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It seems to me there was a thread where this was discussed a while back, but I have been unable to find it. Perhaps it was a peripheral discussion in a thread that was principally about something else?
The thing that brought the issue to my mind was that after not flying anywhere for two years, I flew from Los Angeles to New Orleans about three weeks ago, then returned a week later. It's not a very long flight - non-stop about four hours. I don't like to sit for that long, but I never have had an easy time sitting still, much to the consternation of my elementary school teachers.
I found that at age 73, flying is still no big deal. Sure, going through security is not what anybody would call "fun", but when I thought about it, it's just not a big deal either; we stand in line, then we put our stuff, including our shoes and our belts, in a little plastic bin. Then we put our shoes and our belts back on and put our stuff back in our pockets. What is so horrible about that?
The only age-related difference I noticed is that I had to go to the bathroom on the airplane once during each flight. That's simply one of the unpleasant facts of life about being an older male, at least for a lot of older males. But even that was not any big deal - in fact it was damn good just to get out of the seat and walk up the aisle!
So how many posters here still fly, and at what age? How many have given it up completely, and at what age and for what reason(s)?
The thought of going near an airport gives me the hebbie geebies. I have not flown since 2005 and I was 67 and dealing with OA and some Fibro and now 79 have not flown since and HOPE I never do again. My child is here and grandkids and they come to see me. When I flew it was CA to PA to take care and bury my father. My sister was with me and she has since left this earth in her physical body.
We still fly, but as I have mentioned in the past, I don't look forward to it. We fly generally. two or three times a year. We've been flying for vacations for about 25 years now, and I guess we are veterans. Lately we have been placed in the fast lane for security which is helpful.
I think we will probably lessen our traveling in general as we get older. DH is 75. He does still drive longer distances, but I can tell that he is less happy about doing so. So far he does not mind flying though.
Right now we are trying to travel while we still enjoy doing so, and before one of us gets sick or it becomes too hard. I think flying is relatively easy for us because we have done it for so long. But I do like traveling with him. I wouldn't like it as much by myself, although I have done that too.
It wasn't age-related issues that made me quit flying. It was the security hassles, the delays, the drunk co-passengers, but most of all the cramped and crowded seating. Also, sitting next to someone with an "emotional support" slobbering and panting shih tzu wasn't my cuppa.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Escort Rider
Sure, going through security is not what anybody would call "fun", but when I thought about it, it's just not a big deal either; we stand in line, then we put our stuff, including our shoes and our belts, in a little plastic bin. Then we put our shoes and our belts back on and put our stuff back in our pockets. What is so horrible about that?
For reasons that will remain forever cloudy, before I quit flying I was repeatedly pulled over for extra screening. Being groped and wanded wasn't "horrible" but it was damn sure unnecessary, intrusive, and inconvenient.
That hassle might have been tolerable if only the actual flights were passably pleasant.
DH is a intrepid traveler who is reconsidering after a seatmate on a DFW to DEN flight threw up on his feet.
I dislike flying at any age- the stale air, the crowding, the hum and slight constant movement makes me kinda seasick and I always leave the airport feeling kind of stunned. I will only fly if it's necessary to get somewhere I really want to go. When I move from the East Coast to Colorado, I plan to drive, to transport my car and one dog. I guess I could have my dog transporter take all the dogs, fly out, and pick up a new car there but that seems like just as much trouble as a 2200 miles drive.
Don't know if I'll be flying after that, because I don't know if I'll want to go anywhere after moving to my semi-dream location without much desire for travel, regardless of age. Maybe a short flight. Like to San Diego from Colorado in the dead of winter to visit a friend or something.
I avoid flying but not because of any age or health reason...it is just an all around awful experience and I hate it. I have a 70 year old friend who is on oxygen and has some mobility problems and she still flies. She has to make advance arrangements but the airline meets her with a wheelchair at both airports and there hasn't been a problem with the oxygen. She is considering coming (flying) to visit this fall.
one interesting flight I had was my trip to Helena Montana. I had a stop in Salt Lake City Utah. As we came down and out of the mountains the plane was hitting some bad turbulence. At one point I looked over at a passenger next to me to try to calm her down and just as I was about to assure her it was okay the plane did a 3 or 4 lane shift. It probably dropped in altitude as well but the entire plane probably moved left 3 or 4 plane widths. It was quite unnerving and she immediately reached for the barf bag and proceeded to let it loose. She wasn't the only one. I think I heard at least 5 or 6 in my end of the plane.
This story is off topic though.
For us we are just starting our travel so we plan to do as much air travel as necessary to visit all the places on our list.
I don't want to fly any more after a recent trip on Southwest where the (very tall male) flight attendant attempted to take my cane away from me. I had it properly stowed under the seat in front of me but he tried to insist on putting it in the overhead bin, where I would not have been able to get up and get it as I need it to get up in the first place.
Ultimately he left it where it was because it was stowed according to FFA regulations (at one point he said, "Oh yeah? Well FFA regulations trump FFA regulations!") but then spent the rest of the flight sniping at me and trading snide remarks with some a$$hole seated nearby where I could hear them. He also tried to lecture me on how I had better be careful or he would (do something or other to me, I believe he was trying to say he could have me put off the plane) OR ELSE. I finally just had to keep repeating "PLEASE go away and leave me alone, PLEASE go away and leave me alone" to - well - make him go away and leave me alone.
I also had a problem on boarding. The guy at the gate told me I would be boarded last because "you people take too long to board." I was in a wheelchair at the time due to having been knocked off balance by a passenger on my first flight where I ended up half-falling across the seat arm and hanging on to the seat backs to keep from fully falling when this person shoved me trying to get more room in the very very narrow aisle. I pulled something in my back and twisted my knee. My back still hurts but at least I'm semi-ambulatory again by now. So there I was watching families with kids being boarded before me when unaccompanied minors and people with mobility issues are the only ones who are supposed to preboard.
Seriously. "You people take too long". That's why they preboard us!
I won't have much of a choice about flying - the train is stupidly expensive for little old ladies who can't sleep in a chair for 4 days - but it won't ever be on SW again. That was my first flight with them and it will be my last.
BTW - about midway through the flight, someone seated nearby me pressed the attendant light. The guy yelled at her "I'M RIGHT HERE!". Apparently using the attendant light is offensive and rude. So it wasn't just me.
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