Flying sucks!

[Dekonick]

So my Aunt passed away. I don't have a huge family, thus it is important for me to go to the family only funeral. Of course, this means short notice flight from East Coast to Seattle... Right. Freaking fortune. Almost 900 bucks unless I want to take a cattle carrier and have 3 stops with multiple hour layovers each stop... What the hell? So I am paying out the you know what because it is a last minute ticket - but pay for aisle and window seats? FOR EACH HOP? Pay for luggage on top? Not even ONE bag? I was going to bring my Serotta and ride along the coast... Not at that cost. For the love of God, I can fly to Europe for less...

I haven't flown 'commercial' air in a LONG time. I used to fly all of the time. This is nuts.

Just to be clear, I fly often enough in medevac's - but the rules are different. We don't even use the same entrances to any airport. I digress... God I hate flying cattle cars... It would have been nice to have a bike to ride for a quick ride or two. I guess it will be my feet and the smell of paper mills... Gotta love Everett...

So - Can I or Can't I lower my chair? I don't want to start a riot.

[witcombusa]

Flying has sucked for a LONG time now. Between the cattle cars, TSA, long lay overs and high prices I just don't fly anymore. It's become a joke.
I don't know how folks who fly often for work do it, but then again some subject themselves to an hour plus in traffic each way every day too.

[R3awak3n]

Oh yeah, it has indeed sucked for a LONG time.

Cheapest tickets don’t let you choose seat or have a free bag. The problem is that because its last minute the cheap seat is not necessarily actually cheap.

When my grandma got really sick a couple of years ago, I bought a last minute ticket to go home to Portugal. Cost me $1400. Then I had to pay for baggage ($100) and to choose seat ($100). Of course I paid for neither but there I was, in the middle seat at the back of the plane with a stuffed carry on in the overhead compartment.... on the way back, I paid for a damn seat.

Its even worst if you actually hate flying, I hate being trapped on that damn metal tin tube for hours. Probably one of the things I like the least to do so I rarely do it. Also flying out of nyc adds a few annoying things such as, where do you leave the car? Gigantic lines for everything and planes are usully delayed.


Family is family and that is what money is for. My condolences to you.

[Peter P.]

Quit complaining. Your aunt died; endure the cost out of respect for her.

You own expensive bicycles; you can handle it.

[oldpotatoe]

Originally Posted by Dekonick

So my Aunt passed away. I don't have a huge family, thus it is important for me to go to the family only funeral. Of course, this means short notice flight from East Coast to Seattle... Right. Freaking fortune. Almost 900 bucks unless I want to take a cattle carrier and have 3 stops with multiple hour layovers each stop... What the hell? So I am paying out the you know what because it is a last minute ticket - but pay for aisle and window seats? FOR EACH HOP? Pay for luggage on top? Not even ONE bag? I was going to bring my Serotta and ride along the coast... Not at that cost. For the love of God, I can fly to Europe for less...

I haven't flown 'commercial' air in a LONG time. I used to fly all of the time. This is nuts.

Just to be clear, I fly often enough in medevac's - but the rules are different. We don't even use the same entrances to any airport. I digress... God I hate flying cattle cars... It would have been nice to have a bike to ride for a quick ride or two. I guess it will be my feet and the smell of paper mills... Gotta love Everett...

So - Can I or Can't I lower my chair? I don't want to start a riot.

Sorry to hear about your Aunt.
I think since deregulation and in spite of pretty low fuel prices..airlines try to squeeze(literally, as in crammed into these seats, all full) ever last nickel out of us. WE are a mobile society, the airlines know it..BUT airlines some are better than others..European based certainly are. SouthWorst, Delta, United..really bad, IMHO. Frontier, Alaska, not bad.

According to the Wall Street Journal, the average “profit per passenger” of the seven largest U.S. airlines was $17.75(2018) — for just a one-way flight — and the average profit margin across those seven airlines was 9% in 2017

[saab2000]

The airline I work for doesn't charge for your first two bags and allows you to pick your own boarding place. Once on board you can pick your own seat and you can pay a small upcharge for a place in the top 15 for boarding. I just checked and short notice (tomorrow) has at least five options with one stop from BWI to SEA.

There are also nonstop options on other carriers. The Washington and Baltimore area has three significant airports, all of which offer nonstop flights of some sort between them and Seattle.

As far as being cramped, they all suck. But there's often a premium economy option on the legacy carriers. The extremely low-cost carriers will have the legal maximum number of seats on the airplane, so you will be crammed in tight. Want more space? It's available.

