). I could imagine people used to ride this any public transports- planes, buses, wagons, without anything to do but talking (I assume reading would made them dizzy).

Is our society better for introverts nowadays? Or do we become introverted because of technology?

Throughout this small essay, maybe you could guess my feelings on the situation?

Was I happy to join the conversation?
Yes, but not right after. I did get annoyed at first when they guy keep going and going.

During the whole moment, I was thinking about my unread books and how I lost my personal space in this narrow budget airline seat.

It takes time for me to realize how lucky I was. It just so happens that the guy beside me was giving some career insights and the woman beside me just finished her psychology camp (I studied psychology).

Maybe putting my earbuds down is a great idea after all. In the end, I am getting two new airplane buds.

Moral of the story: you do not live alone, let other people into your life. Do not block yourself from interaction with others.