Abundance…you pretty much summed it up for me, top to bottom. We are approaching retirement, and Mama wants to travel, a lot. I love seeing new-old places, but hate the rigamarole to get there and back. My wife is the travel coordinator, and she has it down pat, but I still consider it a hassle. Add in drunk / unstable people, and my desire to fly is dramatically reduced…
Flying is a necessary evil, because there's so much shit to see on this planet that's too far to drive (or one simply doesn't have the time). But unless you're rich as fuck, it's mostly a miserable experience.
At the end of the day, I can put up with almost all of it - including the TSA crap (we have Pre so it's not as big of a pain usually) - except for the delays and cancellations. Nothing gets me into a fucking rage like flight delays or cancellations.
@Logistics what the fuck are you guys doing out there? Get your shit together.
Don't look at me. Have you tried to deal with the FAA and airline management?
I've always liked this Rex Kramer quote from the movie "Airplane!": "Airport management, the FAA and the airlines, they're all cheats and liars!" Now, you can add TSA to the mix. Hard to get anything done and make some real changes when dealing with all these stubborn organizations.
Get used to shitty airlines, shitty seat configurations, and shitty travel experience. It's here to stay. Embrace the suck.
I don't think I can single out any one single thing that is the most annoying. It all varies. Yes, the TSA bullshit is irritating, but you go to the airport expecting it, so you can kind of mentally prepare.
More than anything, I hate the once-a-year traveler in the terminal. They always look lost and mill about. There is zero situational awareness. Then, there are the people who walk 5-6 abreast, so you can't get around them. Just a group of clueless cows, walking slowly and blocking everyone else going in either direction. You can make the terminal a mile wide and people will still get in your way.
Then, there are the gate lice. Everyone has to swarm the boarding area and be the first one on. In a way I understand, the overhead bin limit encourages this behavior... & it is nice to get to your seat, get situated, and build your nest.
Misbehaving children, fatties, etc. maybe don't bother me that much any more. One thing I truly hate is people behind you using your headrest to when they are getting up or getting back into their seats. Hey fuckface, use your goddamned armrest.
I should probably start getting back at them Kal Penn terrorist Giphy style.
One of my big pet peeves is the guysm/gal who walks off the plane into the terminal and stops right the bottleneck area next to the gate to look around
Hot stewardesses? Fly a non-US or major Euro carrier.
Shitty food? Eat in the lounge or bring your own. If you want fine dining on an airplane then your expectations are fucked up.
Uncomfortable seats? Pay for more comfortable ones. Almost all airlines offer extra legroom seats for sale now.
Carry-on shit show? Get status and board first. Bring a properly fitting rollerboard.
Annoying children? They don’t usually sit in first/business/economy plus.
Gross bathrooms- yeah that’s a thing. It sucks. The physics of travel make avoiding that pretty tough.
Fat people? Same as annoying children. Rare to see in the front.
TSA isn’t bad either using Pre Check. Yes, it's security theater and therefore dumb, but doesn't actually hold up travel.
I dunno. I’m pretty patient and understanding now with other airline pax. When I need to take a walk to get some perspective an airport terminal is a fine place to see all of humanity in one place. Other pax get there early and board after me. If I no longer had status I’d travel less and pay for the services required to ensure it's tolerable.
Maybe I've got some recency bias. Had to travel this week. 6:30am departure. Set my alarm for 5am. At Dulles I have no parking issues, easy walk to TSA, no one in line. Walk out to terminal, walk to gate, not even ready to board, so I could have slept for 10 more mins. Board early enough with Delta Comfort+, put rollerboard above, get in seat. Lady with baby shows up, says hey I accidentally booked the two aisles, do you mind switching to the opposite aisle, I'm like sure, I don't want bad travel karma. Baby was fine, flight ontime departure but 10 mins late due to headwinds. Out in and a car 10 mins after gate. Going home, same deal, got uber 90 mins before departure, it dropped me about an hour before, zero line at MSP TSA, once again pissed I could have left 15 minutes later, putz around MSP, board with my UA status, get rollerboard in, settle into super legroom seat (first economy plus row of the E-175), depart ontime, awesome tailwinds so land 30 mins early.
