Airlines and Flying

[i am herdman]

Just watch the news and hear the stories. That is a big reason I don't do unless I have to. They were bad enough and flying was miserable enough, but Covid ruined it even more than it was.

I refuse to do it unless I have to. People stranded all the time. Shitty experiences. Yehh the weather causes it but they were screwed up before and the China virus just made it worse. Just like eating out.

We have had people at work get stranded places. Left in Vegas at a confernce and couldn't get home.

It just isn't worth it. Yehh there are weather issues, I get that. But flying sucks ass. I wold rather drive for two days that risk it with the airlines.

 

[herdfan06]

 

[i am herdman]

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Yehhh, me and another guy at work told them we didn't want to go to the convention this year. They gave everyone the choice. I said nope. He said nope. Then, a couple of others followed our lead and said nope.

The ones that went got stuck and couldn't get back for two or three days extra. Why? Flights cancelled.

They were miserable and bitching. I was like yep told you all so.

Got one coming up in Tampa early next yeear. Driving for me. Same thing happened there to a couple of guys last year. Got stranded on connecting flights and such. No car when they go there.

Covid just made it worse.

 

[herdfan06]

Did Covid make eating out worse because she expects you to wear a mask?

 

[i am herdman]

Did Covid make eating out worse because she expects you to wear a mask?

saran wrap

 

[herdfan06]

saran wrap

I would advise against wrapping your face in saran wrap.

 

[wvkeeper(HN)]

It's amazing how everything has gotten worse in the customer service department the more "advanced" we have become.

 

[herdfan06]

It's amazing how everything has gotten worse in the customer service department the more "advanced" we have become.

I was going to say car rental companies, but Hertz has pretty much said "hold our beer".

 

[TwolfHerdfan]

I fly at least once a month. I must be very lucky, only stranded once in 30 plus years of flying for the job.
It's a hassle and not fun but I get the people are trying their best. They wanna get home as well.

Have to admit, if I were an attendant, I'd have punched a few assholes over the years who thought it was their plane and the flight was for them only. Idiots.

I'd rather be safe and have a flight cancelled or diverted than end up 6 feet under as a crash casualty.

 

[Raoul Duke MU]

if it is a day's drive I ALWAYS drive. I really don't mind a two day drive either. Fvck the airlines and airports. The actual flight part I enjoy, planes are cool, even when that tube is filled with scumbags I can isolate that out of my mind and enjoy the act of flying. But the airlines will fvck you, and the airports and security sucks.

But some of this is on the customers this time. If you know half the country is going to be hit with a historic winter storm, why would you expect to get back on time? No shit things will be fvcked up.

 

[HerdandHokies]

It's amazing how everything has gotten worse in the customer service department the more "advanced" we have become.

They keep finding ways to be just a little bit more cost efficient, one olive at a time, till eventually we end up paying $4 for a bag of cookies (card only) with our knees in our chest and chairs that don’t lean at all.

 

[wvkeeper(HN)]

if it is a day's drive I ALWAYS drive. I really don't mind a two day drive either. Fvck the airlines and airports. The actual flight part I enjoy, planes are cool, even when that tube is filled with scumbags I can isolate that out of my mind and enjoy the act of flying. But the airlines will fvck you, and the airports and security sucks.

But some of this is on the customers this time. If you know half the country is going to be hit with a historic winter storm, why would you expect to get back on time? No shit things will be fvcked up.

Ditto. My usual rule of thumb is if it's less than 10 hours on the road I'm driving. Sometimes I have to fly shorter than that, but I'm not usually footing the bill for those.

Still, my experience flying overseas notes that this is primarily an American experience. Lufthansa was fantastic in Germany and Africa. Plus the security theater was basically non-existent there.

 

[raleighherdfan]

I've been flying a lot lately. I always make it a point to try and fly direct where and when I can. Pretty lucky that RDU has a lot of direct flights all over the country. Delta is the best/most consistent with service. Their staffs and flight attendants have always been the best at service. If I have to connect, I try to not connect through their north hubs during the winter months because of times like this last week.

I generally refuse to fly with American unless it's a last resort/no other option. Always have issues, delays, equipment switches, no crew, etc when I've flown with them. They suck.

