4 of my pet peeves while flying

[klpca]

It seems like I recall a time when passenger loading / unloading used to occur at both ends of the plane - front and rear - concurrently. Or was I dreaming?

We've done this a few times in Cabo. So fast!

 

[Tia]

there used to be a rolling laughing head. I needed this laugh your story here provided today!!

Alright, you've forced my hand. Back in the day when they fed you in economy, we were served scrambled eggs on a flight from LA to Dallas. Cliff was on the aisle, I was in the middle, and a man was at the window, asleep. A gawd awful stench came from Cliff's direction after breakfast and he was playing innocent and shaking his head it wasn't him when it was obvious it was. From the direction of the window comes the words "Not I, said the pig." That was uproarious to me because that was a favorite children's story of Cliff's (Who will help me bake the cake? asked the little red hen) and he often brought it up when asked to help with a chore. I lost it and started laughing and then the man said "Jeez, I thought I was having a nightmare!" It was all over at that point and this perfect stranger and I were literally laughing in each other's arms. We were diverted to Tulsa and were on the moving sidewalk going one direction and passed the man and his wife and kids going the opposite. The man pointed at Cliff and the kids all started laughing, which of course set me off again.

 

[taterhed]

Do you mean that people were bringing their carry-ons on board or that they insisted on bringing the carry-ons with them during the evacuation (when the instructions are clear not to bring any personal items with you)?

YES!!!!

 

[LannyPC]

Which airplane flight mishap was this one above?

 

[jehb2]

My pet peeve. My kids’ tickets cost the same as an adult. There is no kid discount on the airlines I fly. But some think kids are not entitled to a carryon and personal item like everyone else.

 

[Sapper]

My pet peeve. My kids’ tickets cost the same as an adult. There is no kid discount on the airlines I fly. But some think kids are not entitled to a carryon and personal item like everyone else.

If your child is occupying a seat (don't ever do the "lap baby" thing, its dangerous), then the cost / revenue to the airline is the same. That being said, I do not know of any airline who will add restrictions onto a seat just because a child is in it. If a normal ticket allows a carry on, then the additional ticket purchased for the child will allow a carry on.

 

[jehb2]

On a Rick Steves Forum a regular person said he hates it when he sees a family of 5 with 5 carry ons and 5 personal items. "They don't need that much why don't they just combine their stuff into less suitcases."

Twice British Airways stopped us as we were boarding the plane because the gate attendant said we had to much stuff. We had 4 rollerbags which I had measured and weighed because we were doing a lot of train travel. My husband and I each had small crossbody sling bags and both my kids had drawstring backpacks. I showed the attendant 4 boarding passes. she said "Oh, you have 4 tickets. Well it simply won't fit." I put each of our bags in their little measuring cube with no problem. But she kept saying it simply won't fit. So I gave her 2 bags. The bin above our seats remained empty during our flight. I have pictures.

On the second BA flight I gate checked two bags. my bag was tagged and I had to drop it off right before stepping on the plane and still a supervisor chased me down the walkway.

In Dallas on American (and this only happened once on American) a gate attendant stopped us as we walked downed the walkway. He said we had too many bags. My kids had their small violins and string backpacks. I had a Costco soft side cooler and my crossbody sling bag. My husband had his crossbody sling bag and computer backpack. We had two items each. Most of our stuff including the violins fit under the seats. Still the attendant kept recounting our bags.

Most of the time this is not an issue. However, every once in a while I'll hear a snotty comment when there is a family of 5 with 5 rollerbags and 5 backpacks and everyone is carrying their own bag. I always go up to the mom and say you guys are impressive.

 

[dougp26364]

I usually carry my wife’s carry on for her down the jetway (she carries her purse, I’m not that crazy). Once in a great while I get stopped and told I have to many bags. I guess I’m sort of a jerk because I do the math for them, “two passes, two carry on’s. and two personal items. I’m just being a gentleman and carrying my wife’s bag for her....unless you’d like to take it for her......” I haven’t had one offer to carry her bag nor have I had one say another word about it.

 

[Sapper]

On a Rick Steves Forum a regular person said he hates it when he sees a family of 5 with 5 carry ons and 5 personal items. "They don't need that much why don't they just combine their stuff into less suitcases."

