Fifty things I hate about flying.

tampa_griz · Post by **tampa_griz** » Fri Apr 04, 2008 8:59 am

GrizinWashington wrote:That I average 40,000 miles every year.

I have flying/airport stories from hell that will curl your nose hairs.

One year I was platinum on Northwest and silver on Delta....on those two airlines alone so I'm sure we could trade some good stories.

I think the worst thing that ever happenned to me was a nasty incident in Atlanta (I never have much luck there). As we were coming in, the pilot pulled out of the landing at the last second for some reason. It felt like a roller-coaster when right after you go down and then back up. People were screaming, praying, throwing up on each other, telling random strangers they loved them, etc. The thought of death creeping up on you makes people do some strange sh!t I guess.

The best part about flying a lot? On Northwest, if you're a silver or platinum member, you can upgrade "travel companions" with you to first class for free if there's availablity two hours before the flight. I'd upgrade hot chicks all the time. It was great.

Htowngriz · Post by **Htowngriz** » Sat Apr 05, 2008 6:47 am

Flying from Seattle to London with a kaputt entertainment system. And Heathrow airport.

Cats Back · Post by **Cats Back** » Sat Apr 05, 2008 7:14 am

Northest Airlines agents calling for preboarding check in for a flight that was already 8 hours late departing and you could look out the window and see the mechanic still struggling to repair the Airbus. Kind of makes you want to jump n board doesn't it?
Boeing, anyone? At least there are MSU Engineers working there.

MTBobcatFan · Post by **MTBobcatFan** » Sat Apr 05, 2008 9:03 am

Mine has to be the people that stand close to the baggage claim area and when you see your bag come around you cant get to it.

Post by **SonomaCat** » Sat Apr 05, 2008 10:46 am

MTBobcatFan wrote:Mine has to be the people that stand close to the baggage claim area and when you see your bag come around you cant get to it.

YES! I told my wife on our last trip that there should be a yellow line about 4 feet all the way around the baggage claim that people had to stand behind unless they were retrieving their bag.

It's even worse when they have a whole family forcing their way to the very edge of the baggage claim so they can ALL make sure that nobody else can see.

JacksonHole_CAT · Post by **JacksonHole_CAT** » Sun Apr 06, 2008 10:15 am

catatac wrote:Great Post. I'll add my all time worst one...

Sitting in my tiny little seat on the 50 seater... wondering who my neighbor will be... watch 3 or 4 cute little petite women walk on past me... then like clockwork I get "The Big Guy" that probably should have purchased 2 seats. Happens all the time.

(Note to self... call NWA and tell them to implement a process for strategically seating passengers based on gender, height, and weight. No reason on earth why a larger guy like myself is sitting next to a larger guy than myself and two tiny girls are sitting in the isle across from us!)

I am "THE BIG GUY." At 6'5" and 320 I am quickly noticed by others as "the big guy." I make a point to wait until the last moment to board (since I never have a carry-on). It is quite humorous to watch every person who has an empty seat near them tremble in fear as I saunter down the aisle. I sometimes even walk by my seat a few rows, do an about-face and come back to claim my seat. It is usually no big deal, as I am a good seat neighbor, and I enjoy meeting people on the flight.

MSU01 · Post by **MSU01** » Sun Apr 06, 2008 10:37 am

Billings_Griz wrote:Ok, there are plenty things I hate about flying. But the #1 thing is when we arrive at the gate, BOOM, everybody in the aisle jumps up and grabs their carry-on baggage. WTF, sit your azz down and wait FOR THE DOORS TO ACTUALLY OPEN and the people in the 17 rows in front of you to leave.

Similar to this...I love watching the people who start hanging around over by the boarding door about 45 minutes before boarding is scheduled to begin, usually with large carry-ons that may or may not have any chance of actually fitting on the plane. When boarding begins, they are the first ones on the plane. When I board, I then get to wait in the aisle for about 10 minutes while Mr. and Mrs. Early Boarder rummage through their carry-ons in the aisle ("honey, which bag did you put my magazine in?") while a massive line forms behind in the aisle and jetway.

One of the best things about flying is the little-used Observation Deck at MSP...always a nice place to spend a quiet layover away from the throngs of travelers. Also, United's Channel 9 (ATC audio feed) is fun if you're flying to/from/around a busy airport like O'Hare or basically anything on the east coast.

Grizlaw · Post by **Grizlaw** » Mon Apr 07, 2008 8:10 am

Bay Area Cat wrote:
MTBobcatFan wrote:Mine has to be the people that stand close to the baggage claim area and when you see your bag come around you cant get to it.
YES! I told my wife on our last trip that there should be a yellow line about 4 feet all the way around the baggage claim that people had to stand behind unless they were retrieving their bag.

It's even worse when they have a whole family forcing their way to the very edge of the baggage claim so they can ALL make sure that nobody else can see.

Another "baggage claim" gripe -- I hate the idiots who don't know what their own luggage looks like, and thus have to grab every suitcase that looks remotely like theirs, just to check and see whether it is theirs. I was standing next to a guy a couple weeks ago who was apparently looking for a basic, generic large black suitcase, and he actually grabbed about half of the suitcases that came down the conveyor belt, just to look at the name tags. (And of course, the guy was also a complete clutz, and about every third suitcase that he picked up ended up crashing into the front of my thigh...but that's a separate issue.)

Fifty things I hate about flying.

Or how about....

Re: Fifty things I hate about flying.