Airports

oldman

oldman

Well-known Member
Location
PA
I hate airports. I flew from Washington, D.C. to San Diego just to fly with a rookie Captain that I started training just before I retired. He did a very good job of keeping us in smooth air. The trip home was very quick due to a strong tailwind.

The plane ride was fine. It was the airports that were the problem. I knew that people are at their rudest in airports, but for whatever reason, this trip, I think every person in the airport was rude. I was standing in line waiting to pay for my newspaper and Coke when the young fellow in front of me, who was wearing a backpack and I guess it was his girlfriend he yelled to, who was standing by the magazine rack. He quickly turned around to yell at his girlfriend and it was then that his backpack knocked my Coke out of my hand and it went flying and hit a rack of keychains.

At first, he didn’t say anything. He just stood there and looked at me and started to walk away. I’m 6’4” so I told him he owed me a Coke. He just kept walking and unfortunately for him, an airport cop just happened to be walking by. I told the cop what happened and he went over and spoke with the cashier who verified my story. The cop went after him, caught up to him and cuffed him. I didn’t know why. I later learned that the newsstand wanted paid for the keychains he messed up. They ended up charging him. I really just wanted paid for my Coke.

For three bucks he could have saved himself a lot of trouble and money.
 

You're 6' 4"? Wow! You're a retired airline pilot? Wow!
I don't know why people arn't as nice and as respectful as they used to be. But, you don't know what they have been going through, what's in their head, what circumstances have affected their actions. I went to the hardware store the other day and the cashier, ( a pretty young lady) was SO TERRIBLY RUDE TO ME. I tried to be nice to her but she was so horrible. I had to go back the next week and she wasn't there. The manager was cashiering. I felt I had to say something about her attitude. He told me, "Yea,I know! Her boyfriend of 5 years married someone else and told her to get out. She moved in with her Mother and found out her Mom had stage 4 cancer. She lost her purse right after she cashed her paycheck and she crashed and totaled her car."
My eyes started tearing up and I felt so bad for complaining about her! You just don't know what others are going through that makes them act the way they do! The world needs more kindness!
Oh! LOVE your car!
 
I agree about airports. Flying is usually a pretty nice way to travel, but the airports are often like a "Chinese Fire Drill". Everyone rushing around, the security lines taking forever, and people jamming into each other, etc., etc., makes the actual flight seem almost restful. We don't fly a lot...just Kansas City to either Denver or Las Vegas, but in the past year, KC has closed one of its 3 terminals in anticipation of building an entirely new terminal, and that has really added to the issues in KC.
 

Gaer said:
You're 6' 4"? Wow! You're a retired airline pilot? Wow!
I don't know why people arn't as nice and as respectful as they used to be. But, you don't know what they have been going through, what's in their head, what circumstances have affected their actions. I went to the hardware store the other day and the cashier, ( a pretty young lady) was SO TERRIBLY RUDE TO ME. I tried to be nice to her but she was so horrible. I had to go back the next week and she wasn't there. The manager was cashiering. I felt I had to say something about her attitude. He told me, "Yea,I know! Her boyfriend of 5 years married someone else and told her to get out. She moved in with her Mother and found out her Mom had stage 4 cancer. She lost her purse right after she cashed her paycheck and she crashed and totaled her car."
My eyes started tearing up and I felt so bad for complaining about her! You just don't know what others are going through that makes them act the way they do! The world needs more kindness!
Oh! LOVE your car!
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Yes, ‘retired’ pilot. I understand we all have a bad day now and then, but we should never forget our manners, especially if we have caused harm to someone or someone’s property. Years ago (33) when I started flying and compared to today in airports is like night and day. Flying is by no means cheap travel, yet so many passengers dress like they don’t have two nickels to rub together. I’m just using that as a comparison example. It takes less than two seconds to say, “Excuse me” or “I’m sorry.”
 
The sloppy and too casual dress is a reflection of the apathy of our society. No one cares! They don't care about their appearance nor do they care about the feelings of others.
I remember when we used to dress up to go shopping at Pennys or Woolworths! Today,you would be laughed at! It's sad, I agree! Sorry a man of your dignity had to experience that!
 
