Knowing how to travel (fly).

[NYCgrrl]

Some of us are required to fly on a plane small enough that even what is generally thought of as carry ons have to be checked. There is more space under the seat in front of me than there is in the overhead bin of a CRJ-200.

I traveled on a small plane once from Martha’s Vineyard to NYC and learned the limitations of the plane and me.
The next small plane flight was a transfer from Baltimore to Newport News and I left the airport and switched to Amtrak.
As REO Speedwagon used to sing “I can’t fight this feeling…”

 

[John VN]

I traveled on a small plane once from Martha’s Vineyard to NYC and learned the limitations of the plane and me.
The next small plane flight was a transfer from Baltimore to Newport News and I left the airport and switched to Amtrak.
As REO Speedwagon used to sing “I can’t fight this feeling…”

We flew from Ft. Lauderdale to Bahamas once on a small plane and everything was weighed, placed accordingly and during our taxi to the runway the pilot pulled a lever to open doors in the floor so we could FLINTSTONE run the plan faster for takeoff.

 

[dvcgirl67]

I haven't checked a bag in years....at least a decade. We've never had a problem boarding with the Away Carryon and a backpack (as personal item). Worst case is one of the bags gets gate checked, but that at least has a pretty good chance of making it on the plane. But that's never happened to us.

As for traveling these days with the general public....it's pretty awful. I do think it's gotten worse, but then I went down a rabbit hole and watched a bunch of episodes from that show Airline from around 2005-06. It was pretty awful back then too...lol. It was on for 2-3 years and mostly dealt with the problem passengers who showed up hammered, late, or both. Anyone who thinks that "Karens" are a new phenomenon since the pandemic should watch that show. They were alive and well then...both male and female versions.

The other area of focus was on what they called "COS" (customers of size), because Southwest was one of the first airlines to charge customers for an extra seat if they couldn't fit. That's still a big issue today....bigger in fact, as we're bigger as a nation. A lot of the time gate agents don't want to deal with it and just hope that the COS gets a seat mate who will deal with it. But I see constant complaints about this on the United subreddit. The rule is supposed to be that the person has to fit in the seat with the armrest down and if they can't, they must buy an extra seat. But it happens a fair amount that people don't buy the extra seat and pick up the armrest and spill into the person sitting next to them. This turns into a big thing if someone complains, but really they should not have been allowed to board if those are the rules.

 

[DisneylandFreak2013]

My story upthread about my husband's bag was United and it was a non-stop route. Last year they had 5 non-stops a day going from Washington DC to San Diego. We never thought it was a problem. Problem was, just about every flight out is/was always full and they randomly pull checked bags if weight becomes an issue (yet somehow they were still gate checking bags). My husband's bag was one of probably four bags they pulled. We were pretty inexperienced about this practice so he was freaking out when we were in San Diego but they did put the bag on the last flight of the evening and all was well, though it pretty much ruined our first day because they kept telling us they didn't know when it would be there and had us come back to the airport twice. Anyway, probably does NOT ever happen to United First customers so no worries for you, and I realize this isnt the same as lost luggage but still not fun.

That would be super frustrating, especially making you come back to the airport rather than just delivering to you.

We're so used to our bags coming out within the first 10 or so because of the priority tags they put on them. That probably also helps that we have those on there.

This was 20 years ago, but my aunt flew in for DD's first birthday. Direct flight, and her checked bag just never got put on the plane. So she ended up going shopping.

While direct cuts down on possible issues, it doesn't eliminate them.

Very true. We've been pretty lucky.

We generally fly 4-7 times per year, a mix of domestic/international itineraries and have yet to have an issue. Knocking on all the wood right now!

The only airline that's ever lost my bag has been United. Was a business trip to Vegas, I was fine as I flew in business clothes, had an extra pair of underwear and my meds in my backpack. My co-worker had done none of that. She flew in sweats, brought only her purse and had her contact solution in her checked bag.

I now have Galaxy Tags in all of my bags, When I land I open the app and just make sure they're in the same city as I am. Haven't had any issues. I also pay about $70/yr for travel insurance that makes sure I get reimbursed if my bag is delayed.

I'm lucky that I'm pretty ok when we fly if something were to happen. Passport, ID, CCs stay with me. I keep some meds in my purse, but luckily I have none that I *need* to have and could skip for a few days. If worst came to worse, I would just buy clothes on the way to our destination.

