# Flying is no fun any longer



## Terri (May 10, 2002)

I remember checking in with a person, walking past a line of shops full of brightly colored trinkets and snack, choosing a paperback to buy and then sitting down to wait for the plane with no more work than showing my ticket when I was asked to do so. It was lovely

NOW everybody is rushing to get into crowded lines, the person behind my is cranky while the machine to check in with does NOT work so eventually an circulating employee is called over and she wanders around looking for an open machine, where she checks me in. Then there is another line to check baggage, and then there is a LONGER line to go through an x-ray machine, which gives a false reading that I have metal on my person so I am patted down. Also my carry on is searched. THEN I find a rare place to sit while folks jostle around me, because I am too old to slip my shoes on while standing up. 

My Father is 95 years old, and flying is worth it to visit him, but flying is simply no fun, and I used to enjoy it


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## AmericanStand (Jul 29, 2014)

You are doing it wrong. 

Fly your own.


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## Lisa in WA (Oct 11, 2004)

Our airport here in Spokane is the best. Small, friendly...laid back. We even have rocking chairs at the gates.
But then there is the problem with the airports on the other end.
We have TSA precheck and if you fly a lot it’s definitely worth it. Faster and less intrusive.


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## muleskinner2 (Oct 7, 2007)

It stopped being fun in the late 90's. The last really good flight I had was a first class seat from Houston to South Africa, on a Pan Am 747 in 1987.


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## AmericanStand (Jul 29, 2014)

Funny how even today after most are out are quite old or out of service the 747 is still the symbol of elagance in flight.


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## AmericanStand (Jul 29, 2014)

Even in death they retain a certain style


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## muleskinner2 (Oct 7, 2007)

AmericanStand said:


> Funny how even today after most are out are quite old or out of service the 747 is still the symbol of elagance in flight.


When they first came out, it was like flying on the Star Ship Enterprise. I can remember going up the stairs to the bar, and looking out the window up front, above the pilots. I would sit up there for most of the flight. About half way across the Atlantic every body would be asleep. The girls would come up there and take their breaks. The two front seats in the lounge reclined all the way flat and you could go to sleep.

The ladies that had flown for a long time always some very good war stories to tell. Like the time the Saudi Prince bought bubbly for everybody on the plane. Then offered one thousand dollars to each of the girls................ well, maybe I shouldn't tell that story.

I flew on a 747 from Tokyo to L.A. in 1977 and all of the center seats had a cardboard box strapped in it. Each box had a baby in it. There were three nuns taking care of the babies. It all went pretty well, until they ran out of diapers.


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## HDRider (Jul 21, 2011)

Fly commercial sucks

Charlotte airport was better than many places as you can get a direct flight to most major cities.


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## AmericanStand (Jul 29, 2014)

Lol
I hauled whole lot of trucks out of Statesville North Carolina and the most direct flight to that of course is to fly into Charlotte
But we never could get a direct flight to Charlotte inexpensively eventually, we learned to ask for a flight to Roanoke Virginia and get off of the plane when it got to Charlotte.


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## HDRider (Jul 21, 2011)

AmericanStand said:


> Lol
> I hauled whole lot of trucks out of Statesville North Carolina and the most direct flight to that of course is to fly into Charlotte
> But we never could get a direct flight to Charlotte inexpensively eventually, we learned to ask for a flight to Roanoke Virginia and get off of the plane when it got to Charlotte.


From Charlotte to somewhere else.

You jeopardize a return flight if you don't complete your outbound trip.


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## AmericanStand (Jul 29, 2014)

HDRider said:


> From Charlotte to somewhere else.
> 
> You jeopardize a return flight if you don't complete your outbound trip.


 I almost always travel one way


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## MichaelZ (May 21, 2013)

Small airports not so bad. But yeah, it is pretty intense in the larger airports. Last spring was the first time I flew in almost 20 years. Quite a difference!


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## hiddensprings (Aug 6, 2009)

I don't mind flying out of my little tiny airport with only one gate....its easy. It's when I get to the larger airports to make my connection that I feel my stress level go up. I think the worst thing is getting on the plane. I mean when did people decide they had to carry on EVERYTHING? They charge me to check a bag, and I do because I don't want to fight for overhead space. People try to carry on stuff much too big and then it takes forever to get settled on the plane. I say charge them for carry-ons and not for checked.


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## AmericanStand (Jul 29, 2014)

Now you have half your wish, at this point lots of airlines charge for carry-on baggage and many seats do not even have a carry-on baggage option available.


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## HDRider (Jul 21, 2011)

hiddensprings said:


> I don't mind flying out of my little tiny airport with only one gate....its easy. It's when I get to the larger airports to make my connection that I feel my stress level go up. I think the worst thing is getting on the plane. I mean when did people decide they had to carry on EVERYTHING? They charge me to check a bag, and I do because I don't want to fight for overhead space. People try to carry on stuff much too big and then it takes forever to get settled on the plane. I say charge them for carry-ons and not for checked.