ATBSJBS, I hate turbulence. Too much or certain sensations make my stomach queasy.
Hot stewardesses? Fly a non-US or major Euro carrier.
Shitty food? Eat in the lounge or bring your own. If you want fine dining on an airplane then your expectations are fucked up.
Uncomfortable seats? Pay for more comfortable ones. Almost all airlines offer extra legroom seats for sale now.
Carry-on shit show? Get status and board first. Bring a properly fitting rollerboard.
Annoying children? They don’t usually sit in first/business/economy plus.
Gross bathrooms- yeah that’s a thing. It sucks. The physics of travel make avoiding that pretty tough.
Fat people? Same as annoying children. Rare to see in the front.
TSA isn’t bad either using Pre Check. Yes, it's security theater and therefore dumb, but doesn't actually hold up travel.
I dunno. I’m pretty patient and understanding now with other airline pax. When I need to take a walk to get some perspective an airport terminal is a fine place to see all of humanity in one place. Other pax get there early and board after me. If I no longer had status I’d travel less and pay for the services required to ensure it's tolerable.
Maybe I've got some recency bias. Had to travel this week. 6:30am departure. Set my alarm for 5am. At Dulles I have no parking issues, easy walk to TSA, no one in line. Walk out to terminal, walk to gate, not even ready to board, so I could have slept for 10 more mins. Board early enough with Delta Comfort+, put rollerboard above, get in seat. Lady with baby shows up, says hey I accidentally booked the two aisles, do you mind switching to the opposite aisle, I'm like sure, I don't want bad travel karma. Baby was fine, flight ontime departure but 10 mins late due to headwinds. Out in and a car 10 mins after gate. Going home, same deal, got uber 90 mins before departure, it dropped me about an hour before, zero line at MSP TSA, once again pissed I could have left 15 minutes later, putz around MSP, board with my UA status, get rollerboard in, settle into super legroom seat (first economy plus row of the E-175), depart ontime, awesome tailwinds so land 30 mins early.
ATBSJBS, I hate turbulence. Too much or certain sensations make my stomach queasy.
Hot stewardesses? Fly a non-US or major Euro carrier.
Shitty food? Eat in the lounge or bring your own. If you want fine dining on an airplane then your expectations are fucked up.
Uncomfortable seats? Pay for more comfortable ones. Almost all airlines offer extra legroom seats for sale now.
Carry-on shit show? Get status and board first. Bring a properly fitting rollerboard.
Annoying children? They don’t usually sit in first/business/economy plus.
Gross bathrooms- yeah that’s a thing. It sucks. The physics of travel make avoiding that pretty tough.
Fat people? Same as annoying children. Rare to see in the front.
TSA isn’t bad either using Pre Check. Yes, it's security theater and therefore dumb, but doesn't actually hold up travel.
I dunno. I’m pretty patient and understanding now with other airline pax. When I need to take a walk to get some perspective an airport terminal is a fine place to see all of humanity in one place. Other pax get there early and board after me. If I no longer had status I’d travel less and pay for the services required to ensure it's tolerable.
Maybe I've got some recency bias. Had to travel this week. 6:30am departure. Set my alarm for 5am. At Dulles I have no parking issues, easy walk to TSA, no one in line. Walk out to terminal, walk to gate, not even ready to board, so I could have slept for 10 more mins. Board early enough with Delta Comfort+, put rollerboard above, get in seat. Lady with baby shows up, says hey I accidentally booked the two aisles, do you mind switching to the opposite aisle, I'm like sure, I don't want bad travel karma. Baby was fine, flight ontime departure but 10 mins late due to headwinds. Out in and a car 10 mins after gate. Going home, same deal, got uber 90 mins before departure, it dropped me about an hour before, zero line at MSP TSA, once again pissed I could have left 15 minutes later, putz around MSP, board with my UA status, get rollerboard in, settle into super legroom seat (first economy plus row of the E-175), depart ontime, awesome tailwinds so land 30 mins early.
