A new low in air travel......

[CAJUNLAWYER]

Air travel is something to be endured. I once got so frustrated at TSA I unbuttoned my pants and got ready to drop trou and get ready for short arm inspection. I almost got arrested, the wife was mortified and I was getting ready to stroke out I was so mad at the way I was being treated by some little sawed off peckerwood of a TSA agent. Now I just stop at the bar in the terminal, have a couple of beers and chill. I then put on my "Keith44spl face" and nobody really screws with me as I make my way to my seat. I don't talk to anyone and read a book-When we land I leave.

 

[Muss Muggins]

We've taken to tailgating in the long-term parking covered lot until time to go thru security and board for our regular Las Vegas Sports Book Show Tours . . .

. . . Now I just stop at the bar in the terminal, have a couple of beers and chill. . .

 

[Maddog 521]

This thread should be sent to all of the airline companies to read. It might help.

 

[M29since14]

I flew SAHSA ( stay at home, stay alive) to Honduras,
LANSA ( lost and never seen again) to Nicaragua
TACA ( take another chance airline) to Costa Rica,
GARUDA and a number of others
that I can't remember the names. I never dreaded those flights as much as I do the present day U.S. based carriers.
My last few have been on a Cessna King Air or a CJ4....and that's a whole different ball game.

You've flown in a Cessna King Air, eh? (It's a Beechcraft.) I'm just happy to know our Cajunlawyer doesn't leave before the plane lands.

Actually, I tend a little toward Hsguy's point of view. Much as I dislike the present "state of the art" (if you can call it that with a straight face), it does get me to places I couldn't go otherwise, and in one piece - so far. We're paying a price for the price. My last flight to Europe cost less than my first one (in 1977). But the good old days are gone, and gone in many ways other than air travel, too. I guess I'll always be a 747 guy at heart and, like that magnificent airplane, the industry is leaving "us" behind.

By the way, for those GA people who think they will always escape TSA, I doubt it. I think our day is coming. Either that, or we will be excluded from facilities handling commercial traffic.

 

[FlyFish]

Like others, I flew hundreds of thousands of miles in my working days, starting when people actually used to dress up a bit when flying. Hard to imagine that now. My wife and I still have many places we want to see, most of which involve flying, so we put up with it as there's really no other choice, but I can't think of an industry that goes more out of its way to come up with creative methods of antagonizing its clientele.

 

[Sistema1927]

As good a place as any to ask a question I've often wondered about:

Why is it that airlines board the first-class passengers first, then continue loading by rows until they reach the end of the plane? Everybody has to struggle past all the other seated passengers -- and seated passengers have to tolerate it -- to get to their seats.

Doesn't make sense to me.

If I ever fly first class, I want to be boarded last, after all those miserable coach-class people have already had to sit there waiting for me. That's the true value of spending the big bucks to travel -- to be the least inconvenienced and the most accommodated.

As a 1st class passenger you could choose to board last, but then don't expect to have any overhead space.

I think that one of the reasons why 1st class boards first is to demonstrate to the "self loading cargo" that they could have the perks of pre-flight drinks and comfier seating if they would cough up some more cash.

 

[mooosie]

Fly Southwest if you can, all airlines have a comfort plus , economy comfort or something similar. For a few dollars mor you get a wider seat a little more legroom and a space for your bags for your seat only


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[dockmurgw]

There's a remake of the 1955 film "To Hell And Back" planned for the near future. Low budget film, just one camera man following a air traveler making a round trip.

 

[keith44spl]

I then put on my "Keith44spl face" and nobody really screws with me as I make my way to my seat.

Gary,

'The Look'...It has work for me for years......

I boarded a flight in Houston, direct to Anchorage,
Didn't get out of my seat or speak to anyone,
except to answer the flight attendant question about a dinner entree.

(The attendant that approached me about the dinner, must have drawn the short straw)


Please feel free to use that pleasant facial expression anytime

Su Amigo,
Dave

P.S. I'm always in a jovial mood...Till someone piss's me off

.

 

[Walkingwolf]

I don't fly very often, June was the first time in two decades, it is what it is. You(general) cannot expect hundreds of thousands of people crowded into a terminal to each be treated like personal friends, they have a job to do, and do it the most polite, and efficient way they can. Most problems come from problem passengers that abuse rules, and take advantage of flight attendants being accommodating.

My flight went as well as I expected, except for I don't like crowds, and closed in spaces. There was a problem with carry on but not by carry on being put in the front. The planes were boarded from front to back, so that is difficult for back to put carry on forward. The problem I saw was with the abuse of the size, and number of carry on luggage some passengers pushing the boundaries. The flight I was on one particular passenger argued at the gate until they just let her board. Her carry on, a back pack that was 4 feet long.