Same, Apple AirTag along with purchasing on my AmEx Platinum travel card that includes lost/delay insurance. Those perks are becoming more rare it seems for CCs.

 

[Christine]

That would be super frustrating, especially making you come back to the airport rather than just delivering to you.

They would have delivered it to me; however, it was going to potentially be the next day if it came in that night. They told me it could have been on any of the 3 remaining flights. Fortunately, the airport is line 10 minutes from my son's apartment so it was just easier to go back and forth just to see if it came in. Not sure if you've been to the San Diego airport, but it's super easy and chill. Had it been my home airport of Dulles, ugh. On top of it all, the United baggage agent at the terminal was really taking a personal interest so she was always tracking the bag for us and calling us with status. I have to say, besides the part about holding the bag back in the first place and then being clueless as to which flight it would get put on, the United agent in San Diego was fantastic.

 

[holden]

Things we try to do:

1. Travel with carry on luggage only. Easy to do in Disney because we are DVC and have washer/dryer in the room.
2. Choose an early flight in case our flight is canceled. That way we can try to get on a flight later in the day.
3. Charge our phones while waiting to board and in flight. Landing with a fully charged phone is always a good thing.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

We did have a funny in a odd way experience last month on PLAY airlines. PLAY Airlines is an ultra-low cost airline where everything is a la carte. The particular flight was from our connection in Iceland to Baltimore. A difficult passenger who hopped from seat to seat to escape a bothersome family and was rude while doing so basically acting like she was entitled to whatever space she wanted. She caught the attention of multiple passengers who promptly spoke of the "musical chair entitled passenger" when the plane landed back in the U.S.

She hopped in two exit row seats without FA approval, discussion of risks and willingness to help and without paying extra (like my husband, myself and one other passenger did) and was incredibly rude to us while doing so while also initially bringing her backpack to put under the seat which PLAY prohibits for exit row seats. She seemed liked the person who would cause a scene if she didn't get her way. The karma she got was that between the two exit row seats she escaped to, one next to me so she was against the window and eventually the other on the other row, the people in front of her kept reclining their seats and moving around which caused her iPad to keep falling out of the slot in the pull down tray designed for that. She eventually put her iPad on the floor of the plane where it then kept sliding around a lot. The people behind us snickered to us after the plane landed about that. My husband and I just spoke about her to ourselves but other passengers around us spoke bluntly and openly once the plane landed and she made sure to get off the plane as quickly as possible. She seemed aware of how much attention she was bringing to herself but I don't think she thought it would turn out as bad when she first moved to sit next to us.

She knew how to fly but was that passenger who eventually will make her way to going viral for all the wrong reasons.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

I haven't checked a bag in years....at least a decade. We've never had a problem boarding with the Away Carryon and a backpack (as personal item). Worst case is one of the bags gets gate checked, but that at least has a pretty good chance of making it on the plane. But that's never happened to us.

As for traveling these days with the general public....it's pretty awful. I do think it's gotten worse, but then I went down a rabbit hole and watched a bunch of episodes from that show Airline from around 2005-06. It was pretty awful back then too...lol. It was on for 2-3 years and mostly dealt with the problem passengers who showed up hammered, late, or both. Anyone who thinks that "Karens" are a new phenomenon since the pandemic should watch that show. They were alive and well then...both male and female versions.

The other area of focus was on what they called "COS" (customers of size), because Southwest was one of the first airlines to charge customers for an extra seat if they couldn't fit. That's still a big issue today....bigger in fact, as we're bigger as a nation. A lot of the time gate agents don't want to deal with it and just hope that the COS gets a seat mate who will deal with it. But I see constant complaints about this on the United subreddit. The rule is supposed to be that the person has to fit in the seat with the armrest down and if they can't, they must buy an extra seat. But it happens a fair amount that people don't buy the extra seat and pick up the armrest and spill into the person sitting next to them. This turns into a big thing if someone complains, but really they should not have been allowed to board if those are the rules.

I remember that show! Yes poor passenger behavior isn't new. I do think we've seen a shift in basically both the airlines becoming lax in service and passengers more fed up with it. So maybe what used to be less commonplace to see really poor passenger behavior which made them stand out more you now seem more commonplace situations occur as almost a baseline, then the really poor passenger behavior just stands out even more.

