To be a good conversationalist, there are a few "rules" when it comes to conversing with strangers. In most cases, avoid discussing politics or religion unless there is a strong indicator of which way your subject leans and you happen to agree. There's no use having a "Crossfire" type debate in an airport or anywhere else with someone you don't know.
If you're not looking for some "ack-shun", don't get too personal with a member of the opposite sex. Same sex conversations could also be misinterpreted, for that matter. If you're a straight guy, you might not want to get into a discussion about Brokeback Mountain with the guy at the next urinal, for instance. Or anything else. The guy might be a Congressman cruising in an airport mensroom. Watch for that "wide stance".
In starting conversation with strangers, it takes a secure person with a lot of self-confidence to make the first move. If that describes you, you probably don't need a lot of help. For the rest of you, here are 10 ideas for airport/airplane conversation starters:
If you're a man trying to strike up a conversation with an attractive woman, say in an airport bar, Chris Berman of ESPN's infamous line "you're with me, Leather" is probably a little too forward unless you're a celebrity. According to the sports blog Deadspin, in the mid-90's a well known media personality had been trying to pick up a comely female in leather pants for an hour or so. In walks Chris "Boomer" Berman who, without breaking stride says "you're with me, Leather" and the two disappear."He ....could....go...all...the ...way...?"
If you're a regular Joe, you might try something less like a line. Maybe "I take it you're not a member of PETA?" if you don't get slapped, you're on your way.
While passing the time waiting in the terminal, in any group of people, there's usually one or more fans of the 90's TV series Seinfeld. In a 1995 episode, The Diplomats Club, Kramer and some Texan are placing bets on which flight will land first. Kramer wins, but the bet is off when it is discovered that Jerry caused a delay in one of the flights because the Pilot had seen his act and was offended. Discussing the "show about nothing" can be an excellent conversation starter.
Speaking of Pilots, there are usually some passengers who are a bit nervous about flying. One could mention that "hey, the Pilot is quite a guy. Just last night, I was his designated driver". A little humor is good for taking off the edges.
You could use the Jim Carrey line from Dumb and Dumber in which Carrey's Lloyd Christmas tells the lady passenger in his limo "statistics show that more people are killed on their way to the airport".
With airport security being so tight in the post 9/11 era, many people are uneasy about going through metal detectors. Many of us set off alarms the first time around. In a scene in This Is Spinal Tap, one of the rockers sets off the metal detector. It turns out the problem was a tin-foil wrapped zucchini...in a, shall we say, private area. Recalling this scene, or explaining it to the unitiated, could be a good conversation starter.
If subjected to a body search, a middle-aged man could always say "I was due for my annual prostate exam, anyway".
Men, If you must visit an airport mensroom, you could lighten the mood by proclaiming, "Sen. Larry Craig is sponsoring a limbo dance contest in there!"
If the other passengers are humor impaired or just prefer Cary Grant-type "sophisticated" humor, sports is often an excellent conversation starter just about anywhere. If, say a fellow passenger has some sort of NFL emblem on their luggage or elsewhere, nearly anyone will know the name of at least one current player. As Steve Martin and the late John Candy said in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles when caught in an awkward situation: "How 'bout those Bears?" But, this one might not work in Green Bay WI.
The 2000 film, Meet The Parents has a couple of funny scenes recalled by many. Everyone who has flown much seemingly has a lost luggage story. In Parents, Gaylord "Greg" Focker has his luggage lost when going to meet his future in-laws for the first time. Instead of his clothes and his girlfriends engagement ring, Greg's luggage arrives several days late and has a bunch of S&M equipment inside, which of course, his ex-CIA future father in law opens. Recalling this scene can make for a good conversation starter.
Lastly, the other scene from Parents is the one late in the film in which Greg has to wait for his row to board...even though he is the only person in line. Joking about such absurdities of flying is something most flyers can relate to and can be another great conversation starter in the airport.