Twice British Airways stopped us as we were boarding the plane because the gate attendant said we had to much stuff. We had 4 rollerbags which I had measured and weighed because we were doing a lot of train travel. My husband and I each had small crossbody sling bags and both my kids had drawstring backpacks. I showed the attendant 4 boarding passes. she said "Oh, you have 4 tickets. Well it simply won't fit." I put each of our bags in their little measuring cube with no problem. But she kept saying it simply won't fit. So I gave her 2 bags. The bin above our seats remained empty during our flight. I have pictures.

On the second BA flight I gate checked two bags. my bag was tagged and I had to drop it off right before stepping on the plane and still a supervisor chased me down the walkway.

In Dallas on American (and this only happened once on American) a gate attendant stopped us as we walked downed the walkway. He said we had too many bags. My kids had their small violins and string backpacks. I had a Costco soft side cooler and my crossbody sling bag. My husband had his crossbody sling bag and computer backpack. We had two items each. Most of our stuff including the violins fit under the seats. Still the attendant kept recounting our bags.

Most of the time this is not an issue. However, every once in a while I'll hear a snotty comment when there is a family of 5 with 5 rollerbags and 5 backpacks and everyone is carrying their own bag. I always go up to the mom and say you guys are impressive.

When my wife, son and I have flown, we have not had issues once I show the additional ticket for our son. We take a carry on each per person, and one personal item per person. If the flight is over booked (happens less these days), and they are asking everyone to gate check their bag, we have had some push to check... but no more than they are doing to the folks ahead and behind us in line.

The guy on the Rick Steves forum can hate it all he wants. I hate the airlines reduced service, ever shrinking legroom, over bearing TSA agents, etc.... nothing I can do about it. You paid for the additional ticket(s), hence you have paid for the carry on etc that comes with that ticket (and in some cases like Spirit, you literally pay for the carry on). NOW, if the airline wants to discuss reduced cost tickets for children which delete the carry on, that is a separate matter.

 

[lvhmbh]

Gate lice can definitely be a problem. We usually either upgrade, or buy miles, so we fly in Business. We were in the priority boarding lane and this man was waving to his family that just boarded but not moving. I politely said excuse me and he ignored me. DH asked him if he was in First or Business and if not, would he please let me by. He became extremely huffy. When he finally boarding quite a bit later he went on this rant at DH about his "entitlement", etc.

As to the perfume - that is really a problem for me. I am allergic (get a headache) when someone is wearing too much. It developed later in life and I actually used to wear perfume - no more. I boarded an elevator in Vegas where a woman was bathed in perfume. I covered my nose as it was really unbearable (didn't pinch nose - not that rude lol). Woman asked me if I was sick and I told her no just allergic to her perfumer. She turned to her husband and asked him if she was wearing too much. Loooong pause and then he finally said "I didn't know how to tell you but you do it all the time". Exit elevator quickly lol!

 

[Talent312]

Pet Peeve: A 40-minute layover that I will face on Wednesday. Southwest says it's doable.
They say the gates at Houston-Hobby will be almost next door; otherwise I'd say no-go.
Keeping my fingers crossed.
.

 

[dougp26364]

Generally speaking 40 minutes is doable......so long as everything goes correctly and your initial flight is on time.

I’m like you in that I try to avoid short layovers. For us it’s anything under 1 hour. Saying that, we have made our share of 30 minute connections. It’s happened when that hour long connection was cut down due to the outbound flight arriving late at the gate

 

[taterhed]

Which airplane flight mishap was this one above?

That was the Asiana flight in San Francisco. Numerous passengers carried luggage out of the airplane and even some passengers went back inside the burning airplane to get luggage out and passed it down. Sadly, one passenger was run over by a fire truck in the surrounding debris and killed. That's why it's important to safely and quickly move away from an airplane on evacuation not carrying luggage and paying attention to passengers not possessions.

Sent from my SM-N950U using Tapatalk

 

[icydog]

A private aircraft would alleviate every issue you cite. Only you and your friends or family on board, leaves when you want it to, no silly TSA garbage, etc.

