[Racer X 69]

Anyway, it's August in New Orleans, and we are sitting on the end of the runway in the baking sun inside of an aluminum can with no air running . . . . . . . I understand not running the engines to keep the AC running, as that would be a huge fuel expenditure. . . . . . . . Do you really mean to tell me that was a better option than moving us elsewhere, where we could quite possibly have hooked up to an APU and run the AC?. . . . . .

Commercial airliners have small turbine engines (APU's) built into them for running the lighting, heating and cooling, and in some cases hydraulic and pneumatic systems. They also provide compressed air for starting the main engines.

They are usually located at the rear of the plane.



There really is no reason for an airline to not have the APU running for the comfort of the passengers in situations like that.

[Jodokast96]

Like I said, none of what they were doing made sense. We did have air blowing from the vents, but not cooled air. My wife gets fidgety just from having the defroster on in the car blowing warm air in her face. Doesn't matter that I can't see out the windshield.

[magkelly]

If I ever get the chance and have the $$$ to go to the UK et all I'm going by ship even if it means being on the ocean for a week to a month and sucking down anti-nausea meds in staggering doses. After my last flight out to SF and that horribly bad experience I'm just not inclined to go via air at all unless it's first class on Virgin Airlines and even then I'd not bring more than a carry on. That's what I'd love though. To fly first class to the UK and back, for once in my life, to fly, to be treated well, and to have plenty of leg room the whole way there and back. I've always wanted to fly Virgin. It sounds like a fun airline and 1st class sounds like it's terrific. But I looked it up? It would cost me about 7-10K to make it happen and that's a lot of money for a plane ticket even if it's first class. That's like half of the budget I thought I'd have to have for that whole trip. Not very practical. I could take an extended cruise for that, sigh...

[Parallax]

To fly first class to the UK and back,

That I could handle. I'd especially like to do it on an Airbus A380.

[cardinal43]

The prices are just as bad as the service. I just returned this morning at 2:00 am from a quick 2-day business trip to Cleveland. I live in northern VA, about 12 miles from Dulles and about 35 miles from Reagan. Round trip air fare from either Dulles or Reagan was $1,048. Yep, that is the right amount. Round trip air fare from BWI (Baltimore), was $326, and it is 154 miles round trip for me to go out of BWI. It's ridiculous for airlines to charge 3 times the amount for a flight. The flight out of BWI was 1-stop in Philly (20 minute flight ) and then on to Cleveland (65 minute flight), and the same coming back. The flight from Dulles/Reagan was non-stop. I knew my client would not be happy at all if I stuck them with $1,048 for air fare, so I flew out of BWI. It's a good job, and I know the client was happy I saved them some $$$. I'm scheduled for just about the same trip 2 more times, but I can assure you that I'll take an earlier flight home.

[Parallax]

Round trip air fare from either Dulles or Reagan was $1,048. Yep, that is the right amount.

WOW! Round trip from South Dakota to Sacramento, CA was a little over $1300.00. FOR ALL THREE OF US.

[GeneV]

I started driving home for the holidays as well. ABQ to DFW is one of the easiest flights you can take from here, but by the time you deal with luggage, driving to and from the airports on both ends, parking the car, renting a car, etc., you have spent 5+ hours. It takes 9+ of driving to get 600 miles, (11 hours total with meals and breaks) and my wife and I actually get to talk to each other. We also don't wrestle presents into planes. I'm with Jay on this.

[cardinal43]

@ parallax: I know. I usually go through Kayak to look for flights and when that fare popped up, I'm thinking WTF????....must be a glitch in the system. But after looking at Kayak again, and looking at Expedia, Cheap Tickets, Travlelocity, yada, yada, it was coming up on all of them.

The first week of November, my wife decided she was spending Thanksgiving in WA with our older son and grandson (I couldn't go because of work), and I found her a United round trip non-stop Dulles - Seattle fare of $438! The day before, the fare was over $1100. Guess it just has to be the right day & time. My wife will only fly non-stop if I'm not with her. One stop cross country doesn't bother me.

[wombat2go]

Some funny stories, but overall I find the airline /airport staff professional and service to be of reasonable standard.

The tricky bit fo me too, is the internet pricing machinery with unpredictable prices. September I wanted to go from Hong Kong to Sydney and 2 airlines had the price at $11000! I eventually got a one way HK~Seoul and $1800 round trip from there.

Another time $900 from Michigan to Chicago, I waited till close to departure, prepared to drive, and fare came down to $250.

Next week I will be doing a another long one: Chicago~HongKong~Mumbai~Pune~Mumbai~Bangkok~HongKong~Chicago

[Blue]

That I could handle. I'd especially like to do it on an Airbus A380.

