The airline experience has become miserable

[China]

2 hours ago, CobraCommander said:

Update. My personal flight attendant that I share with 11 other coastal elites has started to turn the poors away from our water closet like a bouncer at a night club. 
 

5 stars would ride again.

 

Which, the airline or the flight attendant?

[Corcaigh]

14 minutes ago, China said:

 

Which, the airline or the flight attendant?

The attendant he is sharing with 11 others?

 

Then again, how much has he been drinking?

[CobraCommander]

17 minutes ago, China said:

 

Which, the airline or the flight attendant?

Yes

2 minutes ago, Corcaigh said:

The attendant he is sharing with 11 others?

 

Then again, how much has he been drinking?

Yes

[China]

 

[China]

SunExpress crew member finds snake head in meal

 

This incident involves a SunExpress flight from Ankara (ESB) to Düsseldorf (DUS) on Thursday, July 21, 2022. For context, SunExpress is a Turkish-German leisure airline that’s a joint venture between Turkish Airlines and Lufthansa.

 

On this particular flight, a crew member claims that they starting eating their crew meal, and then after a few bites discovered that there was a snake head in the meal. Video of this was then shared on social media.

 

 

 

Click on the link for more

[Rocky21]

🤮⬆️ Holy **** sticks!

[skinsmarydu]

10 minutes ago, Rocky21 said:

🤮⬆️ Holy **** sticks!

No doubt I would have had a heart attack & died on the spot. 

[China]

JetBlue and Spirit announce plan to merge, creating fifth-largest U.S. airline.

 

JetBlue Airways reached a deal to buy Spirit Airlines on Thursday, a merger that could reshape the airline industry by putting pressure on the nation’s four dominant carriers.

 

The deal, which values Spirit at $3.8 billion, would create the nation’s fifth-largest airline, with a share of more than 10 percent of the market, behind United Airlines, which has a nearly 14 percent share. Delta Air Lines and Southwest Airlines control more than 17 percent each, while American Airlines has more than 18 percent.

 

The merger is likely to face a thorough investigation from the Biden administration’s antitrust regulators, who have taken an aggressive stand against corporate consolidation, especially in industries already dominated by a few businesses. Given that reality, JetBlue’s top executive sought to cast the Spirit deal as a way to make his industry more competitive, rather than less.

 

Click on the link for the full article

[China]

OK, this article is terrible in that it doesn't attempt to explain how or why the person jumped from the plane:

 

Pilot dies after exiting plane midair before emergency landing at RDU

 

A man jumped or fell from a plane Friday afternoon before it crashed at the Raleigh-Durham International Airport for an emergency landing after having trouble with its landing gear.

 

The 23-year-old co-pilot's body was found in the backyard of a Fuquay-Varina resident at around 7 p.m. during search efforts. Charles Hew Crooks did not survive the fall, authorities said.

 

The plane, which is owned by SPORE LTD LLC, is a small 10-person plane. Only two people were on board the plane when it took off and only one person, the pilot, was on the plane when it landed.

 

Crooks, who was not wearing a parachute, was found near Sunset Lake Road and Hilltop Needmore Road in a Fuquay-Varina neighborhood.

 

Click on the link for the full article

 

[China]

Report: American Airlines cancels 10-year-old's connecting flight without telling parents

 

A mother says her 10-year-old's love of travel has been ruined after a frightening experience with American Airlines.

 

Miesha Vargas tells Insider that the airline canceled her daughter's connecting flight and didn't inform her or her husband.

 

The little girl was flying by herself from Richmond, Virginia to visit family in Boston on July 18. The trip included a short layover at John F. Kennedy Airport.

 

Vargas says she didn't learn that the flight had been canceled until she received a call from her daughter.

 

"She called me hysterically, crying, saying the flight was canceled, and I asked her to pass the phone to speak to a gate agent who said they would try to get another flight rebooked that same day," said Vargas.

 

It was apparently her first time flying alone, and Vargas says it was terrifying for her to be stranded without family at one of America's busiest airports.

 

"She was terrified and said she doesn't want to fly again," Vargas said. "This experience has destroyed her love of traveling."

 

An agency worker accompanied her after she arrived in New York at 11:30 a.m., and was supposed to stay with her until the next available flight was at 8 p.m.

 

The little girl was also apparently offered a voucher for lunch, but told she would have to pay for dinner with her own money.

 

Her family members that were preparing to meet her when she arrived in Boston ended up driving six hours to pick her up.

