Posted by
Louie Majunk on Monday, October 02, 2006 12:50:05 AM
It has been some time since this rambler did a post. I have been busy with an urgent trip to the east coast. This meant another experience as an infrequent flyer. I think I'd rather be a frequent flier, and it's not because I enjoy flying. It is because my observations perceive these frequent air travelers as much more patient and less stressed out than I.
When a flight is delayed, okay. It's delayed. It's frustrating, but not infuriating. What I do find infuriating is all the lies we are told in regards to time. Even if the plane is "on time," I am yet to determine what that means. I cannot remember a plane shoving off the runway at "time of departure." And if the plane is delayed, the airline does not even have the decency to give an honest time of delay. Sometimes the given times are quite vague, and to me, that is almost as infuriating as the lies. As soon as being told "in a few minutes," I see a red flag go up. Some folks' idea of a few minutes is a few more minutes than mine. But when the airlines say it, it's likely a blatant lie.
In my very limited air travel experience, a few minutes means a minimum of 20. If you tell someone you are going to your friendly neighborhood tavern and have a few beers, do you drink 20? If you go to a fast food restaurant and place an order of fries, do you get a box with a few? No! You get several. It's your girl friend who might stick her fingers in the box, grab four or five and say, "All I want is a few."
Now that we're on the subject, food from air travel has had its fair share of complaints. Some years ago, Thomas Sowell was critical of this food both inside the airport and on the plane. He said the food is "fancy and tasteless." People do not seem to complain so often in recent years, perhaps because inside the airport, plenty of plain, tasty food is available from McDonalds, Taco Bell and other national, fast food chains.
On the plane, however, forget it! I have not seen any offering of food there lately. They sell it. They might sell you a sandwich for five dollars, but it does not look very appetizing. During the few flights I have been on lately, the flight attendants sold "snack boxes" that were also available for five dollars a pop. I usually choose to starve until landing.