 

[Rivoak01]

In response to the OP first question, the answer is air travel has degraded enough for the passengers, but the airlines still feel they have a way to go before misery is perfected.




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[ontheroad20]

I haven't flown in 40 years but will be heading to Florida first week of September, dunno what to expect.

 

[SgtStone]

do not fly much anymore

Not related to comfort critters but for the record...

Perhaps it was due to youth and Adventure but I once loved to travel by air. Flew all over the Pacific, even crossing over the North Pole, say Alaska to Japan non-stop. Whooshh!

As a radar tech I flew for free on major carriers aside from paying taxes and tips. I remember a (pre-deregulation) 18-hr non-stop flight where I might as well have been the only passenger. The flight attendants made up a comfy bed where I slept for a solid eight, then enjoyed a fresh made omelet and toast with mugs of the best coffee and fresh-squeezed orange juice. I turned down a splash of vodka.

The flight attendants were witty and beautiful. If I wasn't faithfully married, a petite brunette let me know she might have ideas how to spend her break. Talk about a golden age.

 

[jchodur]

Retired now so thankfully I don't have to travel by air now. I did notice a big decline in passenger "intelligence" for lack of a better description starting after 9/11. I do feel sorry for the attendants though. I cannot remember any bad experiences with them. After 9/11 I was going through the security scanner at O'Hare and a guy in the next lane was attempting to board carrying loose golf clubs in his arms.

Several times I was seated in the waiting area to board when the attendant announced "First class passengers, parents accompanying children and those needing assistance (handicapped) can now board." The plane did not have enough first class seats to accommodate everyone who got up. I saw very few children being escorted and I don't believe that many handicapped people should be able to run. There was only a couple of us still seated in the waiting area after the announcement. The absolute worse was returning to Midway Airport in Chicago. I'm strapped in my seat and I feel the jolt and hear the squeak of the wheels touching ground. Immediately I hear "click, click, click" of seat belts being undone and people (read idiots) getting up to open the overhead bins while we were still heading down the runway at an incredible speed. The flight attendants warning did no good. The pilot slowed the plane down, pulled off the runway and announced that this is where we will stay until everyone is seated and strapped in. I don't remember how long the pilot's announcement took to sink in but it was more than five minutes.

I want to travel to see my brother on the northwest coast but it will be by Amtrak Empire Builder. I understand it is quite delightful.

 

[JohnZMI]

I flew commercial a LOT during the first 25 years of my senior executive life at GM and Chrysler, but all of my travel for the last 15 working years (1986-2001) was in the Chrysler Gulfstream jets (we had 5 G4's and G5's), with only 8 or 10 people on the plane, great food and drink, and no hassle of any sort at either end of the trip. I retired in 2001, and haven't flown since - the "golden age" of the airlines is long-gone.

 

[loknload]

I'll never board a plane again unless I have to! My first air flights you could still smoke on the plane and you got a meal and a beverage! Now you're lucky to get a cup of a drink and a bag of peanuts. Put up with that TSA baloney,,,,I think not!
This is one of the reasons that I originally purchased my motorhome, my travel at my leisure and comfort!

 

[mtgianni]

I have flown maybe a dozen times in the last 10 years and always wonder why they don't allow the ticket holders for the front seats to board last. They have to know that the terminals, sad as they are are more comfortable than the flight seats.

 

[The Big D]

I fly a lot.

And despite the difficulties it is much better than a lonnnnnnnnnnng drive.

I DO drive reasonable distances; my 'hood to West Lafayette, IN, is set for this fall. That's about 520 miles and will likely stop overnight along the way. Easy.

For air travel I bite the bullet and ride in the front of the bus usually. Much more comfortable and usually in the company of folks who have actually flown and have common sense.

Be safe.

 

[swsig]

I haven't flown in 40 years but will be heading to Florida first week of September, dunno what to expect.

Be prepared for a culture shock. I hope you will be accompanied by a native guide who can help ease you through all of the quaint new customs that have arisen since you last flew.

 

[GypsmJim]

Poor horse...
Stupid human!

I'd probably get hauled off by TSA.
There's no WAY I could keep my mouth zipped.
No amount of free booze will make up for that!

Last year I flew red eye coast-to-coast and a prissy*&^% girl was across aisle with a puppy in her lap. The dog couldn't sit still and jumped all the time. I lost 4 good hours of sleep that night.

The girl was tweeting all the time. She didn't look mental to me.

I complained to Corporate and got a free ticket out of it.

Don't complain about air travel unless you complain to those in power.