Air travel horror stories seem to creep into every conversation these days, particularly with the holiday travel season fast approaching. I've been fortunate this year, but so many haven't been. It's gotten so bad the airlines are taking extra steps to ease travel over the Thanksgiving holiday, and the president announced that the military will open up more airspace for commercial flights. Are you traveling next week? Do you have a contingency plan in place?
Blog of the Nation
I find that my ease of dealing with air travel problems is related to my preparation in advance of my trip. I pack light so I can carry-on, I check in on-line as soon as possible, and prior to the trip I identify alternate air routes that can get me to my destination in the event a flight is delayed or canceled.
2 weeks ago I took the train instead of flying: no lines, plenty of space for luggage (you can't check for all destinations), room to stretch out, freedom of movement, good food, great views at eye level. It's slow, but less infuriating.
I have a regulation sized carry-on suitcase that has fit in the overhead bin of every airliner I have tried so far. On my most recent trip, however, the flight attendants kept trying to take it away from me and check it. It wasn't a question of storage space; I had no trouble finding a bin to put it in. I saw other people allowed to take larger things on with them. Is there such a thing as a carry-on bag that you are actually allowed to carry on the plane with you? Mine contains all of my medications, so I would prefer not to be separated from it.
Between gas prices and ticket prices, security checkpoints and lost luggage, is a hazardous disaster-ridden no-mans-land thats very appearance has caused my husband and I to re-schedule our holidays for the latter part of January. Happy Thanksgiving in January, from Toledo.
The problem isn't the travelers!!! Everybody keeps talking about things like arriving early at the airport, printing your tickets at home, even giving the airplanes more space in the sky (Military areas). But that isnt the issue . . . the real problem is the airline companies PACKING PEOPLE IN LIKE CATTLE SO THEY CAN MAKE AS MUCH MONEY AS POSSIBLE. Thats at the core of it. If they were not doing that there wouldn't be overbooked flights, luggage lost due to the sheer volume of it, etc etc. Seriously, the only way they can solve this problem is to SCALE BACK and focus on providing a respectable service to the people who wish to fly.
I always pack 2 frozen peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. M & M's, cheese, nuts, and humor. time to spare go by air!! I'm going on Turkey Day to Atlanta ..returning on Wed.
A couple of years ago I made the mistake of flying to Cleveland via Chicago. We were delayed overnight and barely made it in time to hang the stockings and leave cookies for Santa. I vowed only to fly direct with my family after that. Then, last year, our flight was canceled. We were able to shift our trip to a couple of days after Christmas. This year I just booked to leave on the 27th, planning the holiday here and the aftermath for the grandparents. So far so good!
All the advice for traveling by air works fine for ADULTS only. Traveling with infants and children has become a nightmare due to hours of standing in lines. Every try to change a diaper on an airplane? Usually has to be done on mother's lap due to no diaper changing table. In a nation that claims to LOVE our children and put children first, that is certainly not the case with airlines. Parents with children are looked upon many times with DREAD and disdain by other flyers and airline officials. And the need for food for infants and formula??? Well I guess children and infants are suppose to eat peanuts and pretzels too!
Everyday it seems to me that Americans are acting as spoiled little kids who cannot understand that THEY are a part of the of the problem! THEY ARE the crowd! THEY know weather is always a consideration. Cry baby cry! They are part of the MOB. Stay home if you can't understand mobs are almost always a problem.
I just checked on the cost of sending, via UPS, 55 pounds from San Francisco to Atlanta. Two day blue is $221 one way. So the suggestion to ship your luggage to yourself would essentially double the cost of a low price ticket.
The fix was mentioned, "it costs money". People want 3 star service but are looking for 1 star fares.
What is the port authority or the traffic controllers role in these delays? Is all the airlines' responsibilities? Is it like the people who blame only the teachers for poor student performance when parent involvement is obviously also a major factor?
It is uncomfortable for everyone to be stuck on the tarmac. Consider, though, that the airplanes do not have accessible washrooms or accessible aisles. In fact, mobility aides used by people with disabilities are stowed away in the belly of the aircraft prior to departing the gate. Thus, these individuals have no way to shift their position and stretch as other passengers are able to do, and have no way of using a restroom, even if they are stuck on a plane for hours and hours longer than planned. Because there is no access to a washroom on a plane, people with disabilities often severely restrict their intake of food and liquid in the day prior to travel. Imagine the discomfort that someone with a disability endures because the airlines have not designed even their new fleets using minimal visitable or accessibility standards.
When you travel, make sure you have a long time between connecting flights, in case of problems. Last summer, our connecting flights, scheduled through United, got shifted to USAir, America West, and Ted. Each flight was in a different terminal, which meant going through security twice for each cross-country trip. Also, United had booked us for four seats on one plane, and no seats on another plane. Thankfully we had allowed one and a half hours between flights. We needed every minute of time to make our connections, and almost missed the last one.
Much of the delay is due to the "security theater" we are put through, which serves no purpose but to make us feel (falsely) that air travel is safe. Delays cause overcrowding and chaos, which can't be good for security. Security areas, in particular, are poorly designed for crowd control -- I have been in a couple of situations in which there was no line at all, just a huge press of people.
On the other hand, you could be crossing the Atlantic in steerage....
I heard only part of your show today on holiday airline travel. I totally agree with the frequent flyer who stated that travelers can be part of the problem. In addition to her recommendations, I suggest that anyone flying over the holidays check their airlines web site under baggage for what can and cannot be in carryon luggage. Also, check their definition of what qualifies as carryon luggage. Don't try to take a large garment bag as a piece of carryon luggage. Find out from the airlines web site when you need to check in. Have an extra dose of patience available. Arrive at the airport early, check in at the ticket counter when you arrive, and go through security as soon as you can. I am an airline employee who has seen many delays caused by the passenger who checks in late, then visits with family rather than proceeding through security, and then acts huffy because the airline employee is trying to close the doors to the aircraft.
As was mentioned by another caller, do not give the agents at the ticket counter, the gate or the flight crew a hard time. We are doing the best we can to deal with a difficult situation when flights are delayed. We are human too, we have feelings, and don't appreciate being threatened, or yelled at. We are going to do everything we can to get you to your final destination in a timely manner, because even if our shift is over, we must stay as long as it takes to accommodate you. However, if you, the passenger, act out, we will call the airport police.
I loved the recommendation that passengers keep the airline's 800 number in your cell phone address book. There are a limited number of agents at any airport, and yes, the lines to get to an agent can be long.
Happy traveling to all,
Grace in Florida
Why does NPR never interview Patrick Smith, Salon.com's air trave guru, a real airline pilot and an exceptionally eloquent pundit, when it comes to these stories. Smith has written ad nauseum on the issues of airport delays and pilot fatigue, both of which were NPR features this week. The usual talking heads aren't nearly as frank or refreshing as Mr. Smith tends to be.
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