Flying Kind of Sucks

[modeps]

I've been away, you may not have noticed but my family and I went to Disney World for 5 days, 4 nights. I have a 4.6 year old and a 1.8 year old. Here's a fun story about our return trip!

Saturday was our last day, and we had our flight setup for 7:35. So we went to the Magic Kingdom in the morning and met the Fairies and Daisy Duck, as well as went on Dumbo. Then saw a parade and bought some stuff to take home. We get back to the hotel and hop the bus to the airport. On the bus we learn of an hour delay. No problem, that'll give us time to eat.

As we're eating, we learn of another hour delay... ok, now we'll just relax for a bit... still not a big deal. My brother in law and I grab a beer, and the girls run around for a while. We then board the airplane and do the normal stuff. While taxiing to the runway, my 1yo flips out. Screaming a terrible scream. Everyone around us is annoyed, but there are two people more annoyed than the rest. They're dudes, manly men. One has a 12 year old son sitting next to him with a real tattoo. Awesome job parenting. He's cursing a lot, in English, then when actually talking about us, goes to Spanish. Very compassionate man.

We're waiting to take off for a good 20 minutes, while my daughter continues to scream, then we learn that a member of the flight crew is sick and we have to drop them off at the airport and pick up another one. Everyone is angry, but what can you do. As we connect to the terminal, we learn that there's no replacement ready, and it could take 2 hours to get a new person here and we have to get off the plane. At that point we learn it's one of the pilots, not just like an attendant or whatever. I was like "at least he didnt get sick mid flight and crash us and we would die." Everyone else is just mad they're late.

So, we sit around for a long time, and finally take off... I dont know, like midnight or later. It was about 5 hours after we were supposed to leave. At this point, 1yo is conked out on me, 4yo falls asleep immediately on the plane, before takeoff. And everyone has a quiet, but very delayed flight home.

Five hours is murder, we could have stayed in Disney for that time.

[brandonjclark]

Commercial flying can be one of the most stressful, terrifying and downright horrible experiences a human can possibly endure. I'm sorry about your little one, that sucks. I'm sure he/she was scared to death and there's not much you can do in that situation except try to comfort them.

I bought a big SUV and we drive everywhere now. Forget flying with the entire family until they've grown up a little.

*My daughter turns 2 at the end of this month, so I know EXACTLY what you're dealing with because we had her on a plane four months ago and we'll not do it again until she's at least five or six.

[freddy]

Modeps,

Sorry, long time lurker. First time poster.

I just took a little long weekend vacation last week and was on my fourth flight of the trip and had a total panic attack. Started hyperventilating and stuff. It was totally surreal. I've flown dozens of times and can't believe I wigged out so hard. I had to have the flight attendant ask the cabin for a doctor. Yeah, I was that dude...

Anyway, flying does kinda suck sometimes...

____________________
A site to use (click here (http://www.oppapers.com/))

[Emabulator]

Man, that sounds like a nightmare modeps. I'm glad you made it home safe at least.

[gzsfrk]

That is precisely why we'll be driving 14 hours over two days when we go to Disney World this October. :)

Me personally, I -love- to fly. But it's so much hassle, and since you can do almost everything via teleconference and virtual room these days, I mostly avoid it if possible.

In any case, sorry you had a rough time on Sunday, but it's good to have you back.

[lockwoodx]

Bill Cosby would be proud.

[Orz]

Air travel used to be the province of the rich. The era of cheap oil made everyone accustomed to air travel being for everyone. That era is ending, if not already gone.

The result? Airlines, desperate to keep volumes up, are cutting every cost they can think of as fuel prices just keep going up and up, along with ludicrous security costs to defend against the last threat someone thought up. Crew costs are one of the casualties. Time was you'd have a crew or two on standby at major airports in case of something like this.

Current-model air transport is unsustainable. The future is going to be even uglier. Prices will keep rising, but people are going to demand to be able to fly wherever they want for historical prices. Airlines that try to set realistic prices based on cost will not get passengers. Airlines trying to keep prices low by cutting services will sell tickets, and be a generally horrible experience. If they start seriously cutting into safety measures, it could be a disaster.

