Fly?.. Why?

[imoldernu]

After flying regularly on business, I have not flown since 1986. I don't hope or expect to fly again.
But the skys are crowded as seen in this flight map (scan the world for flights in the air at this very moment) Flightradar24.com - Live flight tracker!

Do you fly? If so, why? How often?

 

[Sarah in SC]

'Cause it is easier than swimming? We go to awesome places that are far away!

 

[H2ODude]

4-5x a year; all international last two years. DD and DS live abroad so no real choice; I am NOT a fan but have no choice. Every time I fly I remember doing it for work, at least now it's a choice if not forced.

 

[Alan]

'Cause it is easier than swimming? We go to awesome places that are far away!

+1

Last year we didn't fly at all, drove over 8,000 miles in the US instead. However, this is unusual for us. This year we will have flown 3 return flights.

Next year we will be flying to Australia, plus internal flights while there.

 

[MichaelB]

'Cause it is easier than swimming? We go to awesome places that are far away!

Faster, too. Especially when you're hauling a yellow school bus.

 

[HFWR]

Do you fly? If so, why? How often?

Depends... Still a w*rking stiff, so trips of any distance require the speed of air travel. For instance, when I drive to the old hometown in Indiana, it's 14 hours or so, one way. So for a weekend visit, I spend more time driving than being there. A flight is two hours, plus overhead. In two hours, I would almost be to Texarkana if driving; i.e. still have 700 miles left...

 

[Meadbh]

I don't fly as much as I used to when working (I had 10-12 business trips annually in recent years). However, I still fly for personal reasons: to visit family on other continents, and to vacation. During 2013 my flights were from Canada to (and within) Hawaii and (upcoming) to Mexico. Two trips, total of 11 takeoffs and landings. In the next couple of years I expect to fly to Europe and Australia. (It's a long way to swim.....)

I enjoy aviation videos and museums and flying, though I am a nervous Nellie when it comes to severe turbulence!

 

[FIREd]

I hate flying and I try to avoid it whenever possible. Sometimes though there are no good alternatives. When going to visit my family in Europe from the West Coast, air travel is a necessary evil.

 

[Dawg52]

I'm not a fan of flying. My last one was 10 years ago. My niece is getting married next summer in Ireland. Wouldn't mind seeing the country, but not sure if I'm gonna make it.

 

[marko]

I have flown over 4,000,000 miles with one airline alone. Several years ago I was their best customer. I assume because of this, they treat me better than the average flyer. No complaints from here.

 

[Mulligan]

About 6 times a year. Once a year to USVI, the rest to Vegas. Flying does get tiring, but it sure as hell beats driving 1500 miles one way, or getting on a boat to get to USVI.

 

[panacea]

Not a fan of flying, which could be a retirement issue since there are a handful of places overseas I'd like to eventually see. I'm thinking that if we can rack up enough savings before pulling the plug, we'll splurge and go business class for the far away places and make the whole experience more enjoyable. Then we'll stick to driving around the US. At least that's the plan for now.

 

[Meadbh]

I have flown over 4,000,000 miles with one airline alone. Several years ago I was their best customer. I assume because of this, they treat me better than the average flyer. No complaints from here.

Is that you, George?

George Clooney in Up in the Air | Trailer & Official Movie Site

 

[Meadbh]

I'm not a fan of flying. My last one was 10 years ago. My niece is getting married next summer in Ireland. Wouldn't mind seeing the country, but not sure if I'm gonna make it.

You could get there by boat, but it would be way more expensive unless it was a transatlantic repositioning cruise.

 

[RockyMtn]

Used to fly at least three out of four weeks each month. Sometimes to three different cities in a week. Since ER maybe five times a year max. Have a lot better approach to flying now that I'm not on deadlines, etc.

 

[Bestwifeever]

Is that you, George?

George Clooney in Up in the Air | Trailer & Official Movie Site

You beat me to it!

 

[W2R]

I hate flying and I try to avoid it whenever possible. Sometimes though there are no good alternatives.

+1

I used to LOVE flying more than almost anybody, back in the 1950's and 1960's. But, times have changed and I do not feel the passenger experience now is at all comparable to what it was back then.

 

[KM]

Hate flying, but like everyone else, I do it when I want/need to get somewhere quickly (or it was for work).

We fly if we are going to Europe (leaving tomorrow for 3 weeks in England, Ireland, and Scotland ). I also usually fly down to see my daughter in VA twice a year. This year I had more time (being recently retired) and decided to take the train for a new experience. Takes a heck of a lot longer, but I enjoyed the ability to stretch out, walk around, plug in my computer, pack and eat my own lunch, etc, etc. But, if I was still working, I would not have taken the extra days down and day back for the train....

Going forward, 99% of our US trips will be in the motorhome. Flying is definitely quicker but that is the only plus I can see. Now that we are not in a rush anymore, I plan to take all the time in the world to enjoy "getting there".

 

[daylatedollarshort]

After flying regularly on business, I have not flown since 1986. I don't hope or expect to fly again.
But the skys are crowded as seen in this flight map (scan the world for flights in the air at this very moment) Flightradar24.com - Live flight tracker!

Do you fly? If so, why? How often?

We have started taking more driving trips since we don't have jobs with set hours. Before we always had limited vacation time so we didn't want to waste it on long car trips.

Driving more has really reduced our travel budget. Now we just fly for places like Hawaii and Europe.

 

[chilkoot]

Made exactly two business flights in a 25-year career. I actually like road trips, but due to health reasons, haven't been travelling much at all since ER. Looking forward to lots more once recovered.

 

[Nodak]

I haven't flown since 2000 and cannot envision a need to ever fly again.

 

[Meadbh]

Why fly? Apart from the ability to get to places not otherwise accessible......The romance of flying. That's why.

 

[Willers]

I still fly when I can since for most of the trips I take it is still faster and cheaper than driving.

I did chuckle at the flight map. I was recently flying into Atlanta after a big storm delay and they were landing them 4 wide and about a minute apart to make up time. Our plane had to cut across three lanes of landing traffic to get to the terminal. I've flown for a long time and have seen a lot, but that was an adventure.

I look forward to flying only to fun places!

 

[frayne]

Liked to fly prior to 9-11, not so much after.

 

[MichaelB]

Lets see, things I don't miss about flying

Airline tickets that can't be transferred to family members
Extra fees to not sit in a middle seat or choose an assigned seat
Idiots in seat in front slamming their seat back without checking first to see if anyone's knees are in the way
Seat width designed for anorexic teens
Extra fees to check baggage
Morons walking down the aisle with too much carry-on luggage, including a shoulder bag hanging to one side knocking everyone already seated in the head.
Not enough little dinky bathrooms
Rude passengers that try to claw their way ahead of others to get off the plane more quickly after landing
Clueless counter agents unable to make simple changes
Airlines posting flight arrival times with 60 minute fudge factors, even after the plane has departed.
Airports with no place to wait and traffic police everywhere with attitudes
Not being able to lock luggage anymore
Inexperienced parents, traveling with young kids, who thought it a good idea to keep them up late the night before, thinking it would help them sleep during the flight.

And to top it all off, TSA