When flying was fun

[krissyh]

I have to admit that I don't really like to fly, but was a lot more fun and less stressful before.
Oh how things have changed, and, while I did fly in the 70s, I can only remember doing it in the 80s and forward.

People did present themselves and behave so much better. I still feel a little sloppy if I wear jeans with a blouse and nice shoes on a plane!

I do not miss airplane food, but do miss the idea of a meal being provided.

My first luggage was a hard sided blue suitcase and little carry-on cosmetics box. It made me very grown up and oh so cool.

Remember when, if there was a problem, they simply moved everyone from your half empty flight onto a different plane? Even a different airline?

I do remember once being one row in front of the smoking section and the flight attendant not understanding my desire to move to one of the many empty seats since I was in non-smoking!

I loved when people picked me up at the airport. You came down the walk to a hug, not to people lined up for the next flight.

It is still always an adventure, if not always a fun one and airports have improved a great deal. Just today a couple of my ninth graders were talking about "how cool some airports are."

 

[LoveKermit]

I do not miss airplane food, but do miss the idea of a meal being provided.

I loved when people picked me up at the airport. You came down the walk to a hug, not to people lined up for the next flight.

It is still always an adventure, if not always a fun one and airports have improved a great deal. Just today a couple of my ninth graders were talking about "how cool some airports are."

Good call on airplane food. Thai airline had good shrimp--can you believe it--shrimp? That was in 1997.

People picking up----that's what I'm saying (see earlier post)!

My 12th graders were grumbling about LAX just a couple weeks ago. One had been, one was dreading going, I think he had hockey.

And most of us are ORD people. I think we like it. I don't think tourists do. Better food at Midway.

 

[bavaria]

Definitely, this was us. I remember my mother buying all the kids new outfits to fly in and god help us if we got dirty. LOL

Ah, good memories of two classic DISthreads - 'Puma track suit in first class' and 'what to wear in first class'

I still 'dress up' I suppose to fly; many of us still fly in business attire for work and still fly in 'dress up' clothes for vacation.

The LH meals are still very good in Economy, same with SWISS. The LH Indian veg meal is great (it varies from day to day) and served the same in Economy as in Business class (although without the Betthupferl of chocolate)

SWISS still gives a chocolate bar on board and on deplaning and still serves Mövenpick ice cream on short haul flights in economy. I was even scolded by the purser a few weeks ago for daring to decline the breakfast treat on a short hop from Zürich to London!

And Lufthansa still serves quite often that DISboard golden treat of Laugensemmel ie 'pretzel bread'.

 

[dudspizza]

Ah, good memories of two classic DISthreads - 'Puma track suit in first class' and 'what to wear in first class'

I still 'dress up' I suppose to fly; many of us still fly in business attire for work and still fly in 'dress up' clothes for vacation.

The LH meals are still very good in Economy, same with SWISS. The LH Indian veg meal is great (it varies from day to day) and served the same in Economy as in Business class (although without the Betthupferl of chocolate)

SWISS still gives a chocolate bar on board and on deplaning and still serves Mövenpick ice cream on short haul flights in economy. I was even scolded by the purser a few weeks ago for daring to decline the breakfast treat on a short hop from Zürich to London!

And Lufthansa still serves quite often that DISboard golden treat of Laugensemmel ie 'pretzel bread'.

You had to bring up my "what to wear in first class" thread....... you had to go there....... by the way, can I wear my Puma track suit or should it be jeans with a sport coat?

 

[bavaria]

Isn't the Puma track suit what you wear to work, so wouldn't it be 'business attire' in your case?

 

[pr surfer]

You can still fly like that. General Aviation, most large Asian/Middle Eastern carriers (Cathay Pacific, I love you)... and occasionally domestic flights in countries with sane security and decent carriers and within countries with sane security and decent carriers (ie- not the US, UK, and Canada among others). Sadly within the US, it's never going to be the same.

Umm...there are no x-ray machines, metal detectors or taking off of shoes at Customs today either. That occurs at SECURITY.

Actually, there are x-rays and metal detectors at customs. They just aren't used on every bag. And if so inclined, they can make you take off your shoes... and the rest of your outfit.

 

[bavaria]

I am issuing a public apology....

pr surfer, you were right, I was wrong. (that is chocolate by the way I am offering up, not some wimpy flower)

I quite often get the 'watch check' by undercover customs at MUC. When they see my 20 Euro DLRP watch they move on very quickly however! No high end watch on my wrist.

 

[dudspizza]

Isn't the Puma track suit what you wear to work, so wouldn't it be 'business attire' in your case?

actually, I prefer to teach in shorts!!! Plus, business attire for me is a pair of shorts and a hoodie sweatshirt!!!!! Can I wear that in first class?

I do plan on wearing pants at least on my flight this weekend! Then again, I am flying out of MSP in January.... put on some pants!

 

[bavaria]

ACK! I just posted a long reply on shorts vs skirts (I recommend the skirt) on a 'crime in Europe' thread.....

Skirts are definitely very comfortable for long haul travel.

 

[PrncessA]

Okay, while I'm not old enough to remember no security check (though I may have been alive before it) and I did not look at all the pictures, here is my memory.

When DH and I had been dating about 4-5 months, he had a business trip. I decided about 30 minutes before he landed to surprise him at the airport......at the gate! Ran through security and met him at the gate. Sigh.

