Traveling by plane in 2005...

[max cooper]

I travelled a lot for work from about '92 to 2000, domestic and international flights. Even though I got pretty sick of it, it wasn't bad.

So I just had to fly from Texas to Florida to New York to Arizona to Texas (mostly work with one stop for visiting family). Only one flight was on a "big" plane: ok, get this...I'm saying a 737 was the "big" plane The rest of them were these little one seat on one side, two on the other side jobs, tho jets at least. This was definitely the worst airplane travel I've experienced. I know, I know, 911...but I think the other reason travel has gone downhill(more) is that everyone wants the flight for $6 less on the internet. One airline counter employee was chatting with me on the subject, and she agreed. She mentioned that if a fare comes up on the second page of a "cheapest fare" search website, nobody will even see it since nobody goes to the second page.

A while back, I purchased two Pelican 1510 FAA carry-on approved cases for gear and I never once was allowed to actually carry one on a plane on the entire trip. Gate checked every time. I checked with the FAA and the 1510 is considered "carry-on" by current FAA standards. There's no way they'd have fit on any of the planes they put me on anyway. In fact, there was a big guy on one of the flights, and he was really crammed into a window seat. I felt really bad for him, since these planes were too small for me (I'm 5'5" & 158 lbs.) and I say the real problem with the size is that by the time I get to where I'm going, I'm practically broken in two, yet I'm supposed to be there to work. So what do you do about travelling to make it less miserable? I used to fly first and business class sometimes but I've noticed that these little planes don't have first class sections. I was in row 1-B on one of 'em. Any suggestions?

[alphajerk]

buy your own plane.... seriously, or at least "time share" one. air travel SUCKS now. and im flying out in two weeks to nyc, not looking foward to it. anyone know if i can still carry my lighter on it??? course im going to NY fu king C where there is no smoking anyway in the dead of winter.

[Ol' Betsey]

I just saw a film ('documentary') called The Corporation and they highlighted a funny - I'm assuming, sad but true - fact:

Your not allowed to take a lighter on an airplane but your still allowed 5 packets of matches!



R.

[max cooper]

OK, so who wants to get together on this...Airslutz should have at least a couple of Gulfstreams. I'll bet if everyone sold off their least used piece of high dollar outboard, we could get one within a week. I had my matches confiscated in the airport at Tucson anyway. I think it's up to the person doing the screening. I get it about the security...nobody wants to be the one that let the bad guy through. Actually, the security is the least of my complaints...it's that Hyundai with wings that they insist on calling an airplane.

[alphajerk]

can they detect a book of matches? doesnt seem like it would set off the detector.... need to bring matches now i guess instead of a lighter.

this really sucks now.

[PlugHead]

FWIW,

In this country (Canada), flying is a bit funky as well: lighters are allowed, but only 1 book of matches(?!) and of course, no sharp objects. Streamlining is in fashion nowadays, and I fly across the country often (i.e tommorrow), and that requires 2 legs - one for 2 1/2 hrs on a very small plane, and another 5 hr flight on usually a large jet. Carry-on luggage is getting tougher and tougher to fit as size restrictions get tighter. A lot of the domestic travel is going with smaller and smaller planes, and thus less room for passsengers, and of course less overhead and under seat storage. As far as suggestions: get up and move as often as you can - on long flights, I get up and walk around - often to the back, and read standing to avoid cramping from sitting long stretches in a "too-small"" seat - if it's a "long" flight (overseas etc.) I might take a gravol to conk out for a few hrs. IME, one of the best things (if you want to sleep) is to get an inflatable "neck" pillow that sort of looks like a toilet seat - they're a great thing to avoid "stiff neck" syndrome from sleeping awkward during the flight...

Although ticket prices are better than they've ever been, service is still OK - maybe due to our national carrier (Air Canada) being in and out of bankruptcy protection is keeping them competitive, and hungry for business, as we all know, air traffic is still stunted from the events a few years ago...

best regards - here's to hoping for good flights to all!