Air travel is getting worse. (hotel, hotel, package, trip)

[beachmouse]

Originally Posted by SAAN

The same can be said for airlines, DONT FLY and they will have no choice but to improve their services, but knowing how it is in America, the airlines will just park planes or get smaller ones and lay everyone off or offer a $50 RT from coast to coast and people will be back on the planes all over again.

United is having a come to Jesus year where they've had to admit to themselves that 1) their hard DOT metrics and soft metrics for things like customer service are hovering somewhere around Spirit level and 2) they are losing their high value customers who are seeing fewer reasons to stay loyal to the company leading to 3) they're only profitable right now because of low fuel prices and if the Saudis twitch, they'll be back to being in the red.

[Scooby Snacks]

Originally Posted by Scooby Snacks

Exactly. I'm in TX, and Amtrak is not an option. Many people herald Southwest airlines as being the greatest thing since sliced bread, but I don't think they're special at all. For one thing, they are forever advertising these super low airfares, so I click on whatever link, then SW hits me with a fare that is more expensive than United or American! They have not been cheaper than the other airlines for me, at least not for the last 10+ years, and I don't know if others have experienced this, but are so enamored by the free bag policy that they use SW anyway and pay more for the fare itself. I also dislike the lack of assigned boarding because there is even more of a boarding stampede than on other airlines. With assigned boarding, people get on and get off in a more orderly fashion since they aren't in a competition to get the better seats in the front.

Originally Posted by bus man

You have obviously not flown on Southwest in a number of years. Ever since they went to the letter-number system, the stampedes have become a thing of the past. Indeed, it is far calmer than the other airlines that board by zone, and when they call for Zone 1, you have everyone in Zones 2 through 6 crowding by the gate to be the first in their zone to board.

And Southwest is cheaper if you have to check bags, and FAR cheaper if you need to make a change to your ticket before you travel. Southwest charges neither bag fees nor change fees, whereas the legacy airlines hit you for both. Indeed, the change fee might be greater than the value of your ticket!

And finally, Southwest is about the only major airline left whose employees don't make me feel like I'm imposing on them by flying on their planes.

I mentioned that in my post. Because their fares are not competitive where I fly, I haven't flown with them for a very long time. As for the customer service on airlines, they're all about the same in my experience, with no one airline being uniformly better or worse than another. Flying is all about making the best of a lousy experience for me, so I do it as little as possible and drive whenever I can instead.

[StealthRabbit]

Originally Posted by Scooby Snacks

I mentioned that in my post. Because their fares are not competitive where I fly, I haven't flown with them for a very long time. As for the customer service on airlines, they're all about the same in my experience, with no one airline being uniformly better or worse than another. Flying is all about making the best of a lousy experience for me, so I do it as little as possible and drive whenever I can instead.

Good info to share. (if you HATE flying...and do LITTLE of it... then it is important to share that with posters)

I fly many times / month (often many times per week.

I will stick with SWA for my crazy schedule (changes) (I usually have 10 - 20 flights booked at a time)
Today I am having to forfeit a $59 fare on Frontier (need to change date).

I fly Spirit (Hobo) and Frontier for CHEAP destinations (Den to DC for $29) as even in my FREE veggie oil burner 50 mpg car, it is tough to drive 1200 miles for the $19 fares offered this week.

Flying seems no worse in the last 50+ yrs to me (except for the TSA puppets). US Gov workers(?) watching the clock so they don't miss their 'entitled' break time While the suspected bandits / hijackers linger for a way to pass security (no 'paid' breaks for the bad guys)

REAL security does not happen at airports on USA...

I do miss the 747-100
upper deck (5 rows of seats with AMPLE storage / 'trunk-space' + Q-U-I-E-T) and GREAT service!)

And the 'Take-off thrill' of DC10

I kinda like Emirates A380's for long hauls, but SIA superb service is tough to beat.

Ready-ing for a RTW in 2016 to 'burn-miles' while young enough to enjoy.

SWA will still get my vote in short little USA jaunts. Gotta LUV the RT I just booked for under 6,000 pts! If I need to change it... NO PROBLEM... FREE!!!!

[Chava61]

Originally Posted by yandex

I enjoy taking the train when I have time. But the fact of the matter is the train is slow, and can't take me everywhere I need to go. Plane travel might not be ideal, but it's far more efficient and allows many more options.

But one can't take a train to destinations outside of North America. So if one has immediate family overseas the only option really is to fly as taking a ship isn't realistic (too long/too expensive).

[WVREDLEG]

Everyone has a right to choose and advocate their preferences in air travel, so I will not disparage the SW advocates.