 

Click on the link for the full article

 

Pro-tip:  Don't cheap out when it comes to your kid.  Get a direct flight from Richmond to Boston.

[TradeTheBeal!]

LULLLZZZZ there’s about a dozen direct flights from Ric to Boston per day and has been for at least 20 years.

[Captain Wiggles]

Cheer up kid at least ya got a a lunch voucher. 🤪

 

When my delta flight outta Laguardia was canceled back in march what'd I get? Nothing. Hell the flight they put me on the next day was delayed 3 hours taboot. 🤣

Edited July 31, 2022 by Captain Wiggles

[Skinsfan1311]

2 hours ago, China said:

Report: American Airlines cancels 10-year-old's connecting flight without telling parents

 

A mother says her 10-year-old's love of travel has been ruined after a frightening experience with American Airlines.

 

Miesha Vargas tells Insider that the airline canceled her daughter's connecting flight and didn't inform her or her husband.

 

The little girl was flying by herself from Richmond, Virginia to visit family in Boston on July 18. The trip included a short layover at John F. Kennedy Airport.

 

Vargas says she didn't learn that the flight had been canceled until she received a call from her daughter.

 

"She called me hysterically, crying, saying the flight was canceled, and I asked her to pass the phone to speak to a gate agent who said they would try to get another flight rebooked that same day," said Vargas.

 

It was apparently her first time flying alone, and Vargas says it was terrifying for her to be stranded without family at one of America's busiest airports.

 

"She was terrified and said she doesn't want to fly again," Vargas said. "This experience has destroyed her love of traveling."

 

An agency worker accompanied her after she arrived in New York at 11:30 a.m., and was supposed to stay with her until the next available flight was at 8 p.m.

 

The little girl was also apparently offered a voucher for lunch, but told she would have to pay for dinner with her own money.

 

Her family members that were preparing to meet her when she arrived in Boston ended up driving six hours to pick her up.

 

Click on the link for the full article

 

Pro-tip:  Don't cheap out when it comes to your kid.  Get a direct flight from Richmond to Boston.

Agreed.

Parents ****ed up, big-time, not putting their kid on a direct flight. 

[BraveWarrior]

I'll never get on a plane again, unless it's an absolute emergency and I need to be somewhere fast. 

 

My first flying experience was as an 7 yr old going to Disney back in 1976. It was extremely exciting, and they really treated passengers like valued customers. They served a full lunch (on a tray) for a 2.5 hr flight. It was the Bicentennial, and they had some fun gifts for kids. 

 

Didn't board a plane again until 1998. As we got on the plane, someone was handing out bag lunches to each passenger. Seemed weird, but the sandwich and snack were ok. Flight attendants seemed a bit curt, but whatever. Got where I needed to go. (On the return flight from that trip, I experienced my first flight cancellation and waited several hours to get on another flight back, but to be fair, it was Memorial Day Wknd). Airport staff didn't seem very interested in keeping any of us updated.

 

I flew several more times throughout the early 2000s, and what stood out most was the steady decline in how airport staff and flight attendants treated passengers. It felt more and more like we were being loaded onto cattle cars. Meals became non-existent. Instead of getting a full can of soda from the drink carts, they started opening the cans and pouring half into plastic cups. Horrible treatment for ridiculous prices.   

 

After a return flight from Dallas to Newark on a business trip, I decided no more flying for me. Ironically, it wasn't the treatment by the airline and their employees. It was that we flew through a storm, causing a ton of turbulence. Passengers were eerily quiet, which seemed weird, and I figured they were praying. Even the flight attendants looked pretty concerned, and they are used to rough flights. 

 

Since then, I've driven across the country on trips where most people would choose to fly. I stop when I want. I eat what I want, when I want. I listen to the music I like. Nobody hassles me if I bring 3 bags instead of 2. I don't have to sit next to some arm-rest hogging, farting asshole who gets up and down constantly. And I never again want to experience those very dark what-if thoughts my mind goes to as the plane takes off and is climbing into the air. (What if the plane is too heavy? What if one of the engines stop working? What's it going to be like when the plane stops climbing and starts free falling?)    

 

[China]

FAA asking for public feedback on airplane seat size

 

The US Federal Aviation Administration is seeking comments from the public about the size of commercial airplane seats -- from a safety perspective.