I saw an article from a traveling blog (I forget which one but it wasn't the Points Guy for sure) that just spoke about I think either United or American Airlines where a passenger mentioned how his flight he had a passenger of size who took up half their seat and the arm rest was unable to be put down and there was no response from the FAs for a resolution because the flight was fully full so no additional seat to use up. I believe the advice was given to put in a complaint against the airline to the DOT for failure to abide by their own rules which was that passenger of size customer should not have been able to board with no additional seat purchased which I actually agree with.

In regards to SWA, they initially charge a customer for that extra seat then they request a refund for it after the flight. I don't know if that's always been the case but in its present iteration it's not actually charging a customer in the end, it's just ensuring another seat is blocked out and accounted for.

 

[china mom]

When we traveled to China, DH DS and I cross-packed but my mother went with us and we picked her up on the way so all of her stuff was in one bag. Of course, one of our bags and her bag were missing for a couple of days. She was washing things out in the sin each night.

Then, on the way back, her bag was lost forever. I mean it has not shown up yet and it was lost in 2007. She packed all of her medications and ALL OF HER CASH in the checked bag because she thought it would be safer.

 

[china mom]

Southwest lost my four gallons of Jeni's Splendid Ice Cream once but I got a call at 11PM that they had put it in the employee freezer for me and I could come get it the next day

 

[DisneylandFreak2013]

We did have a funny in a odd way experience last month on PLAY airlines. PLAY Airlines is an ultra-low cost airline where everything is a la carte. The particular flight was from our connection in Iceland to Baltimore. A difficult passenger who hopped from seat to seat to escape a bothersome family and was rude while doing so basically acting like she was entitled to whatever space she wanted. She caught the attention of multiple passengers who promptly spoke of the "musical chair entitled passenger" when the plane landed back in the U.S.

She hopped in two exit row seats without FA approval, discussion of risks and willingness to help and without paying extra (like my husband, myself and one other passenger did) and was incredibly rude to us while doing so while also initially bringing her backpack to put under the seat which PLAY prohibits for exit row seats. She seemed liked the person who would cause a scene if she didn't get her way. The karma she got was that between the two exit row seats she escaped to, one next to me so she was against the window and eventually the other on the other row, the people in front of her kept reclining their seats and moving around which caused her iPad to keep falling out of the slot in the pull down tray designed for that. She eventually put her iPad on the floor of the plane where it then kept sliding around a lot. The people behind us snickered to us after the plane landed about that. My husband and I just spoke about her to ourselves but other passengers around us spoke bluntly and openly once the plane landed and she made sure to get off the plane as quickly as possible. She seemed aware of how much attention she was bringing to herself but I don't think she thought it would turn out as bad when she first moved to sit next to us.

She knew how to fly but was that passenger who eventually will make her way to going viral for all the wrong reasons.

It's interesting that many people got off and took time to complain, especially when it seemed to not be a passenger safety issue. I used to fly the ultra-low carriers in college and there were some def. character passengers for sure but I thought that came with the territory of cheap flights so I never complained lol. Unless it was an issue of safety or especially egregious, I generally just want to get off the plane and get to where I'm headed.

 

[DisneylandFreak2013]

Jeni's Splendid Ice Cream

I have a lot of questions...but the first one is how? lol Did you pack it in your checked suitcase? We're visiting family back east next week and are planning on bringing back 15 pies we're purchasing from the Amish (long story lol) but weren't sure how best to transport them back in our carry-ons.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

It's interesting that many people got off and took time to complain, especially when it seemed to not be a passenger safety issue. I used to fly the ultra-low carriers in college and there were some def. character passengers for sure but I thought that came with the territory of cheap flights so I never complained lol. Unless it was an issue of safety or especially egregious, I generally just want to get off the plane and get to where I'm headed.

No one got off the plane at that point. It was the woman who jumped out of the seat and rushed to get off the plane super fast, then people around were like what was her issue? Part of it was in her haste to move to the other exit row she left her seat reclined (which pushed back into the passenger behind her) and the tablet holder out (which must be stowed during take off, landing and taxiing). The passenger behind her actually reached around just after she left to push the seat up. Had I noticed she had reclined it I would have done that. It was enough that about 7 or 8 passengers in multiple rows took notice of her erratic behavior and tablet issue (it made a lot of noise every time it fell).