I saw a guy go ballistic once when people put their carry-ons on his suit jacket in the overhead. I ask him how he expected his jacket to take up that space and not get scrunched. He had air rage.

I traveled a lot. It can get incredibly stressful


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## AmericanStand (Jul 29, 2014)

It used to be what planes had small closets or flight attendants would hang things like Suits


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## HDRider (Jul 21, 2011)

AmericanStand said:


> Now you have half your wish, at this point lots of *airlines charge for carry-on baggage* and many seats do not even have a carry-on baggage option available.


Not many, and they are dinks.

https://www.tripadvisor.com/AirlineFees


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## HDRider (Jul 21, 2011)

AmericanStand said:


> It used to be what planes had small closets or flight attendants would hang things like Suits


Still do in first class


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## AmericanStand (Jul 29, 2014)

True but now lots of planes don’t even have a first class!


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## AmericanStand (Jul 29, 2014)

What trips my trigger is to get on an airline with a name like American Airlines and fly on a bus that was built in another country.


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## HDRider (Jul 21, 2011)

AmericanStand said:


> True but now lots of planes don’t even have a first class!


Dink planes and low budget airlines don't


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## HDRider (Jul 21, 2011)

AmericanStand said:


> What trips my trigger is to get on an airline with a name like American Airlines and fly on a bus that was built in another country.


You got trigger problems


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## AmericanStand (Jul 29, 2014)

HDRider said:


> You got trigger problems


It sure seems like false advertising to me and yes it trips my trigger to get ripped off by faults advertising. 

Don’t advertise how patriotic you are in your name and then Destroy one of the few bright spots in the American economy


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## HDRider (Jul 21, 2011)

AmericanStand said:


> It sure seems like false advertising to me and yes it trips my trigger to get ripped off by faults advertising.
> 
> Don’t advertise how patriotic you are in your name and then Destroy one of the few bright spots in the American economy


Should they change their name to Toulouse or São Paulo depending on the plane YOU are on?


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## AmericanStand (Jul 29, 2014)

Of course not but they shouldn’t go themselves American Airlines if they’re not using American hardware. 
American doesn’t change their name to Reno just because they’re making a flight there. 
Although I must admit Reno airlines was a good airline. 

And when I get on an airline named Nigerian airways Or Lufthansa I don’t expect them to be flying American airplanes
But weirdly enough they do


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## Lisa in WA (Oct 11, 2004)

HDRider said:


> Still do in first class


and bring you wine before takeoff. Which is the most important thing.


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## Shrek (May 1, 2002)

My last comfortable commercial flight in coach class was in 1981 on a 6 seat across narrow body 707.

My next commercial flight was on a 747 10 seat wide coach wide body and seeing all the crying babies and unruly toddlers with parents in line and being ribbed by our senior team engineer on that trip that since my seat was on the port aisle , I would probably be surrounded by a kindergarten class for the entire flight as he relaxed in the lazy boy sized seat in first class, I took the ticket furnished by our company and asked the coach line agent if there was any way I could pay out of my pocket to upgrade my coach ticket to any possible open first class seat and she told me no but cracked up as she pointed to my friend standing to the side of first class check in saying he had already upgraded me as she took my dead coach ticket laughing at how my boss on that trip had set me up.

On our flight out, he said he knew there was no way I could have handled flying coach and he wanted me in top shape as I was his personal junior engineering staff assistant.

Well worth the extra cash when our stewardess told me about how coach was acting.

From then on I either upgraded to first class, flew with our gear on a military transport or on one trip , got un-expectantly delayed on my way to the airport and had to take the next flight out which just happened to have an open first class seat LOL.

During all my flights, regardless of the plane being commercial or military transport , I always thought back to riding coach in that narrow body 707 near it's end of service and cash bar drink cart.

Haven't flown since 1998 and have no desire to fly now regardless of who lives or dies wherever. I will stick to sending gifts via mail or FTD ordering a funeral plant as long as I exist.


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## HDRider (Jul 21, 2011)

Lisa in WA said:


> and bring you wine before takeoff. Which is the most important thing.


Overseas flight in first class are first class. They have given me unopened bottles of wine I liked to take home with me. The food is very good too.


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## [email protected] (Sep 16, 2009)

the best flight I ever took was with KLM airlines. 1962.
coach, Germany to New York. the meal was roast gosling 
I consider that the best meal I ever had..
I also was on a flight where we came within a couple hundred feet from getting hit by another air plane.
Also on another flight, the hydraulics went out for the landing gear.. It was a smaller plane and the pilot somehow manually lowered the wheels down.or something.
I once flew on the companies private jet. I got to ride shotgun. that was fun.


