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OT Is flying less enjoyable or am I just a

1vagamecock

1vagamecock

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Jan 19, 2022
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Curmudgeon?
I used to enjoy flying but sitting hear in O'Hara most people look and act so miserable.
It used to seem almost like an adventure, now it seems like a punishment......
 
P

Piscis

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Nov 30, 2001
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Flying in the US is abject misery. The surly sub humans hired for airport security combined with the human detritus that makes up the majority of the flying public in the US combine to make air travel in the US horrific.
 
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RUMMENIGGE

Senior
Dec 14, 2016
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I have low satisfaction with the commercial airline industry. I will say enjoyed traveling on the shinkansen or bullet train and it was always pleasant.
 
U

USC2USC

Joined Aug 6, 2001
Feb 2, 2022
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1vagamecock said:
Curmudgeon?
I used to enjoy flying but sitting hear in O'Hara most people look and act so miserable.
It used to seem almost like an adventure, now it seems like a punishment......
Click to expand...
This is pronounced in the US. Overseas its different.
 
1vagamecock

1vagamecock

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I enjoyed flying on Lufthansa air, but thats the last flight I enjoyed.
Like I said sometimes I think my age is the problem.
On my way to Newfoundland now.
 
PrestonyteParrot

PrestonyteParrot

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May 28, 2024
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I flew everyday Monday - Friday for 15 years somewhere in the US for business and it was efficient and tolerable.
Happened to be home on 9/11 thankfully and I haven't flown since.
Couldn't pay me to fly in today's air travel climate.
 
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The Reel Ess

The Reel Ess

Joined Feb 3, 2005
Feb 3, 2005
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I'm 6'2" tall. Flying sux. We flew to Ireland last year and it was maybe a tiny bit roomier on the larger jet. On domestic flights we try to get the seat at the emergency door. The TSA line is even worse. We dropped our daughter at Charlotte to fly to Ireland by way of NYC and she had a panic attack in the NYC TSA line. Luckily, there were two other girls headed to the same program on the flight and one of them just sat in the floor with her until she gathered herself. Then her flight to Ireland was delayed a day. We caught the return connecting flight in NYC, which was also delayed and we spent the night sitting in a food court. Well, at least our luggage didn't get lost.
 
1vagamecock

1vagamecock

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Went to Isreal right before Covid and loved flying that trip! Plane was huge, the airline let you get up and get your own snacks and such whenever you wanted and meal was great.
Now I get 1/2 a diet coke and stale pretzels.
 
Go Gamecocks

Go Gamecocks

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I flew 4X in '25, none so far this year. With connectors, 12 flights total.
All flights were domestic & reasonable. The flight from DEN > Vegas was scary the first 20+ mins flying west over the Rockies.
I use TSA pre-check, almost no lines.
Delta is my fav, but have gotten good service from United, Alaska Air, & Southwest. American was always late and had a dysfunctional boarding process.
Flying out west is different from east/NE due to weather differences. Less delayed flights.
PM flights in the summer months are more risky due to t-storms & delays.

I always get a window seat, bring noise cancelling headphones, something to watch on my laptop, something to listen to during take-offs, etc. Almost never have checked baggage.
 
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Uscg1984

Uscg1984

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I've had a few negative flying experiences, but not really that many. Post 9/11, flying is certainly much more of a hassle than it was in the past, but I've found that hassle varies considerably with the airports. Fortunately, most of my flying is out of the Bozeman airport, so it rarely takes more than about 15 minutes to go through security and the TSA folks there act like normal human beings. Same when we visit family and fly into or out of Greenville or Lafayette, LA airports. That was not the case the last time I flew out of Houston or BWI, however.
 
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Piscis

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The Reel Ess said:
I'm 6'2" tall. Flying sux. We flew to Ireland last year and it was maybe a tiny bit roomier on the larger jet. On domestic flights we try to get the seat at the emergency door. The TSA line is even worse. We dropped our daughter at Charlotte to fly to Ireland by way of NYC and she had a panic attack in the NYC TSA line. Luckily, there were two other girls headed to the same program on the flight and one of them just sat in the floor with her until she gathered herself. Then her flight to Ireland was delayed a day. We caught the return connecting flight in NYC, which was also delayed and we spent the night sitting in a food court. Well, at least our luggage didn't get lost.
Click to expand...
Imagine telling someone from 100 years ago that you had a bad travel experience because your trip from the US to Ireland took two days instead of one.

I am curious as to why your daughter was in a TSA line in NYC if she had flown from Charlotte where she would have already gone through security. Did she leave the airport in NYC and come back for the flight to Ireland?
 
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Piscis

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Gamecock Jacque said:
A 1 hour 50 minute flight is still more enjoyable than a 15 hour drive twice in one week.
Click to expand...
True, but I have had several airline employees tell me that if they can drive somewhere in less than 8 hours, they drive.

If it were a twice a week thing, I'd amend that to maybe a 4 hour drive.
 
D

DannyTree1

Redshirt
Jun 4, 2026
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I flew to Boston through Newark a few weeks ago and back through Orlando and Atlanta. Faced a delay and rescheduled flight but the flights themselves were good with everyone associated with the airline friendly and professional. No issues at the airport. Security lines were quick. Even got a couple of meal vouchers from the airline since our flight was delayed.

