How do People Tolerate Flying?

[Lakewood90712]

Al, I don't like flying much either. I Take Amtrak to San Diego frequently and it is good on that route. If you include parking, the airport shuttle, being at the gate 1 hour before flight etc, it takes less total time

Some transit in other places are much worse than flying

 

[marko]

To us, flying first (especially intercontinental) is now part of the enjoyment of the trip, rather than being something to 'get through'. As I mentioned, I hate to fly these days, but this is something that allows us to enjoy the whole experience.

+1
Exactly! That's how we look at it.

 

[RobbieB]

That picture is why I fly first class -

I don't care how much it costs.

 

[Beldar]

I rather enjoyed traveling by air back in the 70s & 80s. I belonged to several of the airline "clubs" and the lounge experience during layovers was really nice. I racked up tons of miles and could usually upgrade to a higher class for free. Even so, coach wasn't too bad (remember smoking on the plane, or visiting the cockpit in flight? Free playing cards).

But things started going downhill in the 90s, and after 9/11 it just became a big PITA, with the security hassles and the ever shrinking seats.

I agree with those of you who recommend upgrading to Business Class (or higher), especially for long segments. I think a First Class ticket still gets you admission to an airline club if they have one in the terminal (do they still exist?).


_B

 

[Winemaker]

Although air travel has changed immensely since I flew as a child on my DF's employee travel pass, I still fly as often as I can to travel destinations. While TSA procedures are different across the country for different circumstances, I don't find anything onerous or unpleasant. I was always present at airport 1 hour ahead of time, and 2 is a small convenience to pay for a "half-fast" screening. As far as seat size, I'm 6'5", and pay the fair value of what I think is tolerable for the value.

There are rude and stupid people no matter where you go, to the grocery store, ball game, hockey game or airport, and it is highly illegal to do anything about it!

As far as being treated like cattle, that is what the consumer wanted back in 1979 when the airline industry de-regulated back in 1979. Flying on a plane was a luxury back then, and it was turned into a commodity event. The airlines, in order to be profitable, had to become a monopoly in certain markets and created the hub and spoke system. DF was laid off locally, and had to move to a different city for 15 years along with 12 other fellow mechanics. Eventually through attrition, he and 4 others returned to their home city to finish out their careers, retiring in 2001 after 9/11.

 

[aja8888]

I had to travel a lot for my job, both domestically and internationally. In the early days if the boss said I need to go to "somewhere" I didn't ask why I just went. It was an adventure and it was back in the days of no security lines, few if any crowds, friendly flight crews, and smoking was allowed on planes. As time went on, it became a PIA. Crowds, no smoking, security lines, etc. The last few years of my working life, if the boss said I needed to fly somewhere, I'd ask why? If the reason wasn't good enough, I'd say no or send someone else. If the reason was good enough, I'd say only if I can go business or first class, which he always approved. Even that became intolerable and air travel is one (of many reasons) I retired early.

And it's not just the flight and getting through the airports. It's getting a rental car, checking in and out of hotels, packing and unpacking, filing expense reports, and all the associated BS.

Since retiring I have not been on a plane and I see no reason to ever fly again. I see no reason to pay good money to be treated like cattle. Already seen as much of the international world as I care to see. Been there and done that! Now it's drive or I won't go.

This is me in a nutshell.

 

[Walt34]

I see no reason to pay good money to be treated like cattle.

That's it in a nutshell for me. That and being nickel-and-dimed the whole way through.

The only flying I'll do now is private. Drive through the airport gates and 15-20 minutes later you're climbing out.

 

[travelover]

I've made peace with flying. Domestically, I fly Southwest as they seem the most humane, let you change tickets for free and don't charge for baggage. Internationally, coach is still brutal, but I try to break up flights where I can as free time is not so precious.

 

[scrabbler1]

Even though I haven't flown in 15 years, I have had my share of stress driving to and from the NYC-area airports to bring and get my ladyfriend as part of her many trips away, usually to Kentucky where she is from. Most of her flights are out of LaGuardia Airport, the worst one to deal with because the construction there never seems to end. It's also the furthest one away and she often puts me into the AM or PM rush hours, forcing me to find some creative detours to get around the massive traffic jams. Even on weekends I have hit some big traffic jams.