Gaer said:
The sloppy and too casual dress is a reflection of the apathy of our society. No one cares! They don't care about their appearance nor do they care about the feelings of others.
I remember when we used to dress up to go shopping at Pennys or Woolworths! Today,you would be laughed at! It's sad, I agree! Sorry a man of your dignity had to experience that!
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From time to time, I still think back when I was flying 737’s from New York to Miami . The Jewish ladies would dress very chic. Their husbands would either be wearing a suit or dress in golf clothing. Either way, they all looked very nice. This was back when we were still serving meals and the Jewish people would order kosher meals. They were my favorite passengers. Very polite and gracious. They treated the flight crew with respect. I got to know a few of them by last name only. They liked being called out, like I would say, “Welcome aboard, Mr. and Mrs. Steinmetz.”

Probably at least the last ten years that I flew, I would see all kinds of dress. Anytime we would see younger people in first class dressed in shorts and/or muscle shirts and wearing sandals or slides, we knew that more than likely they were flying using their points and upgraded.
 
Having taken several trips from Toronto to Sydney, Au - then, on to South Australia .. I learned to dress casually. Comfortable, but not sloppy. With stopovers, you're looking at almost 24 hrs.
The last thing I'd wear is something dressy. At the end of the long journey everyone looks so disheveled 😓
 
Travelling by air used to be pleasant, but now it is a pain. Too many of your fellow passengers don't have even basic manners. The aircraft tend to be dirtier and poorly maintained, and I won't even mention what they have done to the seating.

There used to be a number of airports that I used that were pleasant and had reasonably good food: ElPaso, Seattle, Columbia SC, Charlotte NC, and a few others. Now they have largely gone downhill. Seattle has declined the most, Columbia SC is holding on pretty well.

I think the airline industry is killing their own business. We don't fly very much at all these days, and only when we half to.
 
I was always satisfied with Qantas, and Cathay Pacific was numero uno when I was traveling. The staff were constantly cleaning down the loos during the SARS epidemic. Immaculate - and the food was excellent.
 
Pinky said:
I was always satisfied with Qantas, and Cathay Pacific was numero uno when I was traveling. The staff were constantly cleaning down the loos during the SARS epidemic. Immaculate - and the food was excellent.
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I have heard that from other sources, but I was never fortunate enough to use either one of them.
 
I used to really enjoy airports. They were exciting places, for me. I wasn't nuts about flying, ever.

I haven't flown for about eight years, and reading what everyone is saying about airports, now, I guess I'll add, to my list, the dismal state of airports as my 24th reason why I no longer fly.
 
Flying is a totally different experience these days.

I've always believed that most of the time most people tend to behave according to what they perceive to be expected of them. Given our crowded, dirty, poorly maintained airports, the indignities of airport security screening, and the cramped, inhospitable conditions that prevail inside a commercial aircraft today, I am not surprised that some travelers behave accordingly.
 
I really don't care for airports. Too many people are plain inconsiderate and have no manners. The food is a bit more expensive, but as long as I can find a Chick-fil-A, I am fine. If people would only slow down a bit and be a bit more pleasant and polite, the experience wouldn't be so negative.
 
911 said:
I really don't care for airports. Too many people are plain inconsiderate and have no manners. The food is a bit more expensive, but as long as I can find a Chick-fil-A, I am fine. If people would only slow down a bit and be a bit more pleasant and polite, the experience wouldn't be so negative.
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Well, that’s not about to happen anytime soon. Business people are always in a rush. I wish airlines would go to all checked luggage and remove the overhead bins. Passengers could be boarded and deplaned much quicker. I have had to break up fights between passengers fighting over bin space.

On a flight from L.A. to Chicago O’Hare’s airport, we were informed from ATC that it was snowing at O’Hare and it was expected to be close to blizzard conditions during our landing. They wanted me to give them an alternate in case we would have to use it. I selected Indianapolis. When the First Officer informed the passengers that we may have to divert to Indianapolis, some of the passengers became belligerent and threatened one of our Flight Attendants. Little did I know, we had an Air Marshall onboard who took care of the situation.
 