The market has something for everyone. And these are all for-profit companies, not charities.

My recommendation for ALL flying is a fully charged iPad, loaded with TV shows and/or movies and a set of noise-cancelling headphones. My Bose QC35s have been a godsend and my only regret is that I didn't buy them years ago.

Oh, and bring a spare battery. It beats using that instead of looking everywhere for an outlet when you devices get low, which they will on a long day of travel.

[AngryScientist]

yea, flying does suck. airline status helps. martinis help more.

[Frankwurst]

If my wife didn't have to work I'd drive. Flying in this day and age does suck. It used to be fun. It also seems as though a lot of folks never learned or forgot how to be polite, respect and help others.

[majorpat]

I fly a lot for work and have gold status on United, usually gets me economy plus instead of regular economy which equates to early boarding and 4 inches of legroom. So, the flight is like getting kicked in the shin instead of taking a shot to the groin...still painful.
Pat

[Frankwurst]

Originally Posted by majorpat

I fly a lot for work and have gold status on United, usually gets me economy plus instead of regular economy which equates to early boarding and 4 inches of legroom. So, the flight is like getting kicked in the shin instead of taking a shot to the groin...still painful.
Pat

Funny. My daughter said all preferred or gold status has done for her is to allow her to sit on the plane longer.

[bigbill]

Originally Posted by saab2000

The airline I work for doesn't charge for your first two bags and allows you to pick your own boarding place. Once on board you can pick your own seat and you can pay a small upcharge for a place in the top 15 for boarding. I just checked and short notice (tomorrow) has at least five options with one stop from BWI to SEA.

There are also nonstop options on other carriers. The Washington and Baltimore area has three significant airports, all of which offer nonstop flights of some sort between them and Seattle.

As far as being cramped, they all suck. But there's often a premium economy option on the legacy carriers. The extremely low-cost carriers will have the legal maximum number of seats on the airplane, so you will be crammed in tight. Want more space? It's available.

The market has something for everyone. And these are all for-profit companies, not charities.

My recommendation for ALL flying is a fully charged iPad, loaded with TV shows and/or movies and a set of noise-cancelling headphones. My Bose QC35s have been a godsend and my only regret is that I didn't buy them years ago.

Oh, and bring a spare battery. It beats using that instead of looking everywhere for an outlet when you devices get low, which they will on a long day of travel.

I only fly your airline these days. There are a ton of flights between Vegas and BWI, several are non-stops. I've done round trip for $225 a few times. Good bike policies too. The only negative for me is flying into BWI means I still have a two hour drive to Winchester, VA for business, but the flights into Dulles don't work for me. BWI means I get to see my kid at Annapolis for a few days.

[wc1934]

Originally Posted by Peter P.

Quit complaining. Your aunt died; endure the cost out of respect for her.

You own expensive bicycles; you can handle it.

***??? What compelled you to post that? Shame on you!!

[hokoman]

I think most airlines offer a discounted bereavement fare - you have to call customer care. In regards to travel - I think airlines have made it so easy/cheap to travel that it's not much different than taking a bus in the worst neighborhood of your area.

I don't think flight prices have moved from 20 years ago when I was shuttling back and forth from the CA to NY. I would pay $400-$500 on average back in the mid 90s, and once got caught needing a last minute flight and paying $1,600. Not much different than prices today.

Being loyal to an airlines does help - I was platinum with United the 3 years I didn't work (travelled a lot) and the airlines do take care of their loyal customers in a lot of different ways when trying to move flights, etc.

Don't think too much about the price - it's something that needs to be done. Best wishes for you and your family.

[Gsinill]

Deregulation, mergers and free market...
Just booked a roundtrip from Chicago to LA for Sunday: $331 with UAL.
All about competition in a particular segment.
Years ago I had to fly a lot from Chicago to Boston, ORD - BOS fares were all around $700+.
Thanks to Southwest, ORD to Manchester, NH was less than $400 and a good alternative.

Another example of how things went downhill: Pittsburgh airport.
Thriving international airport prior to US Air's demise, now service and feel of a small regional airport.

Yep, flying and airlines suck.
Glad I've been able to work a lot remotely recently rather than living my past life, i.e. traveling Mon - Thu.

[Gsinill]

Originally Posted by Frankwurst

Funny. My daughter said all preferred or gold status has done for her is to allow her to sit on the plane longer.

And to allow her to find room for her carry-on in the overhead bin rather than checking it.