Comments on: Flying the friendly skies

By: Richard Aubrey

Richard Aubrey — Fri, 22 Jun 2012 12:12:34 +0000

Can’t make myself not quote Mark Steyn. Or at least paraphrase:

Talking about flying after 9-11, he said, more or less, that lean young men with tight haircuts, burly businessmen and arthritic grannies are all looking for a piece of the next terrorist.
Which sort of explains the help the cabin crews get when a passenger gets out of control. If he’s just drunk…well, can’t have everything.

By: Richard Aubrey

Richard Aubrey — Thu, 21 Jun 2012 22:03:53 +0000

Roy. The time actually spent on a flight from one place to another varies immensely if you have to make a connection.
For example, as I mentioned, we’re making a quick run to Rolla this weekend. We can’t fly direct to St. Louis from here, so we either drive three hours to an airport which does, or add a couple of hours in airports and flying to someplace we don’t want to go to in order to get a flight which will take us to where we really want to go. At which point we rent a car and then an hour down the road.
As to extra food, we were going to eat anyway, and so we’re only paying the difference. And if we do a McD drive through, there’s not much difference, and if we have a decent meal, we’re indulging ourselves which we do from time to time.

By: Roy

Roy — Thu, 21 Jun 2012 21:13:57 +0000

If you run the numbers and include Motels, fuel, extra food etc., it is usually cheaper for trips of, say, 1000 miles or more, to fly rather than drive – and that doesn’t include the time difference. However, there are many advantages to driving that have value in and of themselves. Comfort, the ability to go where you want when you want, having transportation at the destination, not having to worry about the luggage or the TSA shenanigans, all add up.

By: Roy

Roy — Thu, 21 Jun 2012 21:06:22 +0000

“Roy: do you ever fly Jet Blue?”

No, I haven’t. Jet Blue does not have service where I live. (Louisville, KY) The nearest city to me that is served by Jet Blue is Chicago. I suppose I could drive to Chicago to catch a plane, but it’s over 300 miles away. By the time I got there I might as well have driven the entire trip.

By: neo-neocon

neo-neocon — Thu, 21 Jun 2012 18:28:49 +0000

Donna B: since I mostly travel alone, for any trip that’s long-distance flying is extremely cost-effective. For example, I can easily get a cross-country flight (if I plan a little bit ahead) that amounts to about $150. For a cross-country trip in a car, gas is at least $350 and then there’s motels. Very expensive these days.

Those figures are all one-way.

By: neo-neocon

neo-neocon — Thu, 21 Jun 2012 18:21:49 +0000

Roy: do you ever fly Jet Blue? The seats are a lot roomier (esp legroom) I think. Of course, I’m not 6’2″.

By: neo-neocon

neo-neocon — Thu, 21 Jun 2012 18:19:43 +0000

uncleFred: well, I have to say that even before the flight took off, she was rather loud and strange. And I got the impression she had done something along the way, before getting on the plane, that had alerted them, because they singled her out immediately.

My then-husband was once on a plane where a drunk or otherwise under-the-influence person attacked a stewardess. My husband was one of the people who held the attacker down in the aisle until the plane landed. So I have a certain respect for the problem (fortunately, I wasn’t on that flight with him).

By: uncleFred

uncleFred — Thu, 21 Jun 2012 17:09:36 +0000

For five years I worked with a college who was terrified of flying. Our jobs required us to fly coast to coast every week. He’d done the program the airlines had (have?) to help people afraid of flying to no avail. He was literally unable to get on an airplane if he was sober. So his ritual was two stiff drinks about an hour before the flight, and another just prior to boarding. We’d walk on go directly to our seats, he was sober enough to walk normally. He’d sit at the window as the third drink hit him. He’d fasten his seatbelt and appear to be resting, eyes closed, face to the window. I’d make small talk with the flight attendants. After take off as soon as drink service began I’d get us both a drink. He’d have his fourth, in about 90 minutes, and sleep the rest of the flight. I’d wake him up after we touched down. He bothered no one. The notion that somehow sitting in an airline seat while intoxicated is a risk to the plane or passengers is absurd.

By: Roy

Roy — Thu, 21 Jun 2012 16:24:54 +0000

Most travelers want two things above all:

Reliability and Comfort.

US airlines are no longer providing either.

Reliability – When was the last time you flew that one or more of the connecting flights wasn’t delayed or worse, cancelled. (Whatever you do, never, never, never fly through Chicago O’Hare around Christmas time. Just say no!)

Comfort – don’t get me started on those seats in coach that even a ten year old wouldn’t be comfortable in. I’m a 6’2″ male and flying coach for even a short hop is torture.

Have you noticed that on TV shows and in Hollywood movies *everyone*, no matter what their station in life, flies first class.

By: SharonW

SharonW — Thu, 21 Jun 2012 15:05:10 +0000

Last year my husband and I had the pleasure of meeting our daughter’s in-laws in the south of France and then flying together to Brittany as they had friends in both locations. While we were at it, we decided we should fly into Paris for a couple days prior. All the flights were booked through Air France and they were the best flying experiences we’ve ever had. The customer service was outstanding. Every airport was clean and spacious. The irony wasn’t lost on me as the French have a reputation of being persnickety. Comparing our U.S. flights to this…night & day.