I have flown 777 from Atlanta to J-berg straight through.

I remember 2 years ago I went to San Diego. The plane got stopped on the ramp just before take off (we were actually next) and the tower told him to shut it down. They came out and gave the Capt a breathalizer because some goober was joking to him during boarding about the capt drinking beer. It was a bogus thing but was very weird. Everyone was looking around trying to figure out who the joker was.

[redrockcoulee]

A couple of winters ago was on a flight from Edmonton to Medicine Hat with a plane switch in CAlgary, the Calgary to MH flight on a 19 passenger Beechcraft. The flight to Calgary was delayed due to weather and we were going to be a little late to make the connection. The crew made an announcment that the Medicine Hat flight would be delayed for us and that the passengers for the Medicine Hat flight would be allowed to leave the plane before anyone else could leave their seats. Turned out to be I think 4 of us, all seating in different places as we were not travelling together. Got off the plane and the ground crew herded us towards our flight. We get on the plane and joined the other 5 or 6 passengers and an announcement on this flight that it would be further delayed so that our luggage could be added. So I am sitting in the plane (every seat is an aisle and a window seat) and look at the baggage cart arrive with my suitcase, and only my suitcase. It was loaded on and we flew home. If the plane did not wait for us it would have been an 8 hour wait for the next one as this was 11 PM.

Not all expereinces are negative (know I have had too many myself) and this was Air Canada the airline people love to hate

[Parallax]

on a 19 passenger Beechcraft.

That's what they fly out of here. I love those planes. You can see out both sides and the cockpit window (they leave the cockpit doors open during take-off and landing) from any seat.

[RobA_Oz]

Everyone who's flown a lot has stories to tell about all aspects of aviation, from booking to landing. After thirty years of flying internally and overseas, I've got my fair share of stories of both the amusing and horror variety. Hitting the deck (almost literally) at Wellington, NZ, so hard that all the overhead lockers sprang open is one of mine. I just managed to get my seatbelt off and vault over the aisle in time to stop someone's duty-free from colliding with my wife's head, as the plane careered to a halt. They don't call it "windy Wellington" for nothing - considering the buffeting we got from the gusting wind shear on the way down, the pilot deserved a commendation for getting us down safely.

Arriving into Heathrow on 11 September 2001, only to be told by the hire car staff about the attacks in New York and Washington, is another time that will stay with me for the rest of my life. London was meant to be a 24-hour stopover on the way to New York, but needless to say we didn't get there that year.

In Oz, all airlines appear to be in a race to the bottom, in terms of customer experience, in order to lower airfares. I used to laugh about travelling in the US, watching the mass cancellation of flights on the airport monitors, or the ground staff hawking cash or free travel anywhere in the US if someone would give up their seat, or people being brutally bumped off lights because of overbooking. The same environment seems to be taking hold here, so I'm not smiling that much any more. Even Qantas is suffering the "Ryanisation" of its service (guess where the CEO came from). Its subsidiary, low cost, airline Jetstar continues to lower its customers expectations every day, just when you thought they couldn't get any lower.

In Europe, if you have the time, you should take the train. Most of the time, it's quicker than flying, and the Eurostar, TGV in France or Treni Rossi in Italy are comfortable, cheap and very fast. I flew out of Salzburg to Berlin this year and, while the flight was good, it wasn't cheap and I couldn't help wondering why I was seeing so many birds on the runway during takeoff!

But I do have some great moments to remember, too, like stopping my hire car on the service road on the south of Heathrow, at dusk, while one of the last Concordes took off straight over the top of us. That huge delta wing and the two long blue flames from the engines is a mental image that persists but the roar and ground shudder as it passed over ensured it will stay with me for a long time.

Overall, I get the feeling that a golden age of flying has passed, mainly because too many people now want to travel too often and too cheaply, and airline CEOs are now more intent on delivering shareholder value than customer service. I still fly, though mostly for personal reasons, not business these days, but frankly, it isn't pleasant any more. What used to be an interesting, even fun, part of the journey is now, for me, something to be endured, rather than savoured.

[Ash]

Flying is a double edged sword, particularly in Australia with so much distance between cities. They're necessary but not the most enjoyable nor efficient means of travelling domestically and I'd try with driving as a first option. But we don't have that luxury in trying to get to Europe, Africa or the US. All are very long flights with multiple stopovers. Sailing there would take weeks and I wouldn't put my kids through the experience of sea sickness just to avoid the hassles of air travel.

Even getting from east to west or north to south Australia is far enough to have to consider flying, so we couldn't do without planes as much as they're a cumbersome means to an end.

[Parallax]

something to be endured, rather than savoured.

That sums it up perfectly!