ATBSJBS, I hate turbulence. Too much or certain sensations make my stomach queasy.
What problem is there in life which can't be solved by money?
I mean we've got enough household disposable income to fly a family of 4 to London and back in Delta comfort plus. And the Virgin Atlantic / Delta lounge at Heathrow is pretty plush with good grub, tasty bloody Mary's, and pool tables.
But we're not getting 4 first class that lay down flat for a 9 hour flight. I mean come on man.
Hot stewardesses? Fly a non-US or major Euro carrier.
Shitty food? Eat in the lounge or bring your own. If you want fine dining on an airplane then your expectations are fucked up.
Uncomfortable seats? Pay for more comfortable ones. Almost all airlines offer extra legroom seats for sale now.
Carry-on shit show? Get status and board first. Bring a properly fitting rollerboard.
Annoying children? They don’t usually sit in first/business/economy plus.
Gross bathrooms- yeah that’s a thing. It sucks. The physics of travel make avoiding that pretty tough.
Fat people? Same as annoying children. Rare to see in the front.
TSA isn’t bad either using Pre Check. Yes, it's security theater and therefore dumb, but doesn't actually hold up travel.
I dunno. I’m pretty patient and understanding now with other airline pax. When I need to take a walk to get some perspective an airport terminal is a fine place to see all of humanity in one place. Other pax get there early and board after me. If I no longer had status I’d travel less and pay for the services required to ensure it's tolerable.
Maybe I've got some recency bias. Had to travel this week. 6:30am departure. Set my alarm for 5am. At Dulles I have no parking issues, easy walk to TSA, no one in line. Walk out to terminal, walk to gate, not even ready to board, so I could have slept for 10 more mins. Board early enough with Delta Comfort+, put rollerboard above, get in seat. Lady with baby shows up, says hey I accidentally booked the two aisles, do you mind switching to the opposite aisle, I'm like sure, I don't want bad travel karma. Baby was fine, flight ontime departure but 10 mins late due to headwinds. Out in and a car 10 mins after gate. Going home, same deal, got uber 90 mins before departure, it dropped me about an hour before, zero line at MSP TSA, once again pissed I could have left 15 minutes later, putz around MSP, board with my UA status, get rollerboard in, settle into super legroom seat (first economy plus row of the E-175), depart ontime, awesome tailwinds so land 30 mins early.
ATBSJBS, I hate turbulence. Too much or certain sensations make my stomach queasy.
The best part was by getting in early I was able to make it to the cuntry club for a nice cab that drank like a merlot on the patio overlooking the river, followed by some acoustic cuntry music.
Tune in tomorrow when we discuss rowboat and golf.
Hot stewardesses? Fly a non-US or major Euro carrier.
Shitty food? Eat in the lounge or bring your own. If you want fine dining on an airplane then your expectations are fucked up.
Uncomfortable seats? Pay for more comfortable ones. Almost all airlines offer extra legroom seats for sale now.
Carry-on shit show? Get status and board first. Bring a properly fitting rollerboard.
Annoying children? They don’t usually sit in first/business/economy plus.
Gross bathrooms- yeah that’s a thing. It sucks. The physics of travel make avoiding that pretty tough.
Fat people? Same as annoying children. Rare to see in the front.
TSA isn’t bad either using Pre Check. Yes, it's security theater and therefore dumb, but doesn't actually hold up travel.
I dunno. I’m pretty patient and understanding now with other airline pax. When I need to take a walk to get some perspective an airport terminal is a fine place to see all of humanity in one place. Other pax get there early and board after me. If I no longer had status I’d travel less and pay for the services required to ensure it's tolerable.