I would say it was a safety issue because a condition of being in the exit row is verbal confirmation of your willingness to help as well, of which the FAs did not get nor were there a discussion about how to pull down the door, when to do it, etc. When the FA sat next to me prior to the jet bridge door being closed no one was sitting there so it became my responsibility until this errant passenger took it upon herself to sit there. She moved to the seat next to me after we were already in the air. PLAY is an Icelandic airline so I'm not sure if there is a requirement to speak English but domestically this is also something that is required for the airlines to verbally get confirmation of. That was actually a big issue on our flight last year to Puerto Rico where majority of the plane was ineligible to sit in the exit row.

Now PLAY airlines FAs did not seem to really be ones I would actually trust in the event of an air crisis but they were super strict about the exit row themselves. You could not have even your jacket off such as the woman across the aisle from us. She was told to put it back on. Nothing under the seat in front of you nor could you have anything in the seat pocket that would push it out far to obstruct it. If this wasn't an exit row it would change the conversation to a lesser but still interesting character of a passenger. However, by your comment on another thread I question whether you are being genuine here.

I too am interested in getting off the plane but you know this thread was about passengers and flying so take that for what you will. Yes we found out PLAY Airlines attracts a certain type of crowd though it was enough to garner attention from others around so I think that counts for something

 

[china mom]

I have a lot of questions...but the first one is how? lol Did you pack it in your checked suitcase? We're visiting family back east next week and are planning on bringing back 15 pies we're purchasing from the Amish (long story lol) but weren't sure how best to transport them back in our carry-ons.

Let me answer the unasked "why" first. The kids and I were trying to see all 50 states but the rule was that we had to do something in the State. We were doing a lot of day trips and decided Ohio for jenis ice cream. We flew in and out on a really tight schedule. We ate scoops in the store and bought packaged ice cream to bring back.

Jenis packed it in a cooler with dry ice and we were going to carry it on. SWA erroneously told me that TSA wouldn't let it through and I didn't have time to argue so I checked it.

I later determined that I could have carried it on. We checked it too late for the ice cream to make it on that flight.

I would think that your biggest hurdle would be keeing the pies upright.

Do they need refrigeration?

 

[DisneylandFreak2013]

No one got off the plane at that point. It was the woman who jumped out of the seat and rushed to get off the plane super fast, then people around were like what was her issue? Part of it was in her haste to move to the other exit row she left her seat reclined (which pushed back into the passenger behind her) and the tablet holder out (which must be stowed during take off, landing and taxiing). The passenger behind her actually reached around just after she left to push the seat up. Had I noticed she had reclined it I would have done that. It was enough that about 7 or 8 passengers in multiple rows took notice of her erratic behavior and tablet issue (it made a lot of noise every time it fell).

I would say it was a safety issue because a condition of being in the exit row is verbal confirmation of your willingness to help as well, of which the FAs did not get nor were there a discussion about how to pull down the door, when to do it, etc. When the FA sat next to me prior to the jet bridge door being closed no one was sitting there so it became my responsibility until this errant passenger took it upon herself to sit there. She moved to the seat next to me after we were already in the air. PLAY is an Icelandic airline so I'm not sure if there is a requirement to speak English but domestically this is also something that is required for the airlines to verbally get confirmation of. That was actually a big issue on our flight last year to Puerto Rico where majority of the plane was ineligible to sit in the exit row.

Now PLAY airlines FAs did not seem to really be ones I would actually trust in the event of an air crisis but they were super strict about the exit row themselves. You could not have even your jacket off such as the woman across the aisle from us. She was told to put it back on. Nothing under the seat in front of you nor could you have anything in the seat pocket that would push it out far to obstruct it. If this wasn't an exit row it would change the conversation to a lesser but still interesting character of a passenger. However, by your comment on another thread I question whether you are being genuine here.

I too am interested in getting off the plane but you know this thread was about passengers and flying so take that for what you will. Yes we found out PLAY Airlines attracts a certain type of crowd though it was enough to garner attention from others around so I think that counts for something

Fascinating, that had to have been quite dramatic to draw the ire of so many. In the times I've sat in exit row, domestically and international, they usually don't go through the steps on how to open the door. It's just a verbal confirmation that you are able and willing to assist in the event of an emergency. The flight attendants generally didn't seem to have a lot of time to go over specific exit door equipment that wasn't covered during the pre-flight safety spiel.

