Air travel is getting worse. (low cost, airplanes, international flights, route)
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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.
??? The article shows a beautiful plane with a screen in back of every seat. Watch whatever you want, when you want, listen to music... You even get a remote control so you don't have to stretch your arm out!!! We didn't have that when I first traveled in 1978. Heck we were the row behind the "smoking section" on the aircraft! Can you imagine? I will take today's travel!
What do you want? The comfy chair you have at home? Do you get that when you go to a popular movie at a movie theatre?
So you admit they made an announcement?? It is a FAA rule. Did the announcement not pertain to you??
Oh give me a break! They always make that announcement ("don't congregate near the restroom"), yet nearly every other flight I've been on I've NEVER been told to sit down until the restroom is vacant. In fact, I can't remember being on a flight where people didn't line up to use the restroom. I can understand if the seat belt sign is on (it wasn't), I wouldn't get up anyway. This FA was just being a jerk because they can.
Last edited by david0966; 10-31-2015 at 07:13 AM..
Spirit is the only airline that I won't fly even if they are the cheapest, though by the time you add in their fees they rarely are the cheapest. The last straw for me was when they lessened the leg room, I'm 5'7 and generally don't have leg room issues but on my last spirit flight was miserable and it was just for a little over 2 hours, I can't imagine how people can deal with them for longer flights. Plus the thing that irritates me most is that they are the ones that started the nickle and dime trend. I can't completely blame them because consumers were the ones that accepted the fees because it seemed like we were just "paying for what we used" and that seemed fair. We got suckered to the tune of billions of dollars.
The "nickel and dime" thing started long before Spirit. Ryan Air in Europe was one of the earliest Airlines to do it. At one point, they tried to put coin machines on the bathroom doors. No, I'm not kidding.
. Flying is so easy these days. You don't have any airport check-ins because you have your boarding pass right on your phone. You walk in the airport and go directly to security and to your gate. This week I flew from Green Bay to Seattle. Left my house at 6 am and was in Seattle by 11:30 am. How simple is that? To spend 2 - 1/2 days on a train is just nuts.
I fly a couple of times a month and never see where it is allowed for a line to form in the front of the plane.
I'm talking about restrooms in the back of the plane. I've flown hundreds of times in my life and have never seen people not allowed to stand while waiting to use the restroom. I'm often seated toward the back of the plane, and often there is someone standing next to me (if I'm in an aisle seat) waiting to use the restroom. Look, I did sit down until the restroom was available without saying anything. The thing is this FA was extremely nasty about it. If I treated people the same way I was treated by this FA, I'd be out of a job.
Rodentraiser, this. And did you notice how big and comfy the seats are? Easy for sleeping too. I saw people using two seats to curl up on, so you have even that. Not to mention the dining car, snack bar, and observation car. I loved my Amtrak trips.
I had nobody sitting next to me and I was able to lay down on the seats and sleep. I was getting off in Minneapolis and at that point, they said anyone who was using two seats needed to vacate one of them because the train was going to get crowded.
Amtrak also has berths where you get a room to yourself. I think it has its own bathroom and you can turn the seats by the window into a bed or drop the bed down from above. Now that's my ideal way to travel. I could spend a week riding the train if I had a berth.
I had nobody sitting next to me and I was able to lay down on the seats and sleep. I was getting off in Minneapolis and at that point, they said anyone who was using two seats needed to vacate one of them because the train was going to get crowded.
Amtrak also has berths where you get a room to yourself. I think it has its own bathroom and you can turn the seats by the window into a bed or drop the bed down from above. Now that's my ideal way to travel. I could spend a week riding the train if I had a berth.
I know what you mean. It is a more relaxing and comfortable way to travel. If you have the time, that's the way to go. I'm glad you had a good experience with it.
I had nobody sitting next to me and I was able to lay down on the seats and sleep. I was getting off in Minneapolis and at that point, they said anyone who was using two seats needed to vacate one of them because the train was going to get crowded.
Amtrak also has berths where you get a room to yourself. I think it has its own bathroom and you can turn the seats by the window into a bed or drop the bed down from above. Now that's my ideal way to travel. I could spend a week riding the train if I had a berth.
The 'berths' are smaller than a prison cell. 3'6x6'6 and.. In my view, outrageously expensive. And, having a toilet in the room I would NOT consider an advantage.
About $800 round trip between GSP and Union Station in DC for 2 people.
Again, half the cost and half the time to travel by plane. And, about an hour less and untold money less to drive it.
Now.. You have the time, you have the money.. Frankly, if I had $3000+ to take a train trip to LA and no work commitments.. I actually think it'd be enjoyable, seeing the country by train. But, when I can fly the same thing for $1000 and do it in 6 hours..
I have been flying since I was 4 years old.......I am 55 now. Yes, things have changed for a lot of us that have flown for years.
I can complain and whine, but bottom line we were flying at a great time years ago.
Multiple flights on routes gave us plenty of empty seats for the most part.....red eyes where you could always stretch out on that empty seat next to you or move to an empty row. People were more relaxed and courteous, and airlines were competitive to the point of low airfares that hurt their bottom line.
Now things are changed, reduced flights and higher prices. I seldom ever fly on a plane where is not 98 to 99% full. Most times you don't have to pay for the smaller extra bag at check in now......they take it from you at the gate as the overheads are full. Most travelers are bringing everything from the kitchen sink with them onboard. People now race to the front of the plane when pulling up to the gate, it is worse than a NASCAR restart
I still love flying but it is so different now. This month after exploring just about everywhere there is to go in the US over the years I flew to Europe for the first time. I flew in Economy completely unaware when I saw the offer for economy comfort for an extra $100 that not paying that would subject me to an unbelievable uncomfortable 9.5 hour flight. My knees were hitting the seat in front of me and the seat would only recline what seemed like a 1/4". If you are over 6' I can't see how you could survive that flight. The guy next to us had a prosthetic leg and he took it off, he said it was great for long flights being able to remove it. It is all about the bottom line now and I feel the airlines are trying to make up for all those bad years how ever which way they can at our expense.
As I get older I will still try to fly as much as I can although the deals are getting harder to find. I now make sure I have at least a minimum of an hour layover although I am comfortable with two and I will still get on the plane among the last as I never have anything to put in the overhead.
Many years ago in the months preceding Eastern's demise I was coming back from the west coast, and taking the connection from Atlanta to Jacksonville............the plane had about 125 seat capacity give or take a few. I was flying on a free ticket and including myself there was one other passenger, a young lady. We were the only passengers on the plane.......they moved us up to first class so the drink service would be easier to disperse. I always think back to that flight when I am flying now in a fully loaded plane and a drink and a small bag of pretzels is all I get for a 4 hour flight.
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We didn't have that when I first traveled in 1978. Heck we were the row behind the "smoking section" on the aircraft! Can you imagine? I will take today's travel!
