[singpilot]

OK, I gotta tell. I usually don't talk about passengers, especially the ones in first class. This was a famous designer, I'll bet everyone reading this has one of his designer-initialed products somewhere in their house.

Last week, in flight over Europe, as I was passing thru the cabin, he stopped me and asked if I knew anything about I-pods. He was holding one, and was distressed that it had stopped working. He was concerned that I had done something to prevent it from working inflight. He claimed that this was the third one he had, and that they never worked longer than 3 days for him before he had to have his PA return them for a new one.

I looked at it, and yes, it would turn off the moment it came up.

Yes, the battery was dead, and he looked astonished that it needed to be recharged. No one had told him that this was necessary.

I am always amazed at the things I learn from passengers.