Please charge me more

I have just returned from a business trip to New Orleans … it’s still hot, humid, seedy (at least Bourbon Street) and rich in culture (food, architecture, and history), but that’s not my purpose here.

I flew US Airways and they have already instituted changes in how they operate and by operate, I mean that they are nickel-and-diming fliers now.  I am an elite member with United, a Star Alliance member, so I enjoy perks and privileges like selecting my seat assignments … until now.  It’s $5-10 to do so now.  Yes, this is not a lot of money, but it is the principle.  Charge me a true dollar amount for my ticket that covers everything … check baggage, snacks, air, lavatory, seat belt, arm rest, use of the jet bridge.  Okay, some of this is an exaggeration, but it may just be a matter of time before we have to pay for these “amenities.”

Perhaps, most shocking about my trip, was how many passengers actually purchased snacks.  Way to go in letting the airlines know how unhappy you are with being nickel-and-dimed!  I would rather dehydrate than pay $2 for what is probably tap water!

Airline executives, stop nickel-and-diming me and just charge me a fair fare.  I don’t care if you make a nice profit, I do care if I feel as if I am “taxed” to death.  I thought we had a revolution about that 232 years ago!

Airline ad agencies … are they pinheads?

I recently returned from my summer holiday in Eastern Europe and now I am on my way to New Orleans for a business trip.  Between these two trips much is changing in the airline industry … some of which has many fellow travelers threatening to figuratively storm the corporate boardrooms with torches and pitchforks in hand.  I ask my fellow travelers, “what’s the matter with you?  why do you want to harass and pick on the airline industry?”

To all the US airline carriers, I want to say, “I stand with you and the appreciate the great services that you provide in the face of all your financial woes.”

I remember many years ago, during one of the many airline industry crises, (by the way, these crises are never the airline’s fault, our government, instead of bailing them out, should just subsidize them all the time … more so than they already do) the airlines stop serving food.  Hey, all of you naysayers, that was a good idea.  If I recall, most passengers complained about airplane food anyway.  “Oh, airplane food doesn’t taste good.  It’s over/under cooked.  I think that food made me sick.”  Then, there’s the sanitary conditions.  So, look the airlines did us a favor by not feeding us anymore.  Besides, who wants those tasty meals that the Europeans serve anyway?

The airlines are about to do us another favor … no more snacks or beverages (unless you want to buy them).  We don’t need all those snacks.  We have an obesity problem in the United States anyway.  The airlines are just trying to contribute to a more fit population, besides, there no place to exercise on a plane so you are just storing all those calories as fat … and that contributes to the weight of the plane and fuel cost and your flight discomfort (trying to fit in to those every comfortable seats).

Now, this one, I really do not understand the uproar.  $15 or $50 for a second checked bag sounds reasonable to me.  All those extra bags just make the plane heavier and feul inefficient.  If we cared about the economy we would be more wasteful and only care the bare minimal and buy everything else once we reach our destination.  That would be a real shot in the arm for the economic.  Think about those poor underpaid baggage handlers who always take special care not to damage our bags.  With fewer bags, they will no doubt do an even better job.

Some unreasonable people may accuse the airline industry of nickel-and-diming us to death, but I say baloney.  Food and bags are non-essentials for traveling.  The only thing that you ticket promises is arrival to your destination, which the airlines always do … maybe a couple of days later, but you generally get where you need to go.  For example, when you go to the movies (another great bargain), you have to buy popcorn and soda separately.  Same principle.

In fact, we have been cheating the airlines for quite some time.  They are due their just reward.

Kudos to the ad agencies for managing this public relation nightmare with such competence.  They deserve ever nickel and dime that they receive.  Anything more would be cheating the airlines.

The Unfriendly skies may be getting noisy

According to the June 2008 issue of Global Traverler, the unfriendly skies may be getting a little noisy.  Several European airlines and some US airlines are considering offering passengers WiFi use and allowing passenger to use mobile phone and devises.  Please tell me it is not so … at least about mobile phone use.  WiFi is fine, I would like to be able to check my email, read news, or blog, especially on long flights.

Mobile phone use is another issue, actually a problem.  It’s bad enough to have to listen to some passengers talk, but now they are going to be talking on the phone and talking to their travel companions.  Then you have a lot of mobile phone users who seem to have not etiquette … they talk long and loud.  As an aside, I can see those who travel alone as the most agregious.  I think for some talking on the phone is a way to feel that they are not alone.  Then you are going to have those business travelers who think that they are so important that they must be connected at all times.

Air travel may just get a little noisy … noisier.  Congratulations to Luftansa who is only considering WiFi and not mobile phones, because it may disturb some passengers.

WiFi, yes, mobile phone use, no!

By the way, I thought these devises interferred with navigation?  Hmm?

Traveling by train in Europe

During our Europe 2008 holiday, we used just about every form of transportation available — plane, train, and automobile.

We always travel by plane and automobile, but wanted to do something different this holiday, so we used the trains system to travel from city to city and country to country.  While it had been over 20 years since I last traveled by train in Europe, I expected this mode of travel to be as reliable as air travel, and it was.  Of course, there were delays and problems, but this happens when traveling by airplane too.

So, when considering air travel and train, there are definitely factors to consider.

Air travel

• pros:  fast.
• cons:  expensive; security (lines, liquids, …); arrival times (1-2 hours); retreiving luggage; scenary (sky and clouds).

