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The airline experience has become miserable


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2 hours ago, TD_washingtonredskins said:

 

A buddy of mine who is TSA approved bought our tickets for a trip earlier in the year. I somehow got the same privileges (which can't be right) and it was such a great experience. I think it's less than $100 for 5 years too...bargain! 

 

I get it everytime I travel with my wife (she has TSA pre check). Never heard of it extending beyond family though. Maybe it does have to do with who puchases the tix.

 

I'll be getting it soon anyways though since we applied for gobal entry. Interview is in a few weeks.

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1 minute ago, Corcaigh said:

 

The views of Baltimore and Philly from the train aren't pleasant though.

 

I'm either looking at my work laptop or an iPad with a movie on it.  Usually from the bar car because (1) i can spread my stuff out and (2) it's the ****ing bar car. 

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6 hours ago, tshile said:

I hate flying so much

 

you all are talking about the comforts and I’m with you on all of it, but what really bothers me is what happens to engineering efforts when a race-to-the-bottom happens in capitalism. 

 

Mistakes get made. Lower quality people get hired. Younger, less experienced, cheaper people take over.  Lazyess and inexperience creep into the processes.  All side effects or trying to find a cheaper way to deliver a product. 

 

Also, people start finding interesting justifications for why a plane, or a part, can now last longer than the lifespan that was originally intended. 

 

 

yet airplane saftey has never been better.

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16 hours ago, The Evil Genius said:

 

I get it everytime I travel with my wife (she has TSA pre check). Never heard of it extending beyond family though. Maybe it does have to do with who puchases the tix.

 

I'll be getting it soon anyways though since we applied for gobal entry. Interview is in a few weeks.

 

Just seems like a pretty big loophole if the entire point is for someone to be pre-vetted from a security standpoint. I suppose you could make the case that they trust people who have already been vetted, but that's still a huge degree of separation. 

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The major issue here is that OP is probably flying a major airline like United or American. 

 

I just returned from a trip to the West Coast. I had no issue at all with any of the flying. JetBlue had a malfunction with the in-flight TV service but the notion that such service is even available is great and as mentioned before I was able to take advantage of that on Thursday to watch the Kavanaugh hearings in flight. Also the leg room was ample. 

 

The flight back from the West Coast was Alaska which also wasn't bad and legroom was also pretty decent. I was in a boot that day though so the boot takes up more space than I would have normally without it. Speaking of which, I also got priority access because of said boot instead of waiting in line to board. 

 

I love how people just mad crowd the gate though before the flight starts boarding. It be like 10 minutes before they start announcing and already you see like 30 or 40 people gather around. Tryna get that overhead space lol. And Kirk Herbstreit on Twitter went off on a hilarious rant about it. I can't post it because I'm at work and social media is blocked but look it up, it's basically "30 minutes before we start boarding here and people already lined up. Do you get an award for getting on the plane first or something?" ?

 

20 hours ago, DCSaints_fan said:

One US airline I can vouch for is Hawaiian.   If you leave in the morning, they actually give you a decent hot meal. 

 

Not sure what people have against Dulles now, besides the long distance from terminal to the gate.  Worst airport I have been in would be LAX.   Not so much the airport itself, but getting into and out of it.  There is always a traffic jam.   Uber/Lyft will take like 15-20 minutes just to pick you up.  And then another 20 minutes just to leave the airport.

 

 

There's plenty other good ones that I've mentioned. I love JetBlue because I sat in the third row with ample legroom...in coach. And there was a TV in front of me with cable. That sounds fine to me. 

 

I remember growing up we got a hot meal during domestic flights. During the aviation nosedive in the 2000's, a lot of that was cut and the best you get is a snack now. A lot changed, and now they charge you for a meal. But the good news is you can bring your own meal on board. 

 

While at BWI I was a little surprised to see them advertising "mall prices" at the concessions stands. Quiznos had a lobster roll for 8 dollars which ain't that bad. 

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Last note is that I agree with everyone else about Dulles. It's huge. I know they recently expanded it but before the tram you had to ride that train across the tarmac to your gate (and you still might have to if you arrive internationally). The thing is with most other airports you can just go through check in to the security screening and then the gate. Dulles you have to go underground, go through screening, go through the train or walk a damn long distance to the terminal...it's crazy. 