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## muleskinner2 (Oct 7, 2007)

I refuse to fly on American Airlines, or Delta. They have over booked my fights and left me stranded for the last time.


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## AmericanStand (Jul 29, 2014)

muleskinner2 said:


> I refuse to fly on American Airlines, or Delta. They have over booked my fights and left me stranded for the last time.


 I can feel your pain. 
Frontier is my least favorite. 
I detest Alaska Airlines from their poor treatment of passengers in the past but sadly they have survived and are currently flying many routes I need


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## Lisa in WA (Oct 11, 2004)

HDRider said:


> Overseas flight in first class are first class. They have given me unopened bottles of wine I liked to take home with me. The food is very good too.


We flew Swiss Air to Geneva in FC and it was amazing. Are Lingus in business class (seems like they didn’t have FC) and it was great too. I’d rather not go than fly across the ocean in Coach. For many reasons.


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## AmericanStand (Jul 29, 2014)

Reno airlines bought their planes from Swissair.


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## mnn2501 (Apr 2, 2008)

Shrek said:


> FTD ordering a funeral plant as long as I exist.


That can be as expensive as flying.


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## CKelly78z (Jul 16, 2017)

You aren't even talking about international flights, and TSA/baggage claim/Customs/baggage check/tight window connecting flights/delays....no fun at all.

As wonderful as our weeks in Sandals South Coast Jamaica all inclusive resort are, the flights/2 hour bus trip to, and from is tedious.


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## HDRider (Jul 21, 2011)

muleskinner2 said:


> I refuse to fly on American Airlines, or Delta. They have over booked my fights and left me stranded for the last time.


They all suck


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## Irish Pixie (May 14, 2002)

HDRider said:


> They all suck


They all _can_ suck. I've had good luck with Delta, and won't fly United. We're flying Delta when we met the soon to be Australia Pixies in New Orleans next month. 

The TSA precheck is worth it.


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## AmericanStand (Jul 29, 2014)

Irish Pixie said:


> The TSA precheck is worth it.


 Lol the TSA is a total waste.


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## Lisa in WA (Oct 11, 2004)

AmericanStand said:


> Lol the TSA is a total waste.


I flew with a man from Beirut, Lebanon on my last flight to Cincinnati. We struck up a conversation about horses and it turned out he works in the same building as my daughter but for the FBI (he was on his way to Quantifo).
He’s a hostage negotiator and specializes in Middle East terrorism. He’s worked on a bunch of high profile terrorism cases and He is disgusted with the job the TSA does. And he’d know.
That scared me.

Super nice guy and my daughter has struck up an acquaintanceship with him because she majored in Islamic Studies for her undergrad degree. I’ve met some really interesting people on flights.


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## HDRider (Jul 21, 2011)

Irish Pixie said:


> They all _can_ suck. I've had good luck with Delta, and won't fly United. We're flying Delta when we met the soon to be Australia Pixies in New Orleans next month.
> 
> The TSA precheck is worth it.


The only one I have not had a bad experience with is Jet Blue


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## Lisa in WA (Oct 11, 2004)

I hate United. We e mostly had decent service on the others. I didn’t particularly care for PeopleExpress way back in the 80’s but it was kind of like flying Coach is now.


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## Irish Pixie (May 14, 2002)

HDRider said:


> The only one I have not had a bad experience with is Jet Blue


My oldest daughter always flies Jet Blue. It's fairly new to the most local largish airports tho.


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## HDRider (Jul 21, 2011)

Irish Pixie said:


> My oldest daughter always flies Jet Blue. It's fairly new to the most local largish airports tho.


I did a milk run from Raleigh to Fort Lauderdale for about a year on them. They are very limited on destinations.


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## Irish Pixie (May 14, 2002)

HDRider said:


> I did a milk run from Raleigh to Fort Lauderdale for about a year on them. They are very limited on destinations.


 When I was reserving the flight home from CA last time I told Mr. Pixie it was either the red eye or a milk run. He asked what a milk run was...we took the redeye. 

Our oldest drives to Jersey, spends the night with a friend, and they drive her to Kennedy. She has found some very good prices through JetBlue.


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## Bearfootfarm (Jul 13, 2006)

Y'all need to be taking sail boats.
You're going to make Greta cry.


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## AmericanStand (Jul 29, 2014)

Isn’t jet blue the plastic lunchroom seat airline ?


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## HDRider (Jul 21, 2011)

Bearfootfarm said:


> Y'all need to be taking sail boats.
> You're going to make Greta cry.


Greta loves me


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## AmericanStand (Jul 29, 2014)

HD you are really starting to worry me.


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## HDRider (Jul 21, 2011)

AmericanStand said:


> HD you are really starting to worry me.