At least I have been spared a few times from going to LaGuardia. A few times, she left or returned to JFK, much closer to where I live. A few times, she has used Islip-MacArthur Airport, east of me in Suffolk County which is slightly further away than LaGuardia but a far simpler airport to deal with and an easier ride than slogging through Queens.

 

[Amethyst]

Do I ever. How sickening that was - Sitting in a so-called "non-smoking section," as if the smoke could know where it was and wasn't welcome. Nowadays, with the current state of the sinuses, absolutely could not do it.

IEven so, coach wasn't too bad (remember smoking on the plane


_B

 

[GalaxyBoy]

I had enough of this crap when I was working. I recall flying from Atlanta to Santiago in coach overnight, having meetings all day upon my arrival, followed by a second full day of meetings then going to the airport that night to take the red eye back in the middle seat. Then the boss had the nerve to tell me I was expected to come to work from the airport the next morning! You can guess my response; I won’t repeat it here.

 

[Red Badger]

We need a thread or a link on how to get business/first class seats at a discount (notice I did not say cheap). I just did a kayak search and to go to Paris, economy is about $1,500 and business is over $8,000. I can appreciate that there are folks on this site that can afford that, but for those who say you’re only flying first class are you really paying that kind of premium, or are you finding ways to bring that cost difference down? I could see double, but 5 or 6 times the price? I could only do that once or twice in my life and that’s only financially speaking. Mentally, I’d struggle paying that kind of premium unless I had a lot more money than I’ll ever have.

Most of the legacy carriers have brought back business class for international flights. They just don't call it that. It is similar to domestic first class. Wider seats (no lie flat beds - those are several thousand), plated meal, free drinks, etc. Our trip to LHR was $1500 each on Delta. Coach was about $1200. For us, the $300 extra (each) is a very good value.

 

[COcheesehead]

Observation.

No data, just a gut feel:

Seems like folks on this site are more amenable to pay for FC/BC than when I first dropped in here several years ago.

Is the fact that economy class has gotten that much more intolerable?
Or are we having more money to spend?
Or is "blow that dough" more of a mindset than before?

Seems to be a mild abandonment of the LBYM 'make do' thinking I first encountered here back in the day.

Eight years ago, I would've been shocked to see anyone here say that they'd "pay for FC or stay home"

Sign of a market top.

 

[imoldernu]

Pretty much flew for a living...3,4,5 days a week from 1984 to 1987. Every state except Nebraska. Not since, and no plans to do so.

Most memorable experiences were moments of sheer terror... stuck nose gear and dumping fuel... lightning hitting wing... aborting landings at O'Hare... more times than I'd like to remember... and... waiting....that waiting, was in the days when 10 minutes was a long wait.

 

[Marita40]

I hate it too. I think the crowded condition, small spaces, and (often) general irritation of many are a potential recipe for disaster.

The best thing for me is to have a really interesting book along and bury myself in it.

I fly only because it is the way to get to places I want to go. I would happily take some other form of transportation, such as a train, if there were such a viable option.

 

[kgtest]

That's it in a nutshell for me. That and being nickel-and-dimed the whole way through.

The only flying I'll do now is private. Drive through the airport gates and 15-20 minutes later you're climbing out.

The only way to go!



I wish I had one of those men in black memory-erasing pens that I could use just about the time I pass the hotel check-in line after a flight.


The entire process up to that point is forgettable and regrettable IMHO. Hardly pass customs and the entire experience happens so fast with private.



Imagine when Net Neutrality hits...everyone in the slow lanes will sure wish they could afford private.



I remember a buddy asking me about the flight via a private carrier I took, and the costs. Was hoping to find an "economical" charter or private flight out to Vegas and back for a weekend. I laughed and replied



"The experience is great, the cost is not economical...if it was, we'd be right back sitting in economy class".

 

[FIREd]

I hate flying. But sometimes it beats the alternatives.

 

[MRG]

That's it in a nutshell for me. That and being nickel-and-dimed the whole way through.

The only flying I'll do now is private. Drive through the airport gates and 15-20 minutes later you're climbing out.

Oh yes. The only way to fly.