In a filing with the Federal Register on Wednesday, the FAA requested comments on the minimum seat dimensions necessary for the safety of air passengers in case of emergency evacuation.

"The FAA invites public comments to assist the agency in determining what minimum dimensions (including pitch, width, and length) of passenger seats may be necessary for safety, including in particular airplane evacuation," the request states.

In a statement to CNN, the FAA outlined additional safety considerations.

"FAA regulations require that all transport category airplanes be able to conduct a rapid evacuation in case of fire. Other FAA evacuation requirements address real-world conditions, landing gear collapse, and exit failure, among others."

Comments are open to the public until November 1.

 

The feedback the agency is seeking is limited to safety considerations.

Matters "such as how the dimensions of passenger seats might relate to passenger comfort or convenience" are not part of its request for comments, the FAA said in its Federal Register notice.

 

Click on the link for the full article

Edited August 4, 2022 by China

[purbeast]

On 8/2/2022 at 12:33 AM, BraveWarrior said:

I'll never get on a plane again, unless it's an absolute emergency and I need to be somewhere fast. 

 

My first flying experience was as an 7 yr old going to Disney back in 1976. It was extremely exciting, and they really treated passengers like valued customers. They served a full lunch (on a tray) for a 2.5 hr flight. It was the Bicentennial, and they had some fun gifts for kids. 

 

Didn't board a plane again until 1998. As we got on the plane, someone was handing out bag lunches to each passenger. Seemed weird, but the sandwich and snack were ok. Flight attendants seemed a bit curt, but whatever. Got where I needed to go. (On the return flight from that trip, I experienced my first flight cancellation and waited several hours to get on another flight back, but to be fair, it was Memorial Day Wknd). Airport staff didn't seem very interested in keeping any of us updated.

 

I flew several more times throughout the early 2000s, and what stood out most was the steady decline in how airport staff and flight attendants treated passengers. It felt more and more like we were being loaded onto cattle cars. Meals became non-existent. Instead of getting a full can of soda from the drink carts, they started opening the cans and pouring half into plastic cups. Horrible treatment for ridiculous prices.   

 

After a return flight from Dallas to Newark on a business trip, I decided no more flying for me. Ironically, it wasn't the treatment by the airline and their employees. It was that we flew through a storm, causing a ton of turbulence. Passengers were eerily quiet, which seemed weird, and I figured they were praying. Even the flight attendants looked pretty concerned, and they are used to rough flights. 

 

Since then, I've driven across the country on trips where most people would choose to fly. I stop when I want. I eat what I want, when I want. I listen to the music I like. Nobody hassles me if I bring 3 bags instead of 2. I don't have to sit next to some arm-rest hogging, farting asshole who gets up and down constantly. And I never again want to experience those very dark what-if thoughts my mind goes to as the plane takes off and is climbing into the air. (What if the plane is too heavy? What if one of the engines stop working? What's it going to be like when the plane stops climbing and starts free falling?)    

 

Sounds like you have an irrational fear of flying, which many people have, so it's common, based on your fear of turbulence.  

 

Statistically speaking, you're more likely to die driving across the country than flying.  I also believe there has never once in the history of commercial airlines, a plane go down due to turbulence.

 

You're also taking about 3 days to get somewhere that you could be getting to in 5 hours. 

 

You can also get the full can of coke.  All you have to do is ask.  I do it all the time.  My go to is 2 jack daniels and a can of coke zero with a cup of ice.  

 

My mom also has an irrational fear of flying and it's sad because she's in her 70's and really her only beach experiences is Ocean City twice a year.  She went to Bermuda in like the 70s for her honeymoon but that's it.  I invited her to Aruba for my 40th birthday last year with us and she made a bunch of excuses as to why she wouldn't go, but I know it basically boiled down to her fear of flying and because of that she missed out.

[Simmsy]

On 8/2/2022 at 12:33 AM, BraveWarrior said:

I'll never get on a plane again, unless it's an absolute emergency and I need to be somewhere fast. 

 

My first flying experience was as an 7 yr old going to Disney back in 1976. It was extremely exciting, and they really treated passengers like valued customers. They served a full lunch (on a tray) for a 2.5 hr flight. It was the Bicentennial, and they had some fun gifts for kids. 

 

Didn't board a plane again until 1998. As we got on the plane, someone was handing out bag lunches to each passenger. Seemed weird, but the sandwich and snack were ok. Flight attendants seemed a bit curt, but whatever. Got where I needed to go. (On the return flight from that trip, I experienced my first flight cancellation and waited several hours to get on another flight back, but to be fair, it was Memorial Day Wknd). Airport staff didn't seem very interested in keeping any of us updated.