Southwest is the Greyhound of the skies. The cheapest of the cheap traveler fly on this airline. I used to use them when I would need to fly into Maryland because it was a quick 50min direct...but I got tired of the screaming kids, rude travelers looking to save a buck, and decreased friendliness of staffs and flight attendants. I will gladly take the amenities, service, and lengthened flight times (of Delta) to avoid this airline at all costs for any trip. SW made it a cattle call system and invited the worst of the worst to start traveling by air.

It's amazing to me how many people are flying. Every airport, every plane I've been on the last year is packed full. In 2008 it was the same. But went from packed planes to feeling like I was flying by myself on 757s overnight. May see the same thing in a few months.

 

[herdfan06]

Southwest is the Greyhound of the skies. The cheapest of the cheap traveler fly on this airline. I used to use them when I would need to fly into Maryland because it was a quick 50min direct...but I got tired of the screaming kids, rude travelers looking to save a buck, and decreased friendliness of staffs and flight attendants. I will gladly take the amenities, service, and lengthened flight times (of Delta) to avoid this airline at all costs for any trip. SW made it a cattle call system and invited the worst of the worst to start traveling by air.

Cheaper than Spirit?

 

[HerdandHokies]

Cheaper than Spirit?

If anything is cheaper than Spirit I doubt they even give you a seat

 

[-CarlHungus-]

Ditto. My usual rule of thumb is if it's less than 10 hours on the road I'm driving. Sometimes I have to fly shorter than that, but I'm not usually footing the bill for those.

Still, my experience flying overseas notes that this is primarily an American experience. Lufthansa was fantastic in Germany and Africa. Plus the security theater was basically non-existent there.

I believe the US outlaws foreign travel companies from flying domestically. Otherwise I bet they’d get better when Lufthansa opens up a LA to NYC run

 

[HerdandHokies]

I believe the US outlaws foreign travel companies from flying domestically. Otherwise I bet they’d get better when Lufthansa opens up a LA to NYC run

You say that but the reality is we’d just have Ryanair running flights with coin-op bathrooms.

 

[-CarlHungus-]

You say that but the reality is we’d just have Ryanair running flights with coin-op bathrooms.

That too.

 

[wvkeeper(HN)]

You want to know a secret?

Speaking of air travel the more we "automate" and "streamline" and place faith in "technology" instead of human capital we'll see more and more Southwest's.

 

[herdfan06]

You want to know a secret?

Speaking of air travel the more we "automate" and "streamline" and place faith in "technology" instead of human capital we'll see more and more Southwest's.

 

[-CarlHungus-]

You want to know a secret?

Speaking of air travel the more we "automate" and "streamline" and place faith in "technology" instead of human capital we'll see more and more Southwest's.

This is funny because the actual flight of the plane has redundancies (which are inherently inefficient) built in and incredible culture of safety. Airline procedures/protocols/principles are modeled often in health care because of how well they can help prevent catastrophe/failure.

Yet on the customer service side and prioritize automation and efficiency and by doing that are a more fragile ecosystem.

 

[Raoul Duke MU]

Yet on the customer service side and prioritize automation and efficiency and by doing that are a more fragile ecosystem.

I was shocked SW came right out and said our computer systems are outdated garbage, sorry about that lol. Fewer human reps and shitty technology to replace them, what could go wrong?

 

[Raoul Duke MU]

Southwest is the Greyhound of the skies. The cheapest of the cheap traveler fly on this airline. I used to use them when I would need to fly into Maryland because it was a quick 50min direct...but I got tired of the screaming kids, rude travelers looking to save a buck, and decreased friendliness of staffs and flight attendants. I will gladly take the amenities, service, and lengthened flight times (of Delta) to avoid this airline at all costs for any trip. SW made it a cattle call system and invited the worst of the worst to start traveling by air.

I actually like SW. Like I said, I can put up with people, there's booze, cannabis products, and pharmaceuticals that help with that. I went un-cheap one time out of SDF and flew Delta, definitely a big difference there.

Maryland? BWI? My ex-wife made me break my driving rule one time and we flew to BWI, I don't remember the name of the place but there was a restaurant in there that had some pretty good crab cakes...that almost made it worth it.