Megacorp sent a small DR group out on a Learjet as we'd be in a few hours early. This wasn't a drill. I was eyeing the big bottle of Jack Daniel's on board, however working the next 36 hours was going to a priority(actually everyone worked 36/12 on/off shifts for the next week).

On the way back we flew coach. [emoji23]
Someone did buy us a really nice, very expensive, dinner on the waterfront. Absolutely gorgeous, I'm told. I was there but, mostly I wanted sleep.

 

[RobbieB]

Observation.

No data, just a gut feel:

Seems like folks on this site are more amenable to pay for FC/BC than when I first dropped in here several years ago.

Is the fact that economy class has gotten that much more intolerable?
Or are we having more money to spend?
Or is "blow that dough" more of a mindset than before?

Seems to be a mild abandonment of the LBYM 'make do' thinking I first encountered here back in the day.

Eight years ago, I would've been shocked to see anyone here say that they'd "pay for FC or stay home"

I can tell you that the cost of first class air and hotels is well within my means. LBYM is just that. I agree that investments have done well, so means are higher now eh?

So Blow That Dough!

 

[HI Bill]

I don't see how anyone can tolerate flying.

While I don't particularly like it, it's the only way to get to do world travel in many areas. Personally, I: 1) Bring noise cancelling headphones; 2) Neck pillow; 3) Eye mask; 4) iPad with books. My wife has a 'foot saddle' that attaches to the tray table supports. Isolating one's self in a bubble (little exterior noise input, no visual input, and physically stable with the neck pillow) make all the difference to me. I can handle 8-hour flights, which I routinely have had to take for work.

 

[COcheesehead]

Pretty much flew for a living...3,4,5 days a week from 1984 to 1987. Every state except Nebraska. Not since, and no plans to do so.

Most memorable experiences were moments of sheer terror... stuck nose gear and dumping fuel... lightning hitting wing... aborting landings at O'Hare... more times than I'd like to remember... and... waiting....that waiting, was in the days when 10 minutes was a long wait.

I flew through many storms, including tornadoes near Kansas City. An early morning thunderstorm near Milwaukee that literally popped me out of my seat. Aborted landings due to snowplows on the runway. Out of the blue turbulence on otherwise smooth flights. I can deal with all that. I can’t deal with the guy in front of me with bad gas.

 

[Dawg52]

I'm with you Al. Not just the flying but the ordeal of getting though airports. Its been a good 15 years since my last flight. Not saying I won't ever fly again but no plans anytime soon.

 

[NW-Bound]

I'd guess the following chart might also have something to do with it :

Shortly after I joined this forum in 2008, we were talking about how to economize, and testing each other on the knowledge of the Great Depression, the Dust Bowl, and all kinds of economic hard times. There wasn't any thread on "blowing more dough". Instead, there were some threads on how much money people lost, such as the "million dollar" club or something such.

How times have changed, and so have the posts.

 

[Ronstar]

That's it in a nutshell for me. That and being nickel-and-dimed the whole way through.

The only flying I'll do now is private. Drive through the airport gates and 15-20 minutes later you're climbing out.

Flying private is a whole different experience. I was the only passenger on a Gulfstream IV while my niece’s husband was doing a training flight. Like you said. I drove to the airport and walked right on the plane. Luxurious. Very quiet and smooth. The owners would fly it to Europe and be awakened by the smell of breakfast just before landing. What a lifestyle.

 

[Scrapr]

We will fly economy+ domestic up to about 4-5 hours. We just got back from Chicago last week and I am rethinking. I got middle both legs. 1 seat back from First Class. So I could see the food & the drink. I could see the relaxed atmosphere...but I couldn't enjoy it. Trip started off great! Under an hour from our front porch, Uber, drop off, check bags, security and at the gate. My hopes were high!

Then on the plane I'm in the middle of a couple. I thought that is strange. Then she got upgraded to FC. And a standby guy gets on. You know what they call Chicago? The city of broad shoulders. This guy wasn't fat, just big. By the time we got to the runway & engines up he had eaten a cheese snack, another snack and a big salad. Plus he bought something elses from the FA. He was kind of like John Candy on Planes, Trains & Autos. Nice guy. But I hunched forward most of the trip. (that much closer to FC)

That time limit is about my max before we go to the front of the plane