Will no longer fly on any airline! (cruise, hotel, hotel)

[Seguinite]

Originally Posted by Bill Bailey

I love flying in an aircraft. Nothing relaxes me in quite the same way, BUT I refuse to fly anywhere with any commercial airlines PERIOD. The completely abusive manner in which we as passengers are treated at the airport before during and after boarding angers me. I will now only ride the train service (or drive) which offers a 100% better experience than the airline as well as the lovely view from my seat or the observation car(s). Food is better also. So it takes 5-6 hours from SF to LA by train and 3 hours min at the terminal for a 1 hour flight. Far less stress (IMO anyway.)

Flying never bothered me, but the airport experience is infuriating. A trip to Europe may be in my future (to make spouse happy). Otherwise, my last funeral trip in 2015 is gonna be it.

[Chava61]

Originally Posted by Seguinite

Flying never bothered me, but the airport experience is infuriating.

The flying itself has never bothered me either as I actually like flying. But I agree that the whole experience before/after takeoff/landing is tiresome if one can't afford to fly a private plane (which is mainly for the rich). Being that I have an elderly parent who lives overseas, flying is the only way really to reach him (in any reasonable fashion as I don't think there is even a sea option) I wouldn't consider not flying commercially as a viable option.

[slamont61]

I traveled to and from Kenya this month and also traveled within the country by Rail and Air. Rail service is a tad bit more a reality in Kenya than what exists here in the US. Not much different from Air travel, there was a 1st class lounge/waiting area and first class cars. They boarded the same way as airlines do. We went from Nairobi to Mombasa via rail, a five hour trip where one can watch elephants zebras and giraffes as you cross the Kenyan countryside. We took a flight back from an airstrip in Ukunda (just 30 min south of Mombasa) where the airport was small but functional. No issues to report with that travel.

Experience the roads in Kenya (most are horrible to bad) and the Train makes so much sense, I'll use them again for sure.

International travel home was a bit rougher. First flight via KQ (Kenya Airways) was delayed four hours and thirty minuets. This caused me to miss my connection at CDG (Paris). Re-booking was quite busy due to many others in my situation. I caught an Air France flight to Boston and a Delta connection to MSP (Minneapolis) where I arrived home to -20 degrees followed by a 3 and a half hour drive home. It was a 40 hour experience and I was quite wired and exhausted at the same time. Made the re-adjustment to the Central Time zone a bit harder.

What I learned - you are your own worst enemy when traveling. If prepared, you're good.
Delta is fine.
Air France is fine
Kenya Airways is ok
KLM - not so much. Will avoid them in the future.
Jambo Jet and their fleet of De Havilland DHC 8 Q400s is super cool.

SRG (Mombasa–Nairobi Standard Gauge Railway) very good experience.

[Labonte18]

Originally Posted by Unsettomati

1) Arrive at airport
2) 10-15 minutes to go through the kiosk and then drop off my bag, if I'm checking one (read something on my phone while waiting)
3) 10-15 minutes to go through security (read something on my phone while waiting)
4) Kill ~30 minutes before boarding (hit the restroom, maybe buy a newspaper, read something on my phone while waiting)
5) 10-15 minutes to board and stow my carry-on; a little tedious, sure, but it's ten to fifteen minutes
6) Sit. Read a newspaper. Watch takeoff and climb-out if I have a window seat (and I usually do - I never tire of this). Watch a show/movie. Have a drink. Read a book. Watch approach and landing.
7) De-board; a little tedious, sure, but it's ten to fifteen minutes
8) Grab my bag, if I have one (read something on my phone while waiting)
9) Leave airport

And.. How do you feel about this?


1) Arrive at airport
2) 10-15 minutes to get to the kiosk, which tells you to see agent.
3) Agent informs you flight has been cancelled and that you can go to their website to rebook or visit the customer service desk.
4) 5 minutes to get to service desk.
5) 2.5 hours waiting to get to the desk
6) 15 minutes for the agent to tell you the next available flight is in 3 days.
7) 20 minutes waiting for agent to process a refund of your $300 ticket, which you will receive in 4-6 weeks
8) Walk over to different airline ticket counter, wait in line for 20-30 minutes
9) Find they have a flight in 3 hours for $1000.
10) Cancel your entire trip. Pay for the airport parking you've used and go back home after wasting 5+ hours.



You sharing your bad mood at this point?


Does this happen frequently? No, but if it happens to you.. This is basically how it goes. AT BEST.

What is MORE likely is that the airlines gets you to your connecting airport, THEN your connecting flight is cancelled. So, now, you're hundreds/thousands of miles from home, no access to your luggage, airline doesn't provide a hotel, expects you to sleep in the terminal. Maybe they kick a $10 food voucher to you, which will get you a coke and a pack of peanut butter crackers at the shops in the terminal. All the while, they can't tell you when they can get you to your destination. Which.. Maybe you need to be at that destination in 2 days for the birth of a first grandchild or something.. And they'll get you there in 3 days. Now it's a trip in vain, but you've used a leg.. So, no refund. Maybe for the return leg, and.. Based on airline math, that's $50 of your $300 fare somehow.