Maybe I've got some recency bias. Had to travel this week. 6:30am departure. Set my alarm for 5am. At Dulles I have no parking issues, easy walk to TSA, no one in line. Walk out to terminal, walk to gate, not even ready to board, so I could have slept for 10 more mins. Board early enough with Delta Comfort+, put rollerboard above, get in seat. Lady with baby shows up, says hey I accidentally booked the two aisles, do you mind switching to the opposite aisle, I'm like sure, I don't want bad travel karma. Baby was fine, flight ontime departure but 10 mins late due to headwinds. Out in and a car 10 mins after gate. Going home, same deal, got uber 90 mins before departure, it dropped me about an hour before, zero line at MSP TSA, once again pissed I could have left 15 minutes later, putz around MSP, board with my UA status, get rollerboard in, settle into super legroom seat (first economy plus row of the E-175), depart ontime, awesome tailwinds so land 30 mins early.
ATBSJBS, I hate turbulence. Too much or certain sensations make my stomach queasy.
What problem is there in life which can't be solved by money?
I mean we've got enough household disposable income to fly a family of 4 to London and back in Delta comfort plus. And the Virgin Atlantic / Delta lounge at Heathrow is pretty plush with good grub, tasty bloody Mary's, and pool tables.
But we're not getting 4 first class that lay down flat for a 9 hour flight. I mean come on man.
I hear you and on my own dime I'd do the same.
Yes I could have commented more succinctly with
The poont as you said which I agree with is lack of misery is a function of straight cash homie. In air travel and everywhere else in life.
Hot stewardesses? Fly a non-US or major Euro carrier.
Shitty food? Eat in the lounge or bring your own. If you want fine dining on an airplane then your expectations are fucked up.
Uncomfortable seats? Pay for more comfortable ones. Almost all airlines offer extra legroom seats for sale now.
Carry-on shit show? Get status and board first. Bring a properly fitting rollerboard.
Annoying children? They don’t usually sit in first/business/economy plus.
Gross bathrooms- yeah that’s a thing. It sucks. The physics of travel make avoiding that pretty tough.
Fat people? Same as annoying children. Rare to see in the front.
TSA isn’t bad either using Pre Check. Yes, it's security theater and therefore dumb, but doesn't actually hold up travel.
I dunno. I’m pretty patient and understanding now with other airline pax. When I need to take a walk to get some perspective an airport terminal is a fine place to see all of humanity in one place. Other pax get there early and board after me. If I no longer had status I’d travel less and pay for the services required to ensure it's tolerable.
Maybe I've got some recency bias. Had to travel this week. 6:30am departure. Set my alarm for 5am. At Dulles I have no parking issues, easy walk to TSA, no one in line. Walk out to terminal, walk to gate, not even ready to board, so I could have slept for 10 more mins. Board early enough with Delta Comfort+, put rollerboard above, get in seat. Lady with baby shows up, says hey I accidentally booked the two aisles, do you mind switching to the opposite aisle, I'm like sure, I don't want bad travel karma. Baby was fine, flight ontime departure but 10 mins late due to headwinds. Out in and a car 10 mins after gate. Going home, same deal, got uber 90 mins before departure, it dropped me about an hour before, zero line at MSP TSA, once again pissed I could have left 15 minutes later, putz around MSP, board with my UA status, get rollerboard in, settle into super legroom seat (first economy plus row of the E-175), depart ontime, awesome tailwinds so land 30 mins early.
ATBSJBS, I hate turbulence. Too much or certain sensations make my stomach queasy.
What problem is there in life which can't be solved by money?
I mean we've got enough household disposable income to fly a family of 4 to London and back in Delta comfort plus. And the Virgin Atlantic / Delta lounge at Heathrow is pretty plush with good grub, tasty bloody Mary's, and pool tables.
But we're not getting 4 first class that lay down flat for a 9 hour flight. I mean come on man.
I hear you and on my own dime I'd do the same.
Yes I could have commented more succinctly with
The poont as you said which I agree with is lack of misery is a function of straight cash homie. In air travel and everywhere else in life.
Cash my inversely correlate to misery in general, but it's way more pronounced with air travel. I hate airports and flying more than almost anything. Truly a miserable way to spend half your day.