I’m not poor but isn’t a private aircraft ridiculously expensive? So expensive as to be prohibitive for almost all Americans. At least all that I know.

I try to fly business when I have to fly. I hate flying, but flying upfront is a million times better than the same trip in the back. I use my miles, or I pay with a combo of cash and miles, but I will do anything to avoid the coach section.

To add insult to my injury, I have very bad hips and herniated disks in my back. I’m usually in terrible pain.

I have so much trouble trying to get out of my coach seat that I inevitably bump the person in front of me. What I do is buy that person and his or her flying companion a drink. Amazingly a drink almost always makes things better.

 

[Sapper]

I’m not poor but isn’t a private aircraft ridiculously expensive? So expensive as to be prohibitive for almost all Americans. At least all that I know.

I try to fly business when I have to fly. I hate flying, but flying upfront is a million times better than the same trip in the back. I use my miles, or I pay with a combo of cash and miles, but I will do anything to avoid the coach section.

To add insult to my injury, I have very bad hips and herniated disks in my back. I’m usually in terrible pain.

I have so much trouble trying to get out of my coach seat that I inevitably bump the person in front of me. What I do is buy that person and his or her flying companion a drink. Amazingly a drink almost always makes things better.

As with everything in life, it's in the details. If you are flying your own little single engine airplane (like a Cessna 172), then it is analogous to using a car. If you are in the new Gulfstream 650, then one flight could pay for the house I live in.

I have a little Cessna. It flys at apx 150MPH (135Kt) and burns 20 gallons of fuel per hour. Fuel cost is $4.50 a gallon, so I'm paying just shy of $100/hour. If I fly from Houston to Aspen, it's about six hours. That's about $1200 round trip for fuel, say another $25/hour in maintenance cost and we are up to $1500 for a trip to Aspen. The bird holds four souls comfortably plus luggage (it's bigger than the Cessna 172 cited above, the costs would actually be lower with that airplane). Four plane tickets on United to Aspen would run $1003 each (I just did it through expedia). That's $4k for four people on the airline, or $1500 in the little Cessna. You could airline in to Denver, suffer the joys of Spirit Airlines, rent a car and drive in... the airline cost will be about $800 for everyone plus bags, and another $500 for the car... so just under the little Cessna cost. HOWEVER, Spirit flys at odd times, and there is the additional four hour drive each way to and from Denver... so you end up loosing a day (or two) to travel.

I will be the first to admit that if you are flying internationally, then the airlines are the way to go. However, domestically, particularly to places the airlines don't service, or charge a premium to service, or where it takes a long time to drive, a little airplane can make things happen for you. Also, in the initial posting, cost was not a consideration.

 

[PigsDad]

I have a little Cessna. It flys at apx 150MPH (135Kt) and burns 20 gallons of fuel per hour. Fuel cost is $4.50 a gallon, so I'm paying just shy of $100/hour. If I fly from Houston to Aspen, it's about six hours. That's about $1200 round trip for fuel, say another $25/hour in maintenance cost and we are up to $1500 for a trip to Aspen. The bird holds four souls comfortably plus luggage (it's bigger than the Cessna 172 cited above, the costs would actually be lower with that airplane). Four plane tickets on United to Aspen would run $1003 each (I just did it through expedia). That's $4k for four people on the airline, or $1500 in the little Cessna. You could airline in to Denver, suffer the joys of Spirit Airlines, rent a car and drive in... the airline cost will be about $800 for everyone plus bags, and another $500 for the car... so just under the little Cessna cost. HOWEVER, Spirit flys at odd times, and there is the additional four hour drive each way to and from Denver... so you end up loosing a day (or two) to travel.

Sorry, that's an apples to oranges comparison. You obviously have a pilot's license. And it looks like you have a plane.

Question: how much would it cost the average person (without a pilot's license and a plane) to charter that flight? To leave when you want to leave and to return when you want to return. Way more than your $1500, I'm sure. I'm guessing it is closer to 10X your cost that you outlined.