But I LOVE driving to and from O'Hare. If you ever need a ride (within 30 minutes), I'm your gal! I love driving there. It's a total strategy....not wait too long, not be too late.... (helps that I'm only 15-20 minutes from ORD).

LOL, I'm your girl then! My mom was lost for an hour when she picked us up last September!

 

[kaytieeldr]

ACK! I just posted a long reply on shorts vs skirts (I recommend the skirt) on a 'crime in Europe' thread.....

Skirts are definitely very comfortable for long haul travel.

Even for dudspizza?

 

[goofy4tink]

And I still continue to fly in jeans and a long sleeved tee shirt, with cotton socks...always. Why? I got into the habit of flying in natural fibers only, just in case there was an issue. You know...those nasty plane crashes or fires onboard?? You don't want to be in polyester..it just melts to your skin.
I know, I know....crazy.

 

[ironz]

And I still continue to fly in jeans and a long sleeved tee shirt, with cotton socks...always. Why? I got into the habit of flying in natural fibers only, just in case there was an issue. You know...those nasty plane crashes or fires onboard?? You don't want to be in polyester..it just melts to your skin.
I know, I know....crazy.

I'll admit...I often wear jeans and a longsleeved top and sometimes hoodie and running shoes on my "commute" from Texas to Alaska (didn't think of this exact reason, though!).
It's about 15 hours travel time, and 3 flights, and sometimes extreme weather changes. So comfort is key, though I try to still look neat and presentable...hair is fixed, makeup on, no pajama pants (that look should never leave the house).

I have learned that my favorite corduroys and a simple sweater are also quite comfortable for travel as well. Still sticking to the running shoes, though.

 

[bavaria]

Even for dudspizza?

Well I did suggest a skirt and pashmina on his 'flying in first class' thread.

And for the jeans crowd, believe it or not but some flyers still have to adhere to dress codes when flying. Of course, as I also mentioned, dark denim trousers are almost the uniform for many German men, paired with a dress shirt and sports coat.

But I agree completely about the natural fibres!

 

[safetymom]

I guess I am old enough to remember dressing up to fly. When my kids first started flying I made them dress up also.

I have seen some pretty bad outfits on fliers that they should have been embarassed to wear.

 

[goofy4tink]

Well I did suggest a skirt and pashmina on his 'flying in first class' thread.

And for the jeans crowd, believe it or not but some flyers still have to adhere to dress codes when flying. Of course, as I also mentioned, dark denim trousers are almost the uniform for many German men, paired with a dress shirt and sports coat.

But I agree completely about the natural fibres!

Just to let you know...I'm in the market for a nice pashmina...basically for flying based on your advice. Really sounded like a great idea. I will be buying one in the next month. Any thoughts on what the material should be??? Natural fibers I would think. (or that could be 'fibres').

I have to say that I would put my jeans up against some of the outfits I've seen lately. No, they aren't dressy, but they do look more than decent. And since I wear slip-ons rather than sneakers, they look even better. Hate having to unlace and then lace up my shoes at security..takes way too much time.

In August, just look for the older well dressed lady wearing dark jeans, dark socks, Merrill slipons, a white long sleeved tee shirt and a nice pashmina, at the airport. Ooohhh, so fashionable!!

 

[bavaria]

Just to let you know...I'm in the market for a nice pashmina...basically for flying based on your advice. Really sounded like a great idea. I will be buying one in the next month. Any thoughts on what the material should be??? Natural fibers I would think. (or that could be 'fibres').!

OOOOHH.... I have several of the 10 Euro ones from the streets of Paris, which are nice, but on a recent trip we vowed to get the 'real' ones.

My colleague ended up with a real Pashmina (you know, hand knit by the goats themselves!) one in India and I purchased a silk/cotton one in Thailand. The quality is amazing compared to the 'pashmina/cashmere' blends that one usually finds - mine is so thin but warm when it needs to be and cool when it needs to be. (I will admit that I went touristy and purchased mine at Jim Thompson - you know, the American firm in Thailand, but they had such a beautiful one at a decent price and I was tired of looking at cheap poor quality ones)

There are a lot of websites which sell them too at a reasonable cost if you are looking for something more than just the street corner ones. Flyertalk.com has a thread about them too in the 'womens' forum. (And by the way, there are just as many men posting on that one as women, talking about handbags and shoes and other supposedly female subjects)

 

[pr surfer]

Skirts are definitely very comfortable for long haul travel.

not an option for me... although a kilt on BA might be oddly appropriate.

 

[uva185]

Good call on airplane food. Thai airline had good shrimp--can you believe it--shrimp? That was in 1997.

To be fair last year my meal on Singapore Airlines on a flight from LAX-SIN was Lobster for the first meal and Rack of Lamb for the second meal and all you can drink Krug or Dom!

 

[Tara]

I still think flying is an adventure, and mostly fun (TSA isn't fun, but I'm not going there). But I do remember when I was a girl and we made a bunch of cross-Pacific trips (we were stationed in Guam and the Philippines when I was young). I remember the Pan Am and TWA flight bags from travel agents. I remember the blue plastic headphones for in-flight entertainment (and I remember breaking a pair accidentally and being HORRIFIED, but I don't remember ever actually watching or listening to anything). I remember very empty 747s where my brother and I had our pick of center rows to stretch out in and sleep. Of course

Those were the days...but even these days, I still love flying.