People not prepared for the TSA line. It's akin to people not being prepared to pump their gas at Costco. You had 5 minutes to put your incidentals in your pants pocket in nook of your carry on. Loosen your shoes. That being said some of the bullshit TSA requires from one location to the next, or even continues to require is baffling. Oh and people travelling with animals. Also check your bags.
People not prepared for the TSA line. It's akin to people not being prepared to pump their gas at Costco. You had 5 minutes to put your incidentals in your pants pocket in nook of your carry on. Loosen your shoes. That being said some of the bullshit TSA requires from one location to the next, or even continues to require is baffling. Oh and people travelling with animals. Also check your bags.
Yeah, fuck dogs on planes other than a REAL service animal. If you need an emotional support dog to leave the house then stay home.
Pets don’t belong on planes unless you’re blind. I can maybe make a case for our veterans but if you dyed your hair blue… ok I’ve made my point… TITTT!
Toss up on the carryon luggage nonsense. The Throbber is a fashionista and needs more than one little bag for his apparel.
But the biggest fuck you is for the assholes who have no fucking idea on how to disembark. It’s like a wedding or a funeral, you fucking idiots. Don't dash out in front of the bride. Go row by row. Wait your goddamned turn.
The Throbber has put more than a few elbows into the chests of line jumpers.
That and the jackwads who crowd around the luggage carousel. GTFO of the way so other people can get their bags.
Toss up on the carryon luggage nonsense. The Throbber is a fashionista and needs more than one little bag for his apparel.
But the biggest fuck you is for the assholes who have no fucking idea on how to disembark. It’s like a wedding or a funeral, you fucking idiots. Don't dash out in front of the bride. Go row by row. Wait your goddamned turn.
The Throbber has put more than a few elbows into the chests of line jumpers.
That and the jackwads who crowd around the luggage carousel. GTFO of the way so other people can get their bags.
@MrsSnow legit threw a fucking D1 4/5 spot elbow into IU getting off the plane in Incheon on a connection for our Honeymoon.
People not prepared for the TSA line. It's akin to people not being prepared to pump their gas at Costco. You had 5 minutes to put your incidentals in your pants pocket in nook of your carry on. Loosen your shoes. That being said some of the bullshit TSA requires from one location to the next, or even continues to require is baffling. Oh and people travelling with animals. Also check your bags.
Living in Lexington, I’m used to going out of a small airport often with only one X-ray machine. Since I’m precheck, I get a big laminated card so the X-ray people know I’m not taking off my shoes or removing my laptop. I’ve had the same experience flying out of Kauai.
Fly out of Palm Beach 2 years ago and they had minimum staffing and only one line so I get the big laminated card. Send my bag through and the fucking idiots pull it and ask if I have any electronics. I’m like yup. Fucking idiots starry nearly yelling at me that it’s supposed to come out. I reply that I’m precheck and they keep nearly yelling, it doesn’t matter.
That episode made my blood pressure go up a couple points.
People not prepared for the TSA line. It's akin to people not being prepared to pump their gas at Costco. You had 5 minutes to put your incidentals in your pants pocket in nook of your carry on. Loosen your shoes. That being said some of the bullshit TSA requires from one location to the next, or even continues to require is baffling. Oh and people travelling with animals. Also check your bags.
Living in Lexington, I’m used to going out of a small airport often with only one X-ray machine. Since I’m precheck, I get a big laminated card so the X-ray people know I’m not taking off my shoes or removing my laptop. I’ve had the same experience flying out of Kauai.
Fly out of Palm Beach 2 years ago and they had minimum staffing and only one line so I get the big laminated card. Send my bag through and the fucking idiots pull it and ask if I have any electronics. I’m like yup. Fucking idiots starry nearly yelling at me that it’s supposed to come out. I reply that I’m precheck and they keep nearly yelling, it doesn’t matter.
That episode made my blood pressure go up a couple points.
