Does anyone like to fly anymore?

[JanaDee]

I don't fly for work, so whenever I am getting on a plane, it for a fun reason. Though I much preferred flying pre-9/11 to now.

DH tolerates it, since he does fly for work.

I do get a kick out of how much fun my kids think flying is, though.

 

[blessedone03]

I have to fly often for work and the flying part I love. The joke known as TSA makes it not so fun.

 

[bookgirl]

I hate it. I am not willing to fly unless absolutely necessary. I would rather drive for 2 days. How are you all feeling about it? Any tips to make it easier? I don't carry on anymore, too much trouble fighting for a spot in the bins. The seats seem to be shrinking. But the prices seem to be holding steady. Yuck.

See I'm the complete opposite. A few hours waiting around the airport is NOTHING compared to being stuck in a car for two days.

I love my friends and family.....but no, just no. I try to keep car trips to half a day. There are one of two times when we do end up driving because it's easier or cheaper in that specific case but I do it under protest.


We do a number of car trips and sure it's nice to have all that room and flexibility, but I don't want to lose 4 days of my time to driving.

I will pay more to fly somewhere if at all possible. I don't have a fear of flying, I am plus size but I fit in the seats, once I'm on vacation I want to get there and start having fun. Flying has some not so great points but it is so small compared to the advantages.

I travel light. I splurge on favorite snacks/lunches and trashy magazines. I rent movies from Itunes. I never take a carry on that won't fit under the seat cause the bin hogs are just more than I want to deal with. I try not to check more than one bag, by planning multi task clothing and combining items that will do the same job, but will do two if I know the situation at the other end. (thank goodness I only took one bag to Chicago, the EL was built before ADA and I had to do stairs with my luggage should have done more research there). I try to get in the early boarding groups so I can scope out a good seat, and if I'm traveling with family or friends I cough up the extra money to pick seats or get early entry. I always remember that flying is not something everybody does, it's an adventure, it's a miracle of physics, it's really darn fast....except for that whole arrive two hours early thing.

In the end it's all attitude. I think of all the great things about flying, and it's pretty easy to ignore or at least tolerate the not so great.

 

[minnie mum]

I loathe, abhor and detest just about everything about flying now. I didn't always. Getting there is definitely not half the fun if we have to fly. But we do fly because we love to vacation in distant parts.

What's to love? Paying an arm and a leg for airfare, or spending hours to find the most economical option. Long lineups at check in counters- AFTER you've already pre-printed your boarding passes and luggage tags yourself. Long lines at security and surly security agents. Flight delays and cancellations with no advance warning and then the mad free for all to make alternate arrangements. Sitting on the tarmac for hours.

Crammed in like sardines in narrow seats with little leg room. Recline your seat at the risk of your life. Pay for food- and bad food at that. Pay for entertainment. Pay for a pillow or a blanket. Pay for luggage. How long before the toilets require payment? Bearable on a short haul flight, but intercontinental is purgatory.

And then at your destination, praying that your checked luggage actually went on the same flight that you did. Again- what's to love? It's a necessary evil that is becoming more evil every year for me. If it wasn't for Xanax I'd never make it.

 

[BGK]

Personally I still like to fly. I still get excited. Yes, even with the lines at security, and being "crowded" on the plane, I still enjoy it.

I'm really not a fan of his, but I believe comedian Louis CK says it best:

"I had to sit on the runway for 40 minutes." Oh my God, really? What happened then, did you fly through the air like a bird, incredibly? Did you soar into the clouds, impossibly? Did you partake in the miracle of human flight and then land softly on giant tires that you couldn't even conceive how they ******* put air in them?...You're sitting in a chair in the sky. You're like a Greek myth right now.

Number of times in 30+ years of flying where I've had to partake in an emergency procedure: 0

Number of times in the last year where I've had to make emergency avoidance maneuvers owing to other drivers while on U.S. 17 up to Orlando: 3

 

[Janepod]

See I'm the complete opposite. A few hours waiting around the airport is NOTHING compared to being stuck in a car for two days.

I love my friends and family.....but no, just no. I try to keep car trips to half a day. There are one of two times when we do end up driving because it's easier or cheaper in that specific case but I do it under protest.


We do a number of car trips and sure it's nice to have all that room and flexibility, but I don't want to lose 4 days of my time to driving.

I will pay more to fly somewhere if at all possible. I don't have a fear of flying, I am plus size but I fit in the seats, once I'm on vacation I want to get there and start having fun. Flying has some not so great points but it is so small compared to the advantages.

I travel light. I splurge on favorite snacks/lunches and trashy magazines. I rent movies from Itunes. I never take a carry on that won't fit under the seat cause the bin hogs are just more than I want to deal with. I try not to check more than one bag, by planning multi task clothing and combining items that will do the same job, but will do two if I know the situation at the other end. (thank goodness I only took one bag to Chicago, the EL was built before ADA and I had to do stairs with my luggage should have done more research there). I try to get in the early boarding groups so I can scope out a good seat, and if I'm traveling with family or friends I cough up the extra money to pick seats or get early entry. I always remember that flying is not something everybody does, it's an adventure, it's a miracle of physics, it's really darn fast....except for that whole arrive two hours early thing.

In the end it's all attitude. I think of all the great things about flying, and it's pretty easy to ignore or at least tolerate the not so great.

I couldn't agree more. I can't stand driving or being a passenger in a car. 4 hours is my absolute limit. I fly or take the train whenever possible. I can read, close my eyes, do some work, have a glass of wine, whatever. So much more pleasant than a car trip.

 

[Stinkerbe11]

Before 911, yes. After 911, no. Although, this will change soon when we pick up our new airplane this weekend DH is a pilot and we live 10 minutes from a small airport. Now we can leave when we feel like it, skip the security lines and travel at our own pace!

 

[Robbi]

In the old days, I loved to fly. Now, as my husband says, "Flying today is like taking a Greyhound bus only you're at 30,000 feet."