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  • 2 weeks later...
On 10/1/2018 at 1:51 PM, Spaceman Spiff said:

Anyone complaining about long lines should just go get TSA approved.  Knew a guy that did that, would get to the airport 45 mins before his flight and sail right through.

**** yeah! PreCheck is the shizzle. Murf & I both got it a few years back. Nothing like breezing through security at DFW on Black Friday. Though Charlotte could use a Saturday PreCheck lane for those that actually know what they're doing using pre check. That's the only place I've used ar & run into people in front of me that evidently got it as an upgrade on a ticket, didn't know what it was, & were taking their shoes,belts, jackets off. :chair: 

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Seriously WTF are they printing?  Go to any departure gate in any airport and there is a dot matrix printer running wide open spitting out paper into a pile that, near as I can tell, is summarily ignored by everyone. I think I saw one person just throw it away once. 

 

This has been this way since the 1980s. Wtf is going on, are the airlines trying to keep the dot matrix market alive?

 

look for it next time you fly. I’m not exaggerating 

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Upgrading certain tech is too much overhaul for the airline industry. Most of it still runs on really old technology. 

 

The dot matrix printers are just printing regular stuff; cargo, manifests, etc. They're just easier to maintain and replace then modern printers and do the job perfectly fine; plus some other advantages like they don't run out of ink but fade gradually giving extra time to replace the ribbons. 

 

Simply upgrading to regular printers requires a large investment, extra training, extra IT and service contracts up the ass. Same reason why your local supermarket still prints receipts on a dot matrix printer. 

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I have some ties into that and can confirm, dot matrix printers still very much in use in those parts. 

 

They’re also nice for 5+ page carbon paper printing for govt related stuff. Requirements for X copies of originals. 

Edited by tshile
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5 hours ago, tshile said:

I have some ties into that and can confirm, dot matrix printers still very much in use in those parts. 

 

They’re also nice for 5+ page carbon paper printing for govt related stuff. Requirements for X copies of originals. 

Yeah the fact that they can print on carbon paper is a large part of the reason for their continued use. 

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On 10/1/2018 at 1:51 PM, Spaceman Spiff said:

Anyone complaining about long lines should just go get TSA approved.  Knew a guy that did that, would get to the airport 45 mins before his flight and sail right through.

 

My wife and I had the pre-check, we still got accosted by TSA. The Airlines suck, but TSA is a bunch of garbage human beings on a power trip. And there is noworse airport than Miami. I have never been so close to getting thrown out of an airport as when they interrogated my pregnant wife for opting out of the body scan to the point of tears...bc she was ****ing pregnant.

 

Miami at it's finest: https://www.miaminewtimes.com/news/tsas-miami-screening-director-left-mpd-after-getting-caught-trying-to-buy-sex-6544786

Edited by Riggo#44
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5 minutes ago, Riggo#44 said:

 

My wife and I had the pre-check, we still got accosted by TSA. The Airlines suck, but TSA is a bunch of garbage human beings on a power trip. And there is now worse airport than Miami. I have never been so close to getting thrown out of an airport as when they interrogated my pregnant wife for opting out of the body scan to the point of tears...bc she was ****ing pregnant.

 

Miami at it's finest: https://www.miaminewtimes.com/news/tsas-miami-screening-director-left-mpd-after-getting-caught-trying-to-buy-sex-6544786

My wife had nearly that same experience you are talking about but it was at Dulles this past April when we were flying to Savannah, GA.

 

We had a miscarriage in December and were just at the point we were trying again so she opted to not do the full body scan.  She was wearing skin tight pants too keep in mind, like spanx type of spandex pants.  They basically frisked her for 7 or so minutes in front of everyone at the security area, after waiting like 5-10 minutes for a woman TSA agent to come over, feeling up her legs, her thighs, etc, and she started crying.  I was about to whip out my phone and record it as I started to get pretty pissed off and I decided not to because I didn't want my wife to have to witness it again.  I was getting really pissed off and the TSA guy was saying how they are doing this for my security.  Bull**** they are, I do more for their security every day than they do for me so they can **** right off with that.  After they were done they were like 'do you want to talk to a supervisor?' and of course since they held us up there way longer than necessary, I just wanted to leave and be sure we got to our gate on time to catch our flight.