 

I flew several more times throughout the early 2000s, and what stood out most was the steady decline in how airport staff and flight attendants treated passengers. It felt more and more like we were being loaded onto cattle cars. Meals became non-existent. Instead of getting a full can of soda from the drink carts, they started opening the cans and pouring half into plastic cups. Horrible treatment for ridiculous prices.   

 

After a return flight from Dallas to Newark on a business trip, I decided no more flying for me. Ironically, it wasn't the treatment by the airline and their employees. It was that we flew through a storm, causing a ton of turbulence. Passengers were eerily quiet, which seemed weird, and I figured they were praying. Even the flight attendants looked pretty concerned, and they are used to rough flights. 

 

Since then, I've driven across the country on trips where most people would choose to fly. I stop when I want. I eat what I want, when I want. I listen to the music I like. Nobody hassles me if I bring 3 bags instead of 2. I don't have to sit next to some arm-rest hogging, farting asshole who gets up and down constantly. And I never again want to experience those very dark what-if thoughts my mind goes to as the plane takes off and is climbing into the air. (What if the plane is too heavy? What if one of the engines stop working? What's it going to be like when the plane stops climbing and starts free falling?)    

 

 

28 minutes ago, purbeast said:

Sounds like you have an irrational fear of flying, which many people have, so it's common, based on your fear of turbulence.  

 

Statistically speaking, you're more likely to die driving across the country than flying.  I also believe there has never once in the history of commercial airlines, a plane go down due to turbulence.

 

You're also taking about 3 days to get somewhere that you could be getting to in 5 hours. 

 

You can also get the full can of coke.  All you have to do is ask.  I do it all the time.  My go to is 2 jack daniels and a can of coke zero with a cup of ice.  

 

My mom also has an irrational fear of flying and it's sad because she's in her 70's and really her only beach experiences is Ocean City twice a year.  She went to Bermuda in like the 70s for her honeymoon but that's it.  I invited her to Aruba for my 40th birthday last year with us and she made a bunch of excuses as to why she wouldn't go, but I know it basically boiled down to her fear of flying and because of that she missed out.

 

I used to stay with family in Massachusetts over the summer when I was a teen, the last time I flew on a plane was when I was coming back home when I was 17 (I would fly by myself). That was in August of 2001, haven't been on a plane since. When I tell people this, they think I have a fear of flying because of 9/11, truth is, the experience just seems so terrible that I would rather just stay home. Flying wasn't that great when I started doing it, but it wasn't terrible either. I definitely remember going from multiple cans of Sprite to that stupid little plastic cup that was over filled with ice. You used to just show up, check in and take off, now there is no guarantee that you'll even be able to take off.

 

When I was 14 the airline try to bump me to a later flight, luckily, my parents told them I was a child and I had people waiting for me so I had to get on the plane. I would fly out of Dulles and my family would pick me up at the Rhode Island airport (I think thats right, Logan airport is terrible). The flight MAYBE took an hour, not sure why the parents didn't get their daughter on a direct flight...especially the way these airlines are nowadays.

[purbeast]

3 hours ago, Simmsy said:

 

 

I used to stay with family in Massachusetts over the summer when I was a teen, the last time I flew on a plane was when I was coming back home when I was 17 (I would fly by myself). That was in August of 2001, haven't been on a plane since. When I tell people this, they think I have a fear of flying because of 9/11, truth is, the experience just seems so terrible that I would rather just stay home. Flying wasn't that great when I started doing it, but it wasn't terrible either. I definitely remember going from multiple cans of Sprite to that stupid little plastic cup that was over filled with ice. You used to just show up, check in and take off, now there is no guarantee that you'll even be able to take off.

 

When I was 14 the airline try to bump me to a later flight, luckily, my parents told them I was a child and I had people waiting for me so I had to get on the plane. I would fly out of Dulles and my family would pick me up at the Rhode Island airport (I think thats right, Logan airport is terrible). The flight MAYBE took an hour, not sure why the parents didn't get their daughter on a direct flight...especially the way these airlines are nowadays.

I mean I'm not saying flying is the best experience ever, but it's necessary to go overseas.  

 

Flying with kids is even more stressful and you have so much more crap, but my wife and I still do it because again, how else would we get to the Caribbean or Florida Keys in a few hours?