Had a slight problem with my ticket in Orlando at the security line but the security officer standing nearby monitoring the line gave me a paper that allowed me to go to ticketing to get it resolved (which it was in about 5 mins) and then skip most of the line when I came back to security.

Flew to LA in June. Same thing. No issues, friendly and professional.

My daughter is flying to Canada tomorrow. Was supposed to be today but thankfully got a message from the airline today before she headed to the airport. Not a big deal.
 
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Gamecock Jacque

Joined Dec 20, 2020
Jan 30, 2022
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Piscis said:
True, but I have had several airline employees tell me that if they can drive somewhere in less than 8 hours, they drive.

If it were a twice a week thing, I'd amend that to maybe a 4 hour drive.
Click to expand...
Americans consider a 4 hour drive to be nothing. An 8 hour drive is long enough to make it a road trip but about the time you get tired of driving you have reached your destination.
 
1vagamecock

1vagamecock

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Ccurrent
Go Gamecocks said:
I flew 4X in '25, none so far this year. With connectors, 12 flights total.
All flights were domestic & reasonable. The flight from DEN > Vegas was scary the first 20+ mins flying west over the Rockies.
I use TSA pre-check, almost no lines.
Delta is my fav, but have gotten good service from United, Alaska Air, & Southwest. American was always late and had a dysfunctional boarding process.
Flying out west is different from east/NE due to weather differences. Less delayed flights.
PM flights in the summer months are more risky due to t-storms & delays.

I always get a window seat, bring noise cancelling headphones, something to watch on my laptop, something to listen to during take-offs, etc. Almost never have checked baggage.
Click to expand...
Currently sitting in Montreal Airport after Canada air delayed our flight to find a pilot 🙃 that caused us to miss our connection. So we are sitting here trying to get our land book another flight that will be tomorrow sometime.
Don't fly Air Canada!
 
Uscg1984

Uscg1984

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Piscis said:
True, but I have had several airline employees tell me that if they can drive somewhere in less than 8 hours, they drive.

If it were a twice a week thing, I'd amend that to maybe a 4 hour drive.
Click to expand...
8 hours is generally my threshold drive time to consider flying as well. Sometimes, I may stretch that even further. By the time you factor in transportation to and from the airports, car rental at the destination, "administrative" time at the airport and during any layovers, and the various packing advantages of driving my own car, driving often makes more sense. Obviously, non-stop flights help swing the pendulum toward flying, but If I'm buying multiple plane tickets for the family, the scales tip back toward driving.
 
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DannyTree1

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Jun 4, 2026
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1vagamecock said:
Ccurrent

Currently sitting in Montreal Airport after Canada air delayed our flight to find a pilot 🙃 that caused us to miss our connection. So we are sitting here trying to get our land book another flight that will be tomorrow sometime.
Don't fly Air Canada!
Click to expand...
That was the issue on my Delta flight coming back from Boston.
There is a shortage of qualified pilots in the entire industry.
 
1vagamecock

1vagamecock

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Cannot describe how awful Air Canada is.
Didn't know 1-2 days delay is normal.
If you call (because you cant get new tickets in the airport after they cancel your flight) they tell you 2 hours on hold is the normal but expect longer.
 
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rockingamecock

Joined Aug 28, 2001
Feb 2, 2022
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1vagamecock said:
Cannot describe how awful Air Canada is.
Didn't know 1-2 days delay is normal.
If you call (because you cant get new tickets in the airport after they cancel your flight) they tell you 2 hours on hold is the normal but expect longer.
Click to expand...
We've only used Air Canada once and it was fine.....maybe we just got lucky.
 
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1vagamecock

1vagamecock

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rockingamecock said:
We've only used Air Canada once and it was fine.....maybe we just got lucky.
Click to expand...
American Airlines is like flying the Emirates compared to Air Canada!
They dont seem to care about weather you get to where you are going.
Seems silly that you cant buy a ticket in the airport, but maybe that's the new normal.
 
Slim Chickens Gamecock

Slim Chickens Gamecock

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Right after Covid travel was sweet. Airport to yourself. You're first mistake is when you wrote Ohare. not a great spot. I always enjoy Nashville
 
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gamecockengineer2011

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My recommendation is the fly the earliest flights possible and fly Delta which is usually the most expensive. The people that have the worst behavior are usually flying on the cheapest flights during the day and evening.
 
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Go Gamecocks

Go Gamecocks

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Slim Chickens Gamecock said:
Right after Covid travel was sweet. Airport to yourself. You're first mistake is when you wrote Ohare. not a great spot. I always enjoy Nashville
Click to expand...
Denver IAP is a head scratcher. They have 70+ gates in terminal B. You have to walk to the center to catch the train out. The crowds are like leaving a football game. No airport I've been to is like that. Seems a fire safety issue.
 
PrestonyteParrot

PrestonyteParrot

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Go Gamecocks said:
Denver IAP is a head scratcher. They have 70+ gates in terminal B. You have to walk to the center to catch the train out. The crowds are like leaving a football game. No airport I've been to is like that. Seems a fire safety issue.
Click to expand...
Denver = the airport in an unrelated zip code to Denver
 
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