When Flying Used to Be Fun

I used to love flying.  I loved it so much that in 1979 I took flying lessons. My first solo flight was on December 7, 1978! As the plane lifted off the ground in Florida I felt an exhilirating joy at being ALONE in the air, flying like a bird into the clouds.  I took my final check ride and completed all qualifications for my Single Engine Land Private Pilot's License on Friday, April 13, 1979!  Yep, Friday the 13th! I love memorable dates!

All that being said, I am no longer a big fan of flying. Let me explain that by saying that I no longer fly solo; having decided that my vision and age are somewhat restricting my ability to do so.  Now when I need to go somewhere I must fly commercial airlines.  I used to enjoy flying commercially too, but things have definitely changed since 1979!

I used to look forward to traveling by air from one destination to another.  The seats were fairly spacious, the people fairly gracious and most even well dressed.  That is not the case any more!  Now, the airports are crowded with people pushing and shoving and running their wheeled luggage over your feet without so much as an "oops, I'm sorry."  Then there is the TSA Security Check! OMG...most of the time i get the "pre-check" status and it isn't too bad.  But, on my last trip when I tried to check in online (I was traveling with an 88-year-old lady and an 86-year-old lady) I was notified that I couldn't check in online as "one" in our party needed to check in at the airport!  Ugh!
That meant that I had to arrive at the airport an hour earlier than I had anticipated.  Oh well.

Our check in went okay except for the fact that in spite of the fact I had ordered TWO wheelchairs, NONE were waiting for us.  The agent informed me that the gate was only about 200 "meters" away, so we decided to go for it.  Well, it was waaaaaaay more than 200 meters away.  Then the Security people rifled through each and every one of our bags...really?    Oh well, we made it through and finally arrived at the gate.  Wouldn't you think that if the twenty something and thirty something healthy people were sitting and the eighty somethings were standing SOMEONE would volunteer to give up their seat? Not!  Courtesy and respect for elders is also GONE!

Once we boarded the plane, I was on an aisle seat again..hmmmmm.  I am going to have to rethink that choice in the future, because I still have a huge bruise on my left arm where a careless person boarding the plane after I was seated clobbered me with their oversized carryon!  Again, no oops or gee I'm sorry.  Ugh.

Then there are the tight seats...wow, we are all crammed in like sardines, with barely room to put our legs between the seats.  But, even worse are those people who are traveling with impossibly ill-behaved children!  Oh My God! Whatever happened to discipline?  If any child of mine had screamed and thrown fits in public when they were two plus years of age, there would have been SOME kind of repercussion! Not any more!  People, if you can't control your child, you don't belong on an airplane full of people!  On one three hour leg of our flight home, there was a two-year-old child who screamed at the top of his lungs every minute or two about who knows what! When we were disembarking the plane, the carnage of crackers, cookies and other food and drinks around the area where this child had been was horrendous! The Flight Attendant said she had never seen worse! Please people, I have raised four children, I have eight grandchildren...none of whom would have been allowed to show such disrespect for others.

Then when we had to clear customs coming back into the USA, our luggage was searched by TSA.  I really wouldn't have been upset, except that my medications had the tops removed and not put back on before putting them back into the suitcase and the pills were EVERYWHERE when I opened my suitcase upon arriving at home.  This is unacceptable.  The suitcase inside looked like a gorilla had rifled through it!

By the time I arrived home, I was sick of inconsiderate people, rowdy kids and the TSA!  Flying is no longer FUN!  It is actually a chore.  What a shame.  I really do wish we could go back to the time when flying and traveling were exciting events.  I really do wish people would understand that discipline and respect are important.  Well, maybe I'm just OLD! But, somehow I do believe things have gotten out of hand, and we need to back up and take a look at consideration, respect and discipline.  We need to speak up and tell the airlines and the TSA what is acceptable and what is NOT!!  I'm thinking about doing a lot more driving and a lot less flying whenever I can!

Airline Travel Today

I have always loved flying. I even hold a Private Pilot's license. There is something magical about speeding along the runway in a huge metal tube and feeling the lift as the wheels leave the runway. Then up and over the clouds to bright blue sunny skies no matter what it is doing on the ground! It is hard to believe that all that weight and mass can lift off the ground and carry us speedily along to another destination hundreds of miles away within hours.

I love looking down on the beautiful white clouds and the patchwork of fields down below as we cruise miles above the earth. Flying used to be a lot easier years ago, before we had to worry about terrorists and crazies being aboard, and before the airlines made the seats smaller and closer so that they could cram more people aboard and make more money per flight. Now you can carry small bag aboard and one "personal" item, but they charge $25 or $35 each for your checked bags. They have done this in order to show the cost for flying lower than it actually is. For instance, your flight to Miami from Atlanta may show up at $158 round trip, but if you check just one bag that will increase your cost to $208. And, God forbid, if you check two your cost will be $258!

You no longer get free meals aboard your flight. The other day I paid $2.50 for ONE chocolate chip cookie. It was a very good and large cookie, but $2.50? My goodness!
You do still get a free beverage as long as it doesn't contain alcohol. I had to laugh though at the "peanuts" we got...1/4 ounce! One mouthful of peanuts. That is just a tease. My biggest problem is with the short distance between the rows of seats. I have very long legs, and on a long flight my knees are crammed up against the back of the seat in front of me so tightly that I can hardly move. Very uncomfortable.

Going through security in some airports, Miami for example, can be quite tedious and difficult. Atlanta has a marvelous system however, and I have never had to wait more than a few minutes in spite of the fact that Atlanta is the busiest airport in the world. If you have an iPhone and I am sure other smart phones, you can download maps of each airport to make navigating them simpler. These "maps" show the locations of restaurants, bathrooms and other facilities. Nice!

Dressing to fly has definitely changed over the years. People who were traveling in the past used to be dressed like they were going to church. Nowadays, you might see anything from pajamas to business suits, from the highest of high heels to flip flops. I am kind of inclined to lean toward the flip flops since you have to shed your shoes to get through security. You must also remove jackets, sweaters, belts and watches, so I would advise putting those things in your carry on or Personal Bag (which can be a computer bag, large purse or canvas bag which must fit under the seat in front of you).

You must pack any of your liquids, which must be 3 ounces or less, in a one quart Zip lock bag to be placed in the bins going through security. So, put them in an area where you can easily access them, unless they are going in a checked bag...then you don't have to worry about it! I am finding that it is just easier to use the shampoo, conditioner and whatever that the hotels provide than carrying my own.

One thing that I do find irritating is that you can't carry a bottled water through security...even if it has NOT been opened! If you want water or food, you will have to buy it on the other side of security checkpoint where you will pay considerably more for it.

In spite of the fact that flying is a bit more inconvenient, security can be slow sometimes, and the seats are smaller, I still love flying. Traveling and seeing far away places is a wonderful, mind-expanding thing which I will never get tired of. I watch for sales on Cheap Tickets, Orbitz and Travelocity as well as others, and I will continue to travel as long as this old body will allow me to!

Get out there and explore your world, you won't be sorry you did.