Why Does Flying Suck so Much

When I was a kid, flying was first class service delivered with elegance. Now, flying is like taking the #10 bus to Newark, NJ. And the service is delivered with all the elegance of a Walmart. The security measures make passengers think they are a huge confused herd of cattle being driven to the depot.
It's been almost a quarter century since the Twin Towers, so you'd think by now the T.S.A. could have streamlined security procedures.

BTW, in trips less than 500 miles, you are more likely to get to your destination quicker by driving.
 

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fuzzybuddy said:
When I was a kid, flying was first class service delivered with elegance. Now, flying is like taking the #10 bus to Newark, NJ. And the service is delivered with all the elegance of a Walmart. The security measures make passengers think they are a huge confused herd of cattle being driven to the depot.
It's been almost a quarter century since the Twin Towers, so you'd think by now the T.S.A. could have streamlined security procedures.

BTW, in trips less than 500 miles, you are more likely to get to your destination quicker by driving.
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Agreed. Plus you don't have to rent a car or hail taxis/ubers at your destination.
 

fuzzybuddy said:
BTW, in trips less than 500 miles, you are more likely to get to your destination quicker by driving.
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For me, Virginia to Chicago is quicker by car. I'm far enough from an airport that I have to book a motel overnight to catch the morning flight. It's about 700 miles and the time is almost exactly the same as flying. But it is a lot of time driving. When my sister and her husband come to visit me, they drive. Flying from point A to point B is lightning fast, but you have to add getting to point A, which takes three times longer than A to B. Then get to airport early to make sure you catch your flight, and we talking about a serious time commitment.
 
The best way to fly is in business or first class. Save a little more money and upgrade your ticket. You can also get an airline’s credit card. The points run up quick the more you use it. By paying your mortgage, utilities, groceries and so on, you could real rack up the point. When you buy a regular ticket, it only takes a few miles to upgrade to FC or BC. It will make your flying experience a whole new adventure.

I get free coach for me and a guest, but I can upgrade the same way as anyone else can. We do this a lot when we plan ahead. United has been very good to me and I have been very good to them as well.
 
Finding a parking place in the garage is the first bewilderment. Getting on the bus that takes you to the terminal and it makes 4 stops and you’re the last stop and the bus is full, but there’s another bus coming15 minutes later. Once inside the airport, if you didn’t print out a boarding pass at home, you have to use a kiosk to print out a boarding pass and a luggage tag, if you are checking your bags.

Next step is to go through the TSA inspection, if you have TSA Pre Check, you may save a few minutes. Then you may have to get on the shuttle to your concourse and find a seat to wait for your plane. Wait until they call your section, so you can board and now, finally, you are set to take your ride. Most times, I will buy a $4 or more cup of coffee and use the lavatory.

When I reach my destination, the process starts all over again and twice more when I fly home. There has to be a better way.
 
Been There said:
Finding a parking place in the garage is the first bewilderment. Getting on the bus that takes you to the terminal and it makes 4 stops and you’re the last stop and the bus is full, but there’s another bus coming15 minutes later. There has to be a better way.
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I keep a note pad with my tickets, so when I park I can write down something like:
Spot 37, Area F, of Lot 5B. That pad is as important as my return ticket. Finding your car at the airport is far more involved than finding it in a Walmart parking lot. I once spent the better part of an hour finding my car. That was before my note pad days.
 
Flying went downhill when the airlines started charging for checked bags. Everybody was trying to bring as much into the cabin as possible. They paid no attention to permitted size. The poor flight attendants would have to waste time and hide their frustration to make things fit so they could get the plane closed. I wish they would have just cracked down on them and set a precedent.

I’ve done carry-on only for years. I’m efficient; these neekonpoops (I tried umpteen ways to spell this but you know what I’m saying) wrecked everything.
 
January said:
a little more money???

the only trips it matters to fly business class are very long trips - and the difference is a lot more than "a little more money"
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I have seen people get upgrades for much less than advertised online. If there are empty seats in FC, you may be able to make a deal at a lower price. Ask at the kiosk at the gate. “Are there any empty seats in first or business class.” If they say yes, ask the gate agent what’s the best price they can give you to upgrade.

Also, if you have an airline credit card, you can use the points to buy an upgrade. Right now, I have over 200,000 points on my United credit card. I get free coach travel, do I use my points to upgrade, which can be from 10,000-40,000 points. Depending on how far I am traveling.
 
JustDave said:
I keep a note pad with my tickets, so when I park I can write down something like:
Spot 37, Area F, of Lot 5B. That pad is as important as my return ticket. Finding your car at the airport is far more involved than finding it in a Walmart parking lot. I once spent the better part of an hour finding my car. That was before my note pad days.
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I take a picture of my parking pole with the row and aisle number
 
The last time I flew was Christmas 2024. Sydney to Melbourne, 1.20 minutes. Just long enough for me. Hate flying as the seats are so small and no leg room. My son was with me, and he had a very large Indian gentleman on the aisle side, smelling highly of curry and asleep, not to mention the B.O. On the return flight home someone couldn't find their passport and decided to get off the plane, so all the luggage in the undercarriage had to be removed so he could get his. This held us up and we arrived back in Sydney almost 2 hours late.
 