SW is not even close to lowest fare in our home market. Just like any other carrier, fares vary with days, seasons, fuel prices, and any number of variables that the carrier will allow to transfer to its customers.

I am a platinum medallion with Delta, but will not hesitate to jump on a SW flight if the fare is significantly cheaper--significantly meaning 30%. Otherwise, I will risk a chance for an upgrade to first class on Delta, something I can NEVER get on SW.

I think it is funny to watch all of the coach cattle with their boorish behavior, on all carriers. SW has no advantage, ZERO, over anyone else. Free bags? Just watch all the people with the over-sized roller, backpack, purse, and shopping bags boarding SW. These people don't check bags free or not.

The line up is not any better. Just because zone 2 people start crowding the gate doesn't make it any more rude or pushy than the SW line-up with late people pushing their way to A35....with their overstuffed roller, backpack, purse, and shopping bag. Believe me, getting nudged, poked, brushed, and stepped on is free on every carrier.

The amount of rude, selfish, sick, and dumb people is staggering. If you think flight attendants are rude, just watch the first dozen passengers they have to engage to get the cabin ready....I would be fired on my first day. The people who gripe about flight attendants are the ones causing most of the problems on the flight.

The carriers have worked hard to alienate travelers with reduced in-flight services, cramped seating, and a la carte charges for virtually everything. BUT the most discouraging part of air travel is the erosion of manners, common courtesy, and behavior of passengers.

[finalmove]

Originally Posted by Tish437

I recently flew on southwest, my first time on an airplane in almost 20 years, and was appalled. Take me back to Amtrak - far more civilized. This article sums up the experience perfectly.

Watch Out, Air Travel Is About To Get Worse

20-years? That is strange indeed.

[bus man]

Originally Posted by beachmouse

You're flying out of BWI, I'm guessing? Lots of sale fares there. Some sample WN versus the competition fares in my region. WN out of Panama City Beach (most WN flight options in the Panhandle, nearest airport Southwest serves) and other airline flights out of VPS, which is closer to my house and has more legacy carrier flights) Assume a 7 night trip.

You're right, I fly out of BWI. Despite the fact that Southwest is hugely dominant at this airport, their fares are nearly always either comparable or less than everybody else's. Moreover, I dislike bag fees on principle . . . and I LOATHE change fees on principle. (It probably doesn't even cost an airline TWO dollars to change your ticket, much less the TWO HUNDRED that the legacy carriers charge. Change fees are nothing but naked greed.) Your point is well-taken, though; they won't always be the cheapest option for everyone, especially if you have to get to a more distant originating airport to fly with them in the first place.

I admit to being a Southwest cheerleader. And why shouldn't I be? They have brought huge benefits to BWI, my home airport. Before they came, we were a fairly sleepy airport, dominated by the high-cost, low-service carrier USAir. But now, fares have come down and the number of destinations served with nonstop flights has soared. Their expansion here has resulted in the terminals being refurbished, so they are much, much nicer now than they used to be. And I'll take the friendly service on Southwest over the surly attitudes on USAirways any day. (OK, now they're part of American, so I don't know how things are now.)

[Mightyqueen801]

Originally Posted by jlawrence01

And that does not include the USUAL three hour delay in Chicago or the eight hour delay a few months ago in Nebraska due to track maintenance and the like.

Amtrak is OK cross country as long as you have no need to adhere to a schedule.

Someone once told me that the best way to travel cross country was to fly to Colorado and take the train from Colorado to California. (East Coaster perspective.) I don't know if that's true, but I might do it someday!

[Travelassie]

Originally Posted by GotHereQuickAsICould

This article doesn't come close to to summing up air travel these days.

It doesn't describe being crammed in a seat between two hefty passengers while a kid kicks the back of your seat.

Or the fights that break out over people reclining their seat back. A man choked a woman on a Southwest flight recently for reclining her seat prior to takeoff.

I'm not sure what "frills" American could eliminate. They already charge for luggage and you have to pay extra if you want a decent seat. It's been ages since they served any food other than wee packs of pretzels.

I guess the "upscale"seat you pay so much extra for comes with one of those mini-bags of pretzels?

I'm in a position to do this, and I know many other folks are not, but for all these reasons ( including the experiences I had kn my last three flights, I've decided I won't fly anymore.

[jlawrence01]

Originally Posted by Mightyqueen801

Someone once told me that the best way to travel cross country was to fly to Colorado and take the train from Colorado to California. (East Coaster perspective.) I don't know if that's true, but I might do it someday!

Someone told me that the best way of traveling across country was to drive it. And I did that five times in the past 18 months.

And I might have agrees until I was caught in the flash flood in Hereford, TX in August. (g)

The next trip is on Southwest.