Trains

• pros:  inexpensive; spacious seating; no security; arrive times (early enough to take train); no baggage checking; scenary.
• cons:  can be slow; no complementary snacks (not even pretzels or beverages); buying food from dining car can be expensive; frequent stops.

I know a lot of people think that the trains are exclusively used by backpackers and young travelers and they are, but they are also used by travelers who don’t want to fly everywhere or want a different experience.  We had a couple of adventures … missed on train and another train was malfunctioning, but we eventually made it to our destination, several hours late, but we made it.  (More about this later though.)

Like air travel trains give you a couple of options, you can travel first or economy class.  I recommend this option, the first class option, because the coaches a nicer and more spacious.  You also have the option to reserve a seat or not.  We reserved a seat for all our rail travel, but there we many many unreserved seats.  Some European trains sell tickets and passes to board the train, but do not require to purchase or reserve a seat, so you may be able to board the train and not have a seat.  As a precaution, I will continue to purchase reserved seats.

I highly recomment rail travel, especially if you want to different travel experience and want to see the countryside.  Word of caution when traveling by trains.  Don’t be late.  When the trains run on time, they run on time.  We missed our train from Vienna to Prague by minutes!

Dehydration excitement and compliments to flight attendents!

I just recently returned from my Eastern European holiday, about which I plan to blog extensively.  The holiday was extraordinary and brought the region history together as my high school and undergraduate education could never do, but that’s a story for another day.

You hear all the time how important it is to make sure that you are hydrated and that you move around.  I know this to be important, but because I am healthy and active, I sometimes ignore these simple suggestions, particularly the drink liquids.  I hate using airplane restrooms.

So, we are flying practically all day starting from LA, California to Cincinnati, OH and from there to Paris, France before continuing to Austria.  On the flight from Cincinnati to Paris, I have dinner and wine and periodically do lower body flexes.  I decide to try to go to sleep. 

Some time early morning as we are approaching Europe, I start feeling sick … that dehydrated feeling.  I unbuckle and get up thinking I will walk around … maybe I just need some exercise or something to drink.  As I am walking toward the back of the plane, perhaps 4-5 rows from my seat.  I drop to one knee, then the next knee.  I must say this was very embarrassing, but I don’t even think I was thinking about that at the time.  Next thing I remember, I was stretched out on my back and a flight attendant was taking care of me.  Believe, laying on an airplane floor is the last place I would want to be … think of all the germs.

I tried to tell her that I just felt dehydrated and I remember trying to get up … not very successfully.  So, the flight attendant brings me some water and I tried to drink.  Most of which spilled on my pants like I had had an accident (Not reaching the toilet in time.)  Next, she brought me oxygen, so, I get to use the little oxygen mask that they always demonstrate.  Again, more germs.

So, I am still laying on the floor.  The flight attendant didn’t want me to move.  They call for any medical personnel on the plane.  Next, I feel someone’s hand around my wrist.  Of all people to pass out around.  I passed out by a French physician, who was on holiday in the United States.  Finally, I am able to sit up and the flight attendant walks with me to the back of the plane and the French physician accompanies us.  He takes my pulse and checks my blood pressure, which was around 90/65.  That’s even low for my low.  He takes my blood pressure several time.  It remained low, but has climbed a little to around 100/65 … I think.  They make me drink juice and eat.  I ate the banana … that was my compromise.

They ask if I wanted a medical team to meet me.  I refused.  I was really embarrassed by this time, but the flight attendant and the French physician were quite graceful and attentive to my needs. 

Thank you both.

No miles for the deep discounters

I am one of those fliers who have bought into the frequent flier program … I know it’s a ploy by the airlines to create and maintain loyalty at the expense of most fliers, especially those who do not take advantage of the perks and benefits.

So, after each trip, I check to make sure that the airlines correctly credit me my miles.  A couple of days after returning from my Memorial Day holiday, I notice that United had not credited my my miles.  So, I wait a little longer, but eventually call.

United does not award frequent flier miles when you make your reservations on Priceline or Hotwire.  The agent told me that these deeply discounted fares are not available for  mile credit, because they are so deeply discounted.  Oh!  Although, I have not done so yet; maybe, I should take my advice and seek a second opinion.  However, it makes sense that the airlines would not count these fares.  I got an amazing bargain on my fare … I guess it was worth foregoing the miles this time.

Always get a second opinion

I just recently returned from my Memorial Day travel and have to say that that was one of the better traveling experiences I have had … not because of where I went, but because there weren’t that many people traveling … at least through Cincinnati and Washington Dulles and Raleigh.

So what am I complaining about this time?  I decided to arrive at the airport early since I live about 80 miles from Cincinnati’s airport and I thought that I would go to one of the airport lounges and work … there are just so many distractions at home.  I had already checked-in and thought that I would just head off to the club, which is in a different terminal with a different security.  In other words, there’s no way to get from one terminal to another once going through security.  So, I asked the United check-in personnel [mistake number one] if I could enter any terminal with my ticket.  I told her I wanted to go the Delta club … she said empathically, no, absolutely not, can’t be done, don’t even try.  Okay!

Despite her confidence in answering my question.  I was not confident, probably not satisfied, with her answer, so I asked a TSA agent.  He said, you can absolutely go to any terminal you like as long as you have a valid ticket for the airport.  So, off I go, trouble free.  TSA, did ask me, hey, you know you are at the wrong terminal, and I replied, yes, I just want to visit the Delta club, and the agent said okay.  FYI, the Delta club in Concourse A is closed on Saturdays, fortunately the club in Concourse B is open.  I had the club practically to myself!

Last word, always get a second opinion.