Question for Readers: Do You Lie Compulsively on Planes?
Instead of answering reader questions, I’m asking questions of readers this week.
I often find myself lying compulsively on planes.
Mostly, I lie because it’s easier. I find that it makes people more comfortable for me just to say that I’m flying for work, which is a reason that easily fits into people’s schemas of the world and explains why I might be flying in business or first class or I might be flying somewhere for only one or two days, rather than for me to try to explain using frequent flyer miles or mileage running.
For example, on one of my trips around the world, on one segment, my seat mate asked me where I was going, and I told him that I wasn’t really going anywhere because I was just flying around the world. He then looked at me funny and didn’t talk to me the rest of the flight. On the next segment, when my seat mate asked me where I was going, I told him I was going to ____ very briefly for work, but it’s not that bad because my company pays for business class or else I would never do it, and he quickly agreed and continued the conversation.
So I’m curious, do you ever find the need or desire to lie to people on planes rather than get into the details of our hobby?
“No? I don’t have an Iranian passport? What are you talking about?”
On mileage runs, I just say I’m going to meet friends. Anything else and their eyes start to glaze over.
Is this a joke? Why would you lie period? Seems to me like you are the one with the issue, not the person who looked at you weird when you said you’re “flying around the world”. Even I would be like, wth are you talking about.
Not sure if you think I have an issue because 1) I’ve flown around the world multiple times or 2) I lie to others, but you’re probably right in either case.
I am so with you on this! I agree – I was once going to France for the weekend. I told my seat mate that and he was like “ummm” and pretty much kept his distance since then. No one understands mileage running so I don’t even explain to them anymore. Oh… and when someone ask me what I do for a living, I found answering with “I work at Starbucks” works wonders. No questions asked. 😉
Well, but don’t lie to the immigration officer. On my last mileage run to the US, the Pre-clearance officer at Dublin airport was suspicious on my 2 days “weekend away” trip to New Orleans “why New Orleans?” I was referred to the secondary interview, and I explained my mileage run, no problemo, guess he’s seen plenty.
Yes, good advice to not lie to immigration.
To some extent, sometimes it’s just easier if you feel like avoiding certain conversations. For instance I work in public accounting, I do financial statement auditing, if I say I’m an accountant, CPA, auditor etc. The next thing someone always asks or says is that I must be busy around tax season, it’s just easier to say ‘yes’ than explain I don’t do anything with taxes….
I am 32 and retired after selling my startup. However I am cheap and play the miles game for travel in business or first class. Try explaining to people that you are retired at 32 and are just doing rtw trips is very odd. So yes I lie, alot.