Kurt

 

[Sapper]

A charter flight is apples to ten oranges comparison. You won't find a part 135 charter operator using little piston aircraft, so that is a whole different level of cost. My comparison is realistic to the common guy. I have a pilots license, you probably have a drivers license. I have a little plane, you probably have a car. There is not a massive gulf between the two. There IS a massive gulf between the small aircraft I am describing and small jets. All this being said, the initial text did NOT take cost into account.

 

[icydog]

My husband had a pilot's license. He would rent a plane for the day and we’d have an adventure. His dream was to own a small Cessna but I was always so afraid in the air it would have been a bad investment for us. I do know that he and you could spend the day talking about airplanes and flying.

 

[Sapper]

My husband had a pilot's license. He would rent a plane for the day and we’d have an adventure. His dream was to own a small Cessna but I was always so afraid in the air it would have been a bad investment for us. I do know that he and you could spend the day talking about airplanes and flying.

Love aviation. Yup, could sit around the hanger all day and chat about it (much to my wife's dismay ).

 

[PrairieGirl]

Love aviation. Yup, could sit around the hanger all day and chat about it (much to my wife's dismay ).

A bit off topic, but I just can't help but tell this story since we ARE a group of timesharers! We were at a small resort on Maui in December and went to the "update" to get a great discount on a helicopter tour (I know, but I actually wanted to learn more about the RCI points program because we are weeks owners). The nice young lady who signed us up PROMISED that it would only be an hour (what, not 90 minutes?) and not like any presentation that we had been to before. Well, she was right on that one!

It turned out that this resort group only has a few foreclosed weeks that they are selling for the HOA, our rep was the manager of the sales dept and somehow in the first five minutes he and my husband discovered that they were both pilots with small planes. An hour later when they were still engrossed in talk about flying around the islands I had to wave my hand and say "but I really DO have a timeshare question or two to ask!"

 

[Sapper]

A bit off topic, but I just can't help but tell this story since we ARE a group of timesharers! We were at a small resort on Maui in December and went to the "update" to get a great discount on a helicopter tour (I know, but I actually wanted to learn more about the RCI points program because we are weeks owners). The nice young lady who signed us up PROMISED that it would only be an hour (what, not 90 minutes?) and not like any presentation that we had been to before. Well, she was right on that one!

It turned out that this resort group only has a few foreclosed weeks that they are selling for the HOA, our rep was the manager of the sales dept and somehow in the first five minutes he and my husband discovered that they were both pilots with small planes. An hour later when they were still engrossed in talk about flying around the islands I had to wave my hand and say "but I really DO have a timeshare question or two to ask!"

HAHAHA

 

[am1]

I do not like how the bins are filled up but we are occupying a full row of seats. Surely each row should get some space.

Thankfully never been in the situation but would not accept someone spilling into my seat. It is going to be addressed before take off with the person and or the flight crew.

I also do not like how if a choice of free meals is offered do not run out one of the meals when only 2/3rds of the plane is served. As a family of 4 with kids we should get a choice of meals (at least 1 of each) more then a couple should. I know it would not be easy for the crew but just because people are sitting up front in economy should not give them a choice of meals over people in the back.

Mayonaise and ketchup should be available on the side and not already applied to the meals.

 

[klpca]

I also do not like how if a choice of free meals is offered do not run out one of the meals when only 2/3rds of the plane is served. As a family of 4 with kids we should get a choice of meals (at least 1 of each) more then a couple should. I know it would not be easy for the crew but just because people are sitting up front in economy should not give them a choice of meals over people in the back.

Curious why a family of four should get meal choices over a couple? (We were a family of 5 - just never thought it gave us any priority - for anything). I am honestly trying to see it from your perspective.

 

[Egret1986]

Curious why a family of four should get meal choices over a couple? (We were a family of 5 - just never thought it gave us any priority - for anything). I am honestly trying to see it from your perspective.

Yes, inquiring minds want to know. Do share this perspective. I'm curious also.

 

[PigsDad]

I know it would not be easy for the crew but just because people are sitting up front in economy should not give them a choice of meals over people in the back.

Well, most likely those people in the front section of economy paid more than those in the back. They may have paid for economy "plus", reserved seating, or just had loyalty status. Not all, but most. Personally, I have no problem with that -- if they paid more or have status, why shouldn't they get some small perks over the back of the bus?

Kurt