Airplanes

4/4/2014

I haven't taken a commercial flight in many years, and even though a lot of time has passed, don't remember them with fondness.  First, you have to struggle with the cattle car feeling while sitting in the coach (or second class) area of the plane.  And, to make sure that you know you're inferior and/or too cheap to fly first class, the steward (or whatever they are called today), pull the little red curtain closed.  What do you suppose if the curtain wasn't pulled?  It's not like we are unaware that those passengers are sitting in large and cushy seats, eating actual food, as compared to the mystery beef or rubber chicken the rest of us get to eat (or choke down).  

The last time I flew, if you wanted to have headphones to watch the movie, you paid for them.  Likewise, if you wanted something stronger to drink than a soda, you paid for that as well. I suppose we should be grateful that there is no charge for using the bathroom!

And, unlike first class, we "regular folk" are squished into our seats with very little leg room, and heaven help you if you do have to get up to use the bathroom, and you have a window seat.  You know what I'm talking about, basically crawling over the other two passengers sitting next to you.  Heaven help you if you have to get up multiple times during the flight.

If the person reclines his seat, you pretty much have his/her head in your lap.  Whoopee!  And don't get me started on arm rests. Since the arm rests only has room for one arm, you have to be the first to "stake" out your right to the arm rest.  

With all this goodness, I don't know why more people don't take to the skies more frequently.  Sometimes when I'm given a price of a seat in coach, I have to tell the operator that I only want ONE seat, I'm not trying to BUY the entire plane!

Okay, you've made it through the flight.  Even before the plane lands, folks are popping up like jack-in-the-boxes to grab their carry on bags.  Mind you, they have absolutely no thought that their bag might clobber you in the head (because that's your problem, you shouldn't not been there in the first place)!

UNLESS you have to catch a flight that is leaving in mere minutes, I simply don't understand why there is a mad dash to disembark.  What's the rush people?  You are going to just stand around in the baggage area until the luggage is taken off the plane.  And, at the first sight of a piece of luggage, then the pushing and shoving for place begins in earnest.  If you miss your luggage the first time it goes around, relax - it's going to come back around.  You only need to worry when ALL the luggage has been unloaded and the carousel is empty.  Now you can genuinely begin to panic. You have to go to the luggage office and try to find out where your luggage went.  Hopefully, it's not on it's way to a faraway city, collecting more air miles than you did!

There are many expenses in owning your own plane - aviation fuel, insurance, loan payments and maintenance upkeep.  And yet, even with all that, I know that when we head out to the airport, my pilot never leaves without me and my luggage never gets lost.  If we feel the need to stop for fuel or food during the flight, we are free to do so - when we want - and where we want!  There isn't a lot of room in the cockpit of our plane, but at least I'm familiar with the fellow sitting next to me!

P