What I Do Like About Airline Travel
Somebody asked an interesting question recently. “Ralph, is there anything you like about airline travel.”
Hmmm…
I guess I have been overly critical of the airlines, but I do keep riding them. Here are a few reasons why…
One, they are dirt cheap. My speaking customers pay my travel expenses, and I have to compete with other speakers. Therefore I work hard to keep the price down. When the airlines aren’t cheap, I often drive all or part of the trip. (I leave tomorrow to drive 610 miles round trip just because the airfare would cost my customer twice as much as driving, and there are no good airline schedules.)
Airlines are by far the safest way to travel. The driving trips really do worry me a bit, and more so as I age.
Sometimes I can drive in less time than it takes to fly, but I fly anyway. Six hours on the airlines is not the same as six hours by car. You can work, read, or eat at airports and on airlines, so the time is not all wasted as it is when driving. I have read some wonderful books on airlines, and the laptop has made it easier to work remotely than ever before.
Most of the time, the airlines are dependable. When they aren’t though, there’s hell to pay. I don’t trust the schedule or baggage handling as much as I used to, so I have adjusted. The older I get, the earlier I go. I have also taken to wearing a suit on the trip, so I can wear it for the speech if the airline loses my bags. During the winter I go even earlier than usual, and avoid some airports. O’Hare and Atlanta are high on that list just because they get so balled up when the weather is less than perfect.
During the 1980s I would fly in on the morning of a luncheon speech. I don’t do that anymore. I have adjusted (besides, I don’t have the stamina that I had in the 1980s).
Ticket buying is much more hassle than in the 1960s, but it is easier to comparison shop, thanks to the Internet. Still, doing business with the airlines is just downright miserable.
That about says it. Oh, one more thing—when you travel the airlines regularly, it does become less difficult than it is for non-frequent flyers.
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Yes, You Can
Clyde–
Old friend, you do have your points. In fact, your last line is a doozy. I must counter with a question of my own…
Have you ever tried to one day on the east coast and the next on the west coast using an affordable GA airplane?
Ralph Hood
Ralph Hood
You have hitched your horse to a broken wagon. Clyde McDonald
Mr. Hood,
I beg to differ;i.e. airline flight is only cheap if you run on their schedule, not yours.(try getting a cheap flight tomorrow or the next day.Good Luck!)
You are right about “6 hours of flying(airlines) is not the same as driving”. Hmmm… Let’s see …On one, you are treated worse than a dog,listen to crying babies, stress out with TSA % suffer a good chance of being late; not to mention the rental car flail. Driving…You can savor the landscape, meet the local folks,eat whenever you wish, & answer nature’s call when & as you please.
Mr. Hood, you are correct that you seasoned flyers tolerate it all better than the neophytes. Sorta like like the seasoned POWs could take the torture better.
Mr. Barkdoll–
One thing I enjoy about the bus us eavesdropping on the other riders. I once herd a girl ask two soldiers, “Ya wanta see my tattoo?” I don’t know where it was, but she was already scantily clad. It was all I could do to keep from peeking as she showed it to them.
Thanks for writing,
Ralph Hood
Ralph. Dirt cheap is a contradiction in terms here in south central Pa. where the outward migration of Washington Metro area commuters is driving real estate prices to insane levels.
“What do I like about travel” A few years ago I was doing a copnstruction job at the Elmira NY airport, and needed to leave a truck on site, and get a car up there for daily cheap driving. I compared price and schedule between US Air, and Greyhound, and found that both left within 5 minutes of each other, but the bus beat the airplane to Harrisburg Pa. by 5 mintutes. And cost 1/6 the price, and included a running commentary by a very extroverted driver that beat the socks off the announcements from the cockpit.
Of course this was an isolated incident, and wouldn’t be possible if the bus had to go by way of a hub in Phila, but nevertheless it was an enjoyable trip, and my fellow passengers got a good laugh out of it when the driver relayed my comments to him about beating the airplane.
Hey, Bob–
Dirt cheap is not a negative, it is a truism and one of the things I like about the airlines.
BTW, I have never been in a Nordstrom. Don’t know if I ever will. What I would like to see is Wal-Mart service from the airlines.
Thanks for the comment. Hope to see you on the 19th.
Ralph Hood
Ralph,With all your negativisms about the airlines just keep in mind your first line “they are dirt cheap”.Do you think that cheap might engender some of the difficulties. If you want Wal-Mart prices don’t expect Nordstroms service.