 

It's just something you gotta deal with and make the best of.  Flying can be as relaxing or as stressful as you want it to be.  I play my Switch and drink a few jack/cokes and it makes it not too bad.  The most stressful time for me with kids is definitely the whole airport thing.  Just with all the luggage, stroller, carryons, diaper bag, etc, lugging it around.  But the flight itself isn't that bad, although having a lap baby is also a bit stressful.  A lot less time playing Switch when that happens.

 

The last flight I took was just my wife and I and it's a lot easier lol.  Played Switch pretty much the entire time on all legs of the flights and downed some jack and cokes.  We wouldn't have been able to celebrate her birthday with a group of about 16 people in Roatan without flying there.

[Captain Wiggles]

4 hours ago, purbeast said:

You're also taking about 3 days to get somewhere that you could be getting to in 5 hours. 

 

Lol the flight may be 5 hours but all the security, layovers, n travel to and from the airport can add another 5 hours easy. 🙃

 

Usta fly from Denver to Dulles regularly. 4 hour flight sure but the total trip time was usually about 12 hours. 

[purbeast]

8 minutes ago, Captain Wiggles said:

 

Lol the flight may be 5 hours but all the security, layovers, n travel to and from the airport can add another 5 hours easy. 🙃

 

Usta fly from Denver to Dulles regularly. 4 hour flight sure but the total trip time was usually about 12 hours. 

"Easily" if you don't know what you are doing lol.  There's no need to get to the airport more than 90 minutes out if flying domestic really, unless you got a bunch of stuff and/or kids or you just want the peace of mind.

 

And yeah I pretty much only fly direct flights, if available.  Thankfully having a Southwest hub at BWI and a United hub at IAD, I can usually find direct flights if they are available, to most places I want to go nationally, which really now a days is just Florida to go to the keys.  I don't have much need to fly back out to Cali now that my friends moved back here.  And it's been ages since I been to Vegas.  Direct flights to all of those can be had on Southwest though.

 

Southwest going to the Caribbean, with the exception of Aruba, usually there is a layover in FLL.  But again, not getting to Turks and Caicos or Grand Cayman by driving lol.

 

I guess it is possible to drive to Belize, but that would take a whole lot longer than 3 days from MD.  I will stick to the 7 or so hour travel day instead.

Edited August 4, 2022 by purbeast

[Fergasun]

Business traveler here. 

 

I take a fully charged phone with my own media.  Give me a middle row.  I don't care.  If you are nice to your seatmates, they will be nice to you.

 

Worst thing that happened to me lately was on a Southwest leg, a larger guy sat in the middle row. Best I can figure is both me and window seat had masks on.   

 

Worst flight experience?  Red eye with 4 month old and aisle seat guy didn't want to let us out to change the diaper.  Oh -- did you think there was a choice?  Whenever I take the aisle I make it a point to communicate, "if you need to get out, let me know... kick me... its fine."  Sometimes it's a good icebreaker. 

 

I guess getting stuck on the tarmac for 3 hours, having to go back to the terminal because the pilots flight time would expire and waiting another 2 hours including tarmac is also up there. 

[Captain Wiggles]

1 hour ago, purbeast said:

"Easily" if you don't know what you are doing lol.  There's no need to get to the airport more than 90 minutes out if flying domestic really, unless you got a bunch of stuff and/or kids or you just want the peace of mind.

 

Or one has to wait on a shuttle bus to get to some po dunk mountain town in Colorado. I've waited a lot longer than 90 minutes for some of those.

 

Or one has a 8 hour layover in Atlanta or a 28 hour layover in Queens. 🙃

[purbeast]

3 minutes ago, Captain Wiggles said:

 

Or one has to wait on a shuttle bus to get to some po dunk mountain town in Colorado. I've waited a lot longer than 90 minutes for some of those.

 

Or one has a 8 hour layover in Atlanta or a 28 hour layover in Queens. 🙃

If you are flying domestic and have an 8 or 28 hour layover, you are completely doing it wrong lol.

[Captain Wiggles]

16 minutes ago, purbeast said:

If you are flying domestic and have an 8 or 28 hour layover, you are completely doing it wrong lol.

 

How? If my delta flight from Laguardia to Greensboro is canceled due to weather da fuq am I sposta do? They offer like two flights a day to begin with. 

[TradeTheBeal!]

Hippies are terrible at flying.