White Wakanda International Airport works in the similar fashion @CFetters_Nacho_Lover - i.e., one line, but placard to indicate you don't need to remove shoes and laptops.
Comments
I've always liked this Rex Kramer quote from the movie "Airplane!": "Airport management, the FAA and the airlines, they're all cheats and liars!" Now, you can add TSA to the mix. Hard to get anything done and make some real changes when dealing with all these stubborn organizations.
Get used to shitty airlines, shitty seat configurations, and shitty travel experience. It's here to stay. Embrace the suck.
Shitty food? Eat in the lounge or bring your own. If you want fine dining on an airplane then your expectations are fucked up.
Uncomfortable seats? Pay for more comfortable ones. Almost all airlines offer extra legroom seats for sale now.
Carry-on shit show? Get status and board first. Bring a properly fitting rollerboard.
Annoying children? They don’t usually sit in first/business/economy plus.
Gross bathrooms- yeah that’s a thing. It sucks. The physics of travel make avoiding that pretty tough.
Fat people? Same as annoying children. Rare to see in the front.
TSA isn’t bad either using Pre Check. Yes, it's security theater and therefore dumb, but doesn't actually hold up travel.
I dunno. I’m pretty patient and understanding now with other airline pax. When I need to take a walk to get some perspective an airport terminal is a fine place to see all of humanity in one place.
Other pax get there early and board after me. If I no longer had status I’d travel less and pay for the services required to ensure it's tolerable.
Maybe I've got some recency bias. Had to travel this week. 6:30am departure. Set my alarm for 5am. At Dulles I have no parking issues, easy walk to TSA, no one in line. Walk out to terminal, walk to gate, not even ready to board, so I could have slept for 10 more mins. Board early enough with Delta Comfort+, put rollerboard above, get in seat. Lady with baby shows up, says hey I accidentally booked the two aisles, do you mind switching to the opposite aisle, I'm like sure, I don't want bad travel karma. Baby was fine, flight ontime departure but 10 mins late due to headwinds. Out in and a car 10 mins after gate. Going home, same deal, got uber 90 mins before departure, it dropped me about an hour before, zero line at MSP TSA, once again pissed I could have left 15 minutes later, putz around MSP, board with my UA status, get rollerboard in, settle into super legroom seat (first economy plus row of the E-175), depart ontime, awesome tailwinds so land 30 mins early.
ATBSJBS, I hate turbulence. Too much or certain sensations make my stomach queasy.
@TheKobeStopper
@allpurpleallgold
What problem is there in life which can't be solved by money?
I mean we've got enough household disposable income to fly a family of 4 to London and back in Delta comfort plus. And the Virgin Atlantic / Delta lounge at Heathrow is pretty plush with good grub, tasty bloody Mary's, and pool tables.
But we're not getting 4 first class that lay down flat for a 9 hour flight. I mean come on man.
The best part was by getting in early I was able to make it to the cuntry club for a nice cab that drank like a merlot on the patio overlooking the river, followed by some acoustic cuntry music.
Tune in tomorrow when we discuss rowboat and golf.
Yes I could have commented more succinctly with
The poont as you said which I agree with is lack of misery is a function of straight cash homie. In air travel and everywhere else in life.
Had to get that off my chest. Now, I can sleep at night.
TYFYS
But the biggest fuck you is for the assholes who have no fucking idea on how to disembark. It’s like a wedding or a funeral, you fucking idiots. Don't dash out in front of the bride. Go row by row. Wait your goddamned turn.
The Throbber has put more than a few elbows into the chests of line jumpers.
That and the jackwads who crowd around the luggage carousel. GTFO of the way so other people can get their bags.
@DerekJohnson the view afterwards
Fly out of Palm Beach 2 years ago and they had minimum staffing and only one line so I get the big laminated card. Send my bag through and the fucking idiots pull it and ask if I have any electronics. I’m like yup. Fucking idiots starry nearly yelling at me that it’s supposed to come out. I reply that I’m precheck and they keep nearly yelling, it doesn’t matter.
That episode made my blood pressure go up a couple points.