Does Flying/Do Airlines Always Suck This Much?

I have to travel around the country a good bit because my kid plays high level kid hockey. I think we did 16 or 18 flights this year. Most were American and a few were Southworst. Unfortunately, there is no way to carry on a full hockey gear bag and a stick bag - he is 6' tall at 14, and uses senior adult size sticks with extensions. So we have to check baggage every flight. We always travel a day in advance and leave a day late. consequently, a delay or cancellation does not usually affect the trip and the extra day generally ensures we can overcome any misrouted gear issues. It costs me a bit more on the hotel bill, but we use the time to explore the destination city and I also like to use the time to hunt for allocated bourbons.

Honestly (knock on wood), we have not had many negative experiences, and most of those were not that bad and happened on the way home. Once, our last flight from DC to RDU got cancelled, so they gave us hotel, taxi and meal vouchers and 10,000 travel miles and got us on the first flight out the next day. Coming back home from Detroit in January, they bumped the hockey gear and it did not get to RDU until the next day. They put it on an Uber and dropped it on our porch that afternoon. It was mildly aggravating, but not really a problem. I think the key is just to avoid cutting it close if your time is critical.
 
I fly a good bit for work and have for the last 20 years.
If you knew you had a meeting the next day don’t ever book a flight that arrives the evening before - especially an international one .
Communicate with airline representatives and be nice - talk to them like they are your friends.
Next time you have a tight connection act like you have a bad hip or hurt your back and tell them you need a wheelchair- the person pushing you will make sure they wait - no shame.
If all else fails , flying is an adventure embrace it and understand nothing is guaranteed. If you have delays make the best of them. As you have found out when they screw you over really bad they can out you up in a really nice place or some crappy one - often this is at the discretion of the people I told you to make sure you treat nice.

Flying is better if you have status - I lost mine during Covid , but the point is to pick an airline and ride that pony for all it’s worth. Once I arrived into Detroit and the airline took me down on the tarmac to a waiting black SUV and drove me the the next gate so I wouldn’t miss a flight. Sad now I’m a lowly regular passenger these days
 
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My travel frequency has ticked up a fair amount this year. I’m expecting another trip to Spain here shortly and just returns from there last week.

My humble advice after years of professional travel - plan for worst and hope for the best.

Expect cancelations and/or delays.
Expect the Pre-Check line to be slower than the regular TSA line
Pack a carryon expecting to lose your baggage
Plan for the group in front of you to be ill-prepared to go through customs with at least one misplaced passport.

In short, roll with it. Can’t control it and certainly can’t change it. I just swipe my cc to get another drink at the overpriced airport bar.
 
fieldgrade said:
I got to fly on the company private jet to take a large client with my boss to HQ in Boston forty years ago. We (meaning he) inked a half million dollar contract renewal on a cocktail napkin over scotch and lobster rolls on the trip back.

The plane waits for you on the tarmac. Not the other way around.

I thought this was great. But even back then they charged the district sales office by the hour to use it. $5,000 an hour IIRC. We had the plane all day.
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Yes...got to fly on the corporate 737 once. Very nice but the sodas were expired as were the nabs. WTF? They are serving VIP's expired food and drink? They had a Citation X as well but it was late getting back from servicing. Got in that jet once on the ground. Only time I ever felt claustrophobic. Glad it was late getting back and we had to take the big bird.
 
BlackGun said:
The last few years during and after the pandamnit, flying has gotten unbearable. I’ve had almost every flight delayed and some freaky people on my jets beside or around me. How does an airline not know where a pilot is when it’s time to take off? Not sure I want another connecting flight with less than 2 hour layover anymore. I’m not a runner these days.

I’m never over a week anywhere. Given that I only take a carry on and a small pack for quick to get to items like airpods, snacks, wipes, etc… The last bag check was because the flight ran out of carryon room. And it went bad.

What happened to the cute flight attendants? Why do they now have trouble getting their large hips thru the aisles and side swiping the customers. If you have an ass like a $40 mule take a job at the gate desk.
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"How does an airline not know where a pilot is when it’s time to take off?" They know damn well where he is...in the bar. It takes 2 or 3 hrs to sober him up.
 
jimmyjames8 said:
Yes...got to fly on the corporate 737 once. Very nice but the sodas were expired as were the nabs. WTF? They are serving VIP's expired food and drink? They had a Citation X as well but it was late getting back from servicing. Got in that jet once on the ground. Only time I ever felt claustrophobic. Glad it was late getting back and we had to take the big bird.
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The GTE corporate Westwind was not large. You had to stoop to move around and throw your tie over your shoulder when taking a leak, otherwise you’d tinkle on it.
 
I randomly watched a handful of vidoes today about pilots last words before they crash. Bone chilling. There is an airshow video where a b52 is crashed and the co-pilots last words to the pilot are "you just killed us".
 
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