Solutions? Not many. To keep the planes flying on the cheap, you have to use far less fuel. Porter Airlines (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Porter_Airlines) is in on this formula - fly slower (414mph vs 561 mph 787's) and smaller but far more fuel-efficient Bombardier Dash 8 Q400 turboprops (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Q400). The smaller planes lets them use regional airports as opposed to larger ones, and they provide all the services that used to make flying tolerable (lounges, free meals, timely departures, etc). If your flight always leaves on time, would you mind spending an extra hour in the air?

The only other alternative is a continent-wide high-speed rail network. Good luck with that one.

[Anenome]

Me personally, I -love- to fly. But it's so much hassle, and since you can do almost everything via teleconference
I tried to teleconference Disney World. Sent my assistant to Florida with a cellular videophone. Rides just aren't the same when it's visual only.

[Anenome]

The only other alternative is a continent-wide high-speed rail network. Good luck with that one.
Until we invent portals, of course.

http://www.aeropause.com/archives/images/portal-thumb-410x378.jpg

[pwnophobia]

Modeps,

Sorry, long time lurker. First time poster.


Welcome to the board! (though by your tacked on signature I would suspect that you may be a spammer, I'm watching you. MONOCLE SMILE!)

[modeps]

I want Portal travel, for sure. Teleportation in general would reduce much of what ails the world. Go Green!

[lost]

I believe that we, as in the world, should pool resources - all of them - until we can do teleportation. It would fix loads of problems and be awesome.

[rulyblue]

Next time give your kids a beer and that'll zonk them out. :D

[lockwoodx]

Next time give your kids a beer and that'll zonk them out. :D

A finger of whiskey between cheek and gum.

[brandonjclark]

I believe that we, as in the world, should pool resources - all of them - until we can do teleportation. It would fix loads of problems and be awesome.


You're not the only one. There is nothing in the VERSE that could be more beneficial to the human race as instantaneous travel.

WE NEED IT!

NOW!

[gzsfrk]

I want Portal travel, for sure. Teleportation in general would reduce much of what ails the world. Go Green!

Except for the 5 nuclear reactors worth of electricity it would take to power the thing. :p

[Major Dan]

You're not the only one. There is nothing in the VERSE that could be more beneficial to the human race as instantaneous travel.

WE NEED IT!

NOW!

But think of the evil uses, evil bastards would utilize it for, it must not be allowed to materialize. :eek:

Ok, it WOULD rock!

I actually love to fly. If you travel alone or in small same age groups, it can be a blast. Flying with young ones can be very hard indeed.

I have been through several similar experiences and they suck, except for the ones where I a was alone or in a small group of peers, beer drinking usually helps in those cases. :D

[Anenome]

Boy are my arms tired:

r3plGGj3jic

[Emabulator]

Boy are my arms tired

You could take the bus:

KQ2iNOmPI-0

[MADxMrMike]

Oh man I feel you on the flying. Your story reminds me of a trip me and my wife and kids took a couple years ago. We were living in San Diego at the time and we were going to Texas to see some family. We left the house and got to the airport 2 hours early just to be safe. We should have stayed home... for another 5 hours! The plane apparently had some kind of mechanical malfunction, and me and the wifey were stuck at the airport with 3 little boys who were going nuts as time went on! haha It was crazy. The only good thing was that most ppl did not want to wait on the plane so they re-booked their flight. Me and the fam pretty much had the plane to ourselves. :-) What really burned me up was that our house was only 10 mins away the whole time...

[Anenome]

Oh man I feel you on the flying. Your story reminds me of a trip me and my wife and kids took a couple years ago. We were living in San Diego at the time and we were going to Texas to see some family. We left the house and got to the airport 2 hours early just to be safe. We should have stayed home... for another 5 hours! The plane apparently had some kind of mechanical malfunction, and me and the wifey were stuck at the airport with 3 little boys who were going nuts as time went on! haha It was crazy. The only good thing was that most ppl did not want to wait on the plane so they re-booked their flight. Me and the fam pretty much had the plane to ourselves. :-) What really burned me up was that our house was only 10 mins away the whole time...

This explains why Nintendo will never go out of business :P You just needed three DS's and some games :P