Don't worry, be happy


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## AmericanStand (Jul 29, 2014)

But is Greta happy ?


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## muleskinner2 (Oct 7, 2007)

HDRider said:


> The only one I have not had a bad experience with is Jet Blue


I have had a real good luck with Turkish Air, the Russian airline who's name I can't spell. Aero something. On Turkish Air every seat is like first class. Good food on real china, with hot towels to clean up with.


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## HDRider (Jul 21, 2011)

AmericanStand said:


> But is Greta happy ?


No, she is mad at the world


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## Lisa in WA (Oct 11, 2004)

muleskinner2 said:


> I have had a real good luck with Turkish Air, the Russian airline who's name I can't spell. Aero something. On Turkish Air every seat is like first class. Good food on real china, with hot towels to clean up with.


That’s how Swiss Air was. It was lovely.
Aeroflot? My husband flew that one.


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## Shrek (May 1, 2002)

mnn2501 said:


> That can be as expensive as flying.


True , it is more expensive than buying and arranging special occasion "Honey I remembered" flower vases but FTD is still less expensive and uncomfortable than flying , a plant after showing I remembered the departed can be kept by a family member and named after the departed if they choose and by my not flying, since I don't have the touch to raise a lost friend as Lazarus was, I avoid passing myself in a plane that chooses to fall out of the sky causing others the headaches / dread of flying if for some reason they feel the urge to visit my quietly post hole planted, divot covered ash can in our family plot .


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## CKelly78z (Jul 16, 2017)

HDRider said:


> The only one I have not had a bad experience with is Jet Blue


We like the Jet Blue economy class. The leg room is bigger, and there are snacks/drinks included, seemless flights that are on time. We can usually fit everything we are taking into an overhead stored bag, and carry needed items with us in a hand bag that we place under the seat....cutting out baggage claim/check is one less stressor to deal with.


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## FarmboyBill (Aug 19, 2005)

I get a kick out of a current airline advertisement on TV going on and on about how cheap their air fare is. I say, Yes, and were so safe we have 2 wings on each side of the plane, and you don't have to worry about an engine going bad, as we only have one. lol


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## Fishindude (May 19, 2015)

It usually costs a bit more, but anytime I can fly out of one of our states smaller regional airports I do so. Parking and check in, lines, etc. are much easier.


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## HermitJohn (May 10, 2002)

Bearfootfarm said:


> Y'all need to be taking sail boats.
> You're going to make Greta cry.


I dont think they have passenger liner ships anymore, do they? I know one time I was looking if way to get to Hawaii by boat. Apparently certain times of year there are cruise ships that go there, but that maybe worse than flying. Its like trying to go cross country on a train. Just getting to a train terminal is stupid silly, just well drive to destination. Only area of country where trains are practical option is east coast.


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## AmericanStand (Jul 29, 2014)

Trains are more of a cruise ship type option 
Except when they are a commuter thing.


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## Bearfootfarm (Jul 13, 2006)

HDRider said:


> Greta loves me


She probably has a poster of you on her wall.


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## Lisa in WA (Oct 11, 2004)

HermitJohn said:


> I dont think they have passenger liner ships anymore, do they? I know one time I was looking if way to get to Hawaii by boat. Apparently certain times of year there are cruise ships that go there, but that maybe worse than flying. Its like trying to go cross country on a train. Just getting to a train terminal is stupid silly, just well drive to destination. Only area of country where trains are practical option is east coast.


They do still have passenger ships. Cunard Lines is one. I hate flying over oceans so DH has suggested a ship. The Queen Mary 2 goes back and forth from New York to Southampton, UK.


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## mreynolds (Jan 1, 2015)

Lisa in WA said:


> They do still have passenger ships. Cunard Lines is one. I hate flying over oceans so DH has suggested a ship. The Queen Mary 2 goes back and forth from New York to Southampton, UK.


I hear they are building a replica of the Titanic now too. Not sure if I want to get on that one though.


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## Bearfootfarm (Jul 13, 2006)

mreynolds said:


> I hear they are building a replica of the Titanic now too. Not sure if I want to get on that one though.


With "global warming", what could possibly go wrong?


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## AmericanStand (Jul 29, 2014)

Alaska has quite an extensive ferry system that is used Almost as a bus line by some people of course it’s a bus line where you can bring your pick up along


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## AmericanStand (Jul 29, 2014)




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## Lisa in WA (Oct 11, 2004)

AmericanStand said:


> Alaska has quite an extensive ferry system that is used Almost as a bus line by some people of course it’s a bus line where you can bring your pick up along


so does Washington.


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## AmericanStand (Jul 29, 2014)

I have used the ferry in Seattle a lot and they are almost a perfect extension of the city bus system. 

I have found them to be quite pleasant


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