Not sure if the bolded part was meant for me or OP? Hopefully not something from the Controversial Forum, I know that they were hoping to avoid some of the bleed over from other threads onto the regular forums.

 

[DisneylandFreak2013]

Let me answer the unasked "why" first. The kids and I were trying to see all 50 states but the rule was that we had to do something in the State. We were doing a lot of day trips and decided Ohio for jenis ice cream. We flew in and out on a really tight schedule. We ate scoops in the store and bought packaged ice cream to bring back.

Jenis packed it in a cooler with dry ice and we were going to carry it on. SWA erroneously told me that TSA wouldn't let it through and I didn't have time to argue so I checked it.

I later determined that I could have carried it on. We checked it too late for the ice cream to make it on that flight.

I would think that your biggest hurdle would be keeing the pies upright.

Do they need refrigeration?

How fun! That definitely makes sense and that was super sweet that they put it in the freezer for you! I hadn't heard of it before, but now it is making me hungry for ice cream.

No, they are just pecan, strawberry rhubarb, etc. so are fine outside of the fridge. We were thinking about buying special pie containers that would hold like 5 of them at a time, but thought that might be kind of extra haha. We had them the last time we were there and they were amazing, so of course we told people at work and now they submitted orders for them and expect them when we get back. Luckily from the sound of it from what my cousin said since he placed the order in person, the Amish woman who is making them seemed excited by our large order. We'll keep our fingers crossed they arrive intact for everyone. I will be $150 lighter in the wallet, but it's worth it for good pie lol

 

[fly girl]

This just happened this week, a colleague was traveling from Boston to Algeria (visiting family) connecting in Paris. He had to gate check his hand carry in Paris. He forgot to remove his work laptop and the hand carry never made it to Algeria. He was supposed to work from Algeria but now can't and is in deep doo doo with our Data Security group.

I am surprised they didn't ask him to remove the laptop when it got checked. However, it likely was a smaller and obviously non-US airline. Larger airlines are very big on making sure lithium batteries are NOT in checked luggage due to them igniting themselves spontaneously.

Let me answer the unasked "why" first. The kids and I were trying to see all 50 states but the rule was that we had to do something in the State. We were doing a lot of day trips and decided Ohio for jenis ice cream. We flew in and out on a really tight schedule. We ate scoops in the store and bought packaged ice cream to bring back.

Jenis packed it in a cooler with dry ice and we were going to carry it on. SWA erroneously told me that TSA wouldn't let it through and I didn't have time to argue so I checked it.

I later determined that I could have carried it on. We checked it too late for the ice cream to make it on that flight.

I would think that your biggest hurdle would be keeing the pies upright.

Do they need refrigeration?

I love the 50 state travel! However, shame on you for choosing Jeni's over Graeter's! Just kidding. I appreciate their out of the box flavors, but Graeter's is superior. And I am saying this completely unbiased.

I am glad the ice cream was saved!

And good gravy I know too well about carry on dry ice foods. Seafood, that can stink up an aircraft like no other if the dry ice is evaporating.

 

[china mom]

I am surprised they didn't ask him to remove the laptop when it got checked. However, it likely was a smaller and obviously non-US airline. Larger airlines are very big on making sure lithium batteries are NOT in checked luggage due to them igniting themselves spontaneously.



I love the 50 state travel! However, shame on you for choosing Jeni's over Graeter's! Just kidding. I appreciate their out of the box flavors, but Graeter's is superior. And I am saying this completely unbiased.

I am glad the ice cream was saved!

And good gravy I know too well about carry on dry ice foods. Seafood, that can stink up an aircraft like no other if the dry ice is evaporating.

Unfortunately we only got 32 states done before DS started playing football and then I became my mother's caregiver. It was a lot of fun though.

 

[fly girl]

Unfortunately we only got 32 states done before DS started playing football and then I became my mother's caregiver. It was a lot of fun though.

Aww. 32 is still great! What was your favorite?

 

[china mom]

Aww. 32 is still great! What was your favorite?

So many to choose from. Most were day trips so we didn't have a lot of time to explore. We had a spectacular day in Chicago and the week in Alaska only whet our appetite to see more of the state.