Your experience certainly is the more common one.. But.. Don't discount or pooh-pooh off what people out there are going through now.

Even on 'normal' days.. the number of times I've been stranded at CLT because my connecting flight back to GSP was cancelled.. Happened to me multiple times. At this point, I always just reserve a one-way car rental.. Not pre-paid.. So that if the flight gets cancelled, I have a car and can make the 2 hour drive. Same thing with ATL, though I've never had it happen there. That one's worse because it's closer to a 3 hour drive back.. And you have to deal with Atlanta traffic.

If your flights go nice and perfect.. Great.. Most of them do.

Then there are the ones that don't. And the ones that don't. REALLY don't.

[victimofGM]

Joined the Navy in 1990. Flew many times during my 8 years in the military. Only one horrible flight and that was from Philly to Saudi Arabia for Desert Storm. What made that flight horrible was the smoking. Last time I flew was 2011. I’m 5 feet 5 inches tall. My wife is 4 feet 10 inches tall. The seat width and leg room were much smaller than the last time I flew. We ended up bringing our own snacks in a carryon bag since none would be offered on the flight like in the past (we both take medications that cannot be taken without food). The check-in process was also worse. Instead of beings a welcomed customer we felt like cattle. We have not flown again since 2011 and what we see in the news and hear from people we know who recently traveled, we won’t be flying again unless absolutely necessary (like flying to a medical specialist for treatment we cannot receive locally.

[beachmouse]

Originally Posted by twinkletwinkle22

Me too. Last flight we took was pre-Covid and both husband and I got really bad virus from the air travel. There is really no air travel that is worth it to us..

I had a streak in the 2010s where I picked up numerous viruses form air travel. Have flown more than ever in 2021-22 with a N95 and nary a sniffle the past two years. Am keeping masking on airplanes for a while yet even though I’ve pretty much dropped it elsewhere at this point.

As for air travel, you can definitely make it more pleasant if you’re willing to throw even 10-20% more at a ticket instead of just going with the rock bottom price. I don’t do flights before 9:00am, have TSA PreCheck/Global Entry and before I had status that gave me free Comfort+ seats would pay a little extra for that extra space. If you fly a lot, it’s a few extra hundred dollars per year for access. If you fly even a little, TSA PreCheck is like $85 for five years and makes for a lot less invasive and less unpleasant security experience for a cost per trip amount that’s less than getting a fancy Starbucks coffee at the airport.

[victimofGM]

I’ve never understood why airlines board planes the way they do. First boarding should be those with special needs (people with mobility issues for example). After that, board from the rear to the front.

[beachmouse]

Originally Posted by victimofGM

I’ve never understood why airlines board planes the way they do. First boarding should be those with special needs (people with mobility issues for example). After that, board from the rear to the front.

They used to do it that way (and then briefly again during the pandemic) but at a time when almost all airlines charge for checked bags, the bin wars for carry on bags caused a shift to letting the more valued customers, who typically sit near the front of the plane, board first to have the best shot at decent overhead bin space.

[cowboyxjon]

Originally Posted by Bill Bailey

I love flying in an aircraft. Nothing relaxes me in quite the same way, BUT I refuse to fly anywhere with any commercial airlines PERIOD. The completely abusive manner in which we as passengers are treated at the airport before during and after boarding angers me. I will now only ride the train service (or drive) which offers a 100% better experience than the airline as well as the lovely view from my seat or the observation car(s). Food is better also. So it takes 5-6 hours from SF to LA by train and 3 hours min at the terminal for a 1 hour flight. Far less stress (IMO anyway.)

You do you!

But I don’t understand this idea of airlines being “abusive” toward customers. I used to fly quite a bit for work and now I fly a few times per year for personal travel and I can’t ever say that I’ve felt like I have have been “abused.” I have a routine at the airport that usually involves getting food or a snack at the airport, as I don’t really want to eat on the plane anyway.

For me, I don’t mind flying at all. It’s not difficult and I can get to my destination much faster than driving. It sure beats the unreliable Amtrak service in my area as well, as that is usually delayed anywhere between 2 and 20 hours on any given day.

[timberline742]

Originally Posted by Bill Bailey

I love flying in an aircraft. Nothing relaxes me in quite the same way, BUT I refuse to fly anywhere with any commercial airlines PERIOD. The completely abusive manner in which we as passengers are treated at the airport before during and after boarding angers me. I will now only ride the train service (or drive) which offers a 100% better experience than the airline as well as the lovely view from my seat or the observation car(s). Food is better also. So it takes 5-6 hours from SF to LA by train and 3 hours min at the terminal for a 1 hour flight. Far less stress (IMO anyway.)

I fly at least a handful times a year (outside of covid) and never once felt abused by an airline. Some better than others? Sure, Korean Air was amazing for example. But never abused.