 

In hindsight I am POSITIVE that video would have gone viral and been a big deal had I recorded it and posted it online.  But I also don't know how that would have made my wife feel.  

 

Oh and I have TSA precheck but my wife does not.

Edited by purbeast
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When I was a kid flying for my family was fun. We dressed up to fly, looked forward to the flight meal, got a deck of cards, the seats were roomy, and everything was clean. We never flew first class. It was great. I miss those Braniff flights.

 

But, I also remember 6 flight attendants, food by Marriot, a free deck of cards, a complimentary c*cktail for my parents, and a mostly empty flight. No wonder it didn't last.  

Image result for braniff airplane interiors

 

Ah, the good ol'days. Hey kid! Get of my d*mn seat buckle!

 

Dr. Joe

Edited by Aristarchus
edit for language filter of liquor drink expression
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6 minutes ago, purbeast said:

I was getting really pissed off and the TSA guy was saying how they are doing this for my security.

 

Yeah. Sure they were. They were doing it because they get off on it. I worked with a woman who had to staff the 1st TSA contract at BWI. She said it was the most difficult contract she had to work because 90% of the applicants were barely literate degenerates and felons. Safety my ass. It's the appearance of safety, that is actually proven ineffective at all...other than just pissing people off.

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14 minutes ago, Dan T. said:

Reading this thread I can't help but think of this clip from Louis C.K.

 

http://www.cc.com/video-clips/1myllo/stand-up-the-miracle-of-flight

 

Small seats I can deal with--so long as I don't have to sit next to the 350-lb, titanic land mass that smells like a week old tuna fish sandwich. But then again that request isn't just confined to airlines. That's life in general.

 

Baggage fees? Fine. I pack light.

No food on the flight? Fine. Their food has always sucked. I'll get my own.

 

My biggest problem with travelling is ****ing TSA.

 

...and ugly flight attendants. Remember when they were all smoke-shows? No none cared about ****ty flights.

 

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On 9/28/2018 at 10:12 AM, Riggo-toni said:

I just bought a RT ticket Atlanta to Salt Lake City for $86 on Frontier. Yes, it will likely suck in many ways, but I would rather be a bit uncomfortable than be out another $300.

Personally I wish someone would start an airline that doesn't allow anyone on board under the age of 16.  Every flight to Utah in particular is plagued with screaming children.

 

 

 

 

 

personally, i would prefer an airline that didn't allow crusty old ****s that whine about children.   they are the worst.. at least kids have the excuse of being kids.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

See the source image

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On 9/28/2018 at 10:05 AM, Elessar78 said:

Being a young(er looking), brown, male has never helped make it more fun. I can't count the number of times I've been "randomly" selected for extra searches or interviews.  

 

On 9/28/2018 at 9:02 PM, Bonez3 said:

Not to start an anecdotal battle, but I am white and feel that if there is profiling I must be the most unlucky white guy in the world. 

 

I hardly fly more than 2-3 times per year, I would say I've been selected 4 times in the past 3 years

 

On 9/28/2018 at 10:56 PM, TheGreatBuzz said:

Yea I always feel that it is weird that I am a white Male traveling on a US military ID and can't remember the last time I wasn't  selected for a random check.  I always figure I am their token guy to say they aren't profiling. 

 

i have been flying under a diplomatic passport EVERY time i have been set aside for the extra-special sodomization by the TSA ....  (US-diplomatic passport..in the US)

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41 minutes ago, mcsluggo said:

 

 

 

i have been flying under a diplomatic passport EVERY time i have been set aside for the extra-special sodomization by the TSA ....  (US-diplomatic passport..in the US)

TSA Pre-check has been life changing, tbf. Breeze through airports now. Haven't been back to europe since I got it so need to test out that end of the equation. 

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On 10/17/2018 at 8:29 PM, zoony said:

Seriously WTF are they printing?  Go to any departure gate in any airport and there is a dot matrix printer running wide open spitting out paper into a pile that, near as I can tell, is summarily ignored by everyone. I think I saw one person just throw it away once. 

 

This has been this way since the 1980s. Wtf is going on, are the airlines trying to keep the dot matrix market alive?

 

look for it next time you fly. I’m not exaggerating 

It's a social experiment

 

original.gif

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