As a former Flight Attendant I can assure you that some passengers think everything, even the weather, is always the flight crew's fault and take it out on them. Thank goodness for the presence of that Air Marshall.
 
Pecos said:
Travelling by air used to be pleasant, but now it is a pain. Too many of your fellow passengers don't have even basic manners. The aircraft tend to be dirtier and poorly maintained, and I won't even mention what they have done to the seating.

There used to be a number of airports that I used that were pleasant and had reasonably good food: ElPaso, Seattle, Columbia SC, Charlotte NC, and a few others. Now they have largely gone downhill. Seattle has declined the most, Columbia SC is holding on pretty well.

I think the airline industry is killing their own business. We don't fly very much at all these days, and only when we half to.
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as someone who flies a couple of times a year I couldn't agree more with you. I used to love the whole airport experience and then the flight with the tv, and the beautifully dressed cabin crew ( aiir hostesses) ... but nowadays I dread the airport... horrible overcrowded,. expensive for evrything, rude staff, cabin crew who look like they've got dressed in a hurry, ... long waiting times to board standing at the gates... security staff surly and obnoxious.. *ugh*... all round horrible experience.. but I have to go...at least once a year if not twice......oooh and let's not mention the hugely expensive cost of airport parking (at least here in the UK)...
 
oldman said:
Yes, ‘retired’ pilot. I understand we all have a bad day now and then, but we should never forget our manners, especially if we have caused harm to someone or someone’s property. Years ago (33) when I started flying and compared to today in airports is like night and day. Flying is by no means cheap travel, yet so many passengers dress like they don’t have two nickels to rub together. I’m just using that as a comparison example. It takes less than two seconds to say, “Excuse me” or “I’m sorry.”
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I hear ya! Around here, some people (note: I'm saying "some people" dress in clothes I wouldn't dress in to a dog show. I'm talking about those terrible baggy flannels with no zipper in front (gent's wear) & too many sizes too big. Ya, I know, you might call it "casual" wear. I call it "slop" wear. By the way, I have traveled in planes around for years but now I too don't like airports & if the truth be known I don't like flying either. Everyone sitting around looking at some dumb movie on their smartphones & laughing out loud like they were demented. Hey, maybe they are demented? LOL
 

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To fly, one has to have faith in the equipment, the flight crew, the maintenance staff, one's fellow passengers. I have faith in none of the aforementioned, ergo, I no longer fly.
 
treeguy64 said:
To fly, one has to have faith in the equipment, the flight crew, the maintenance staff, one's fellow passengers. I have faith in none of the aforementioned, ergo, I no longer fly.
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Earlier this week the UK regional airline Flybe went bust. It had gone through many changes but had been in financial difficulties for some years. It accounted for a high percentage of flights to some smaller airports and these could have lost out heavily with Flybe's demise.

However, within days, some of the more popular routes had been snapped up, primarily by "Scotland's airline", Loganair, the smaller Eastern airlines and Air Auringy. Loganair is expanding it's fleet and planning to recruit ex-Flybe aircrew and ground staff .

The new flights should be starting later this month.
 
I have heard of Loganair. The airline business is very competitive. Here in the U.S., American is probably the largest now since they purchased U.S. Air. Airlines battle for low fuel contracts, Gates and maintenance costs. Dealing with unions is another issue.

We have seen several mergers with airlines in the U.S. but we need to do more overhaul of the industry. I would like to see either lower fares or get rid of the add-ons that airlines are doing. Charging for carry-on bags and even stowed bags is ridiculous. Either add those costs to the fare or lower the fares and keep the add-ons. Thankfully, airlines do not charge for wheelchair service ‘yet.’

As it stands now, our airlines are all profitable. The coronavirus has had some effect on the airline business. If the virus continues to expand, I would think that the airlines will feel the pinch as well. I read where United has already cut back on flights to Asia. We will have to wait and see what happens.
 


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