TSA, rude and smelly people. Getting to an airport two hours before takeoff. I used to get to an airport a few minutes before takeoff and still have time. I'm done. Absolutely nothing will get me on a plane now.
 
fuzzybuddy said:
When I was a kid, flying was first class service delivered with elegance. Now, flying is like taking the #10 bus to Newark, NJ. And the service is delivered with all the elegance of a Walmart. The security measures make passengers think they are a huge confused herd of cattle being driven to the depot.
It's been almost a quarter century since the Twin Towers, so you'd think by now the T.S.A. could have streamlined security procedures.

BTW, in trips less than 500 miles, you are more likely to get to your destination quicker by driving.
Click to expand...
this is often true... by the time you have to get to the airport 2 hours before your flight, then the flight itself then the long passport control queues at the destination, you might as well drive... except...if you're in the UK where the traffic from here in London to Edinburgh Scotland, approx 450 miles, is absolutely torturous due to the sheer volume of traffic on our roads now...
 
While complaining, we should bear in mind how affordable flights have become over the past 50 years.

I've flown round trip LA to NY metro area several dozen times since 1970. Early on I paid roughly $200/round trip, equivalent to $1675 in today's dollars. I recently purchased (economy plus) tickets for an upcoming high season flight to Newark Airport: $500 r/t.

Passengers willingly traded the luxurious flying experience of old for the convenience of quickly, affordably getting where we want to go. Airline food was long a joke in the 70s, so bringing my own isn't a hardship. Sure, I more legroom would be nice, but I can soldier through for 6 hours.

Anyone wanting the upscale experience can buy it with a business or first class ticket.

As for TSA and airport lines, security has been increasing since 1973, when all airports installed metal detectors to thwart the hijackers who rerouted planes to Cuba and other places. My experience of TSA employees has been generally positive. I'm pleasant to them and they're pleasant to me. When I flew with my mother's ashes in an urn (carry on), the TSA agent couldn't have been kinder or more respectful.
 
StarSong said:
While complaining, we should bear in mind how affordable flights have become over the past 50 years.

I've flown round trip LA to NY metro area several dozen times since 1970. Early on I paid roughly $200/round trip, equivalent to $1675 in today's dollars. I recently purchased (economy plus) tickets for an upcoming high season flight to Newark Airport: $500 r/t.

Passengers willingly traded the luxurious flying experience of old for the convenience of quickly, affordably getting where we want to go. Airline food was long a joke in the 70s, so bringing my own isn't a hardship. Sure, I more legroom would be nice, but I can soldier through for 6 hours.

Anyone wanting the upscale experience can buy it with a business or first class ticket.

As for TSA and airport lines, security has been increasing since 1973, when all airports installed metal detectors to thwart the hijackers who rerouted planes to Cuba and other places. My experience of TSA employees has been generally positive. I'm pleasant to them and they're pleasant to me. When I flew with my mother's ashes in an urn (carry on), the TSA agent couldn't have been kinder or more respectful.
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Absolutely. People can still pay much less than $1675 to fly business(domestic first) class across the country now. And if you subscribe to TSA pre-check, you will have a much shorter line through TSA.
 
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StarSong said:
While complaining, we should bear in mind how affordable flights have become over the past 50 years.

I've flown round trip LA to NY metro area several dozen times since 1970. Early on I paid roughly $200/round trip, equivalent to $1675 in today's dollars. I recently purchased (economy plus) tickets for an upcoming high season flight to Newark Airport: $500 r/t.

Passengers willingly traded the luxurious flying experience of old for the convenience of quickly, affordably getting where we want to go. Airline food was long a joke in the 70s, so bringing my own isn't a hardship. Sure, I more legroom would be nice, but I can soldier through for 6 hours.

Anyone wanting the upscale experience can buy it with a business or first class ticket.

As for TSA and airport lines, security has been increasing since 1973, when all airports installed metal detectors to thwart the hijackers who rerouted planes to Cuba and other places. My experience of TSA employees has been generally positive. I'm pleasant to them and they're pleasant to me. When I flew with my mother's ashes in an urn (carry on), the TSA agent couldn't have been kinder or more respectful.
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I'm more or less with you on this. TSA people do their jobs and I'm basically glad they are there. Airline travel has been commoditized but that just means that regular people fly along with the "elites." Ninety-nine percent of people are nice and do their best to be nice to others.

As to the food -- if you grew up eating my mother's cooking, you would think everything tastes great, as I do. Sorry to throw you under the bus on this, Mom.
 

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