 

[wvkeeper(HN)]

 

[riflearm2]

Maryland? BWI? My ex-wife made me break my driving rule one time and we flew to BWI, I don't remember the name of the place but there was a restaurant in there that had some pretty good crab cakes...that almost made it worth it.

Phillips Seafood.

Just watch the news and hear the stories. That is a big reason I don't do unless I have to. They were bad enough and flying was miserable enough, but Covid ruined it even more than it was.

I refuse to do it unless I have to. People stranded all the time. Shitty experiences. Yehh the weather causes it but they were screwed up before and the China virus just made it worse. Just like eating out.

We have had people at work get stranded places. Left in Vegas at a confernce and couldn't get home.

It just isn't worth it. Yehh there are weather issues, I get that. But flying sucks ass. I wold rather drive for two days that risk it with the airlines.

Earn status, and they take care of you. I had a Southwest flight (only airline that was flying direct) on December 26th from Cabo to Orange County. The flight was canceled. They had me on a flight (a far more expensive flight than my original which they comped) two hours later and sent both of us a $100 voucher for the inconvenience.

I've been flying a lot lately. I always make it a point to try and fly direct where and when I can. Pretty lucky that RDU has a lot of direct flights all over the country. Delta is the best/most consistent with service. Their staffs and flight attendants have always been the best at service. If I have to connect, I try to not connect through their north hubs during the winter months because of times like this last week.

I generally refuse to fly with American unless it's a last resort/no other option. Always have issues, delays, equipment switches, no crew, etc when I've flown with them. They suck.

Southwest is the Greyhound of the skies. The cheapest of the cheap traveler fly on this airline. I used to use them when I would need to fly into Maryland because it was a quick 50min direct...but I got tired of the screaming kids, rude travelers looking to save a buck, and decreased friendliness of staffs and flight attendants. I will gladly take the amenities, service, and lengthened flight times (of Delta) to avoid this airline at all costs for any trip. SW made it a cattle call system and invited the worst of the worst to start traveling by air.

It's amazing to me how many people are flying. Every airport, every plane I've been on the last year is packed full. In 2008 it was the same. But went from packed planes to feeling like I was flying by myself on 757s overnight. May see the same thing in a few months.

I fly American the most (56 American flights in 2022 and probably about the same, cumulatively, with United/Delta/SW) simply because they have the most flights and most direct flights to/from Orange County. I agree that Delta is the best, but their options aren't as plentiful. American isn't great, but they also aren't bad.

I don't see SW being the cheapest. Originally, they were set up that way, but they're usually cheaper than American flights these days. SW not having first-class or comfort is usually a deal-breaker for me unless it's my only direct flight option.

But the airlines will fvck you, and the airports and security sucks.

Get a credit card that covers TSA Pre-Check and Clear for you. Security is a breeze with those. When I lived in Austin, I could valet my car 30 minutes before flight departure and get through security and to my gate by the 15 minute closed door. It was fairly common for them to be calling my name on the announcement as I was getting to the gate. Orange County is the same. You can park in the main parking lot and walk through security within five minutes and be at your gate a couple of minutes later. Pre-check and Clear are game changers.

 

[herdfan429]

Get a credit card that covers TSA Pre-Check and Clear for you. Security is a breeze with those. When I lived in Austin, I could valet my car 30 minutes before flight departure and get through security and to my gate by the 15 minute closed door. It was fairly common for them to be calling my name on the announcement as I was getting to the gate. Orange County is the same. You can park in the main parking lot and walk through security within five minutes and be at your gate a couple of minutes later. Pre-check and Clear are game changers.

Is that how you got your gun on the airplane

 

[riflearm2]

Is that how you got your gun on the airplane

No. That was at Reagan (DCA). A few months ago, my bag got flagged for an in-person check. The TSA agent tossed the bottle (my fault) that was in there, then ran the bag through again. It got flagged again, but he couldn't find anything. At this point, I expressed annoyance. He ran it through, and it got flagged a third time. He just gave me the bag and told me to leave. I'm sure that wasn't something he is allowed to do.