So. Air flight is awful.
I don’t remember it being awful when I was younger, but it’s awful now whatever I think I remember.
I used to get tickets and worry until I had a boarding pass in my hand.
That all ended a long time ago. Boarding passes are scarcely a guarantee of anything any more. And I’m not even talking about airline customers being dragged off flights while people are shooting video. I’m not even talking about the security changes that happened after 9-11. Not talking about not getting “free” peanuts on some flights, or being gouged to pay more than your ticket price because you’re taking your luggage. Or about airlines badgering you about joining this or that special flyers snob program, or overselling flights, or not having enough planes or parts to do anything if something somewhere goes sideways.
I might be talking about all those things put together, along with the random circumstances that are involved in moving yourself farther than a ten or twelve hour drive. That’s how much I’ve given up on air travel. If I have a business meeting or cartooning event or anything less than ten or twelve hours away under my own power, I’m not flying.
Because I no longer trust the airlines to get me there.
Increasingly over the last 16 years, I’ve had to scramble, huck, and hustle to change flights partway into a trip. And when I say “I”, of course I mean that some poor gate agent, whose job has increasingly become putting out the metaphorical fires of people who aren’t where they’ve paid to be and don’t know how they’re supposed to get there. Connecting flights are monstrous these days. And by “these days” I mean for the last few years. Because the latest indignity happened to me Wednesday.
I was on pins and needles because of a screwed-up farce of a trip that happened a few months ago. That one left me wandering my hometown airport for five hours while delays piled up and eventually landed me at my destination at 2 a.m. with no luggage. And this time, on my way to Portland from Memphis, after fiddling and diddling on the computer once it was seen that there was, of course, no chance of making the connecting flight they’d sold me, I was told, “Your second best chance is to take a flight to Dallas, find a hotel room, and I can book you on a flight from there to Portland tomorrow morning. Oh, wait. That just filled up. Well, your first best chance is still just to go home now, and come back tomorrow and try again on a morning flight. That’s at 7:15. Better get here a couple of hours early. Morning flights are awful.”
I missed my very first NCS board meeting. And Karaoke the night before.
I hate air flight.
That, Greg, really sucks. I hope the rest of the trip doesn’t suck.
Aw, man, I hate missing karaoke.
Seriously though, sorry to hear about that.
You’re one month too early.
Don’t take the bus. I rated the big doggie worse than that one airline that starts with a vowel. After arguing with the driver who had never seen the route and had a printed ‘where the bus stations are’ and was referring to the wrong town listing and REFUSED to be swayed, dropped me off about four miles away from the bus stop, after he ran past it, into town and all the way through town. Oh we had a 50 year blizzard go through while I was on trip. At break of day. Good thing I’m used to walking. When I step in to the stop, the agent/manager asked ‘where’s the bus’? and got informed since they dropped me off an hour ago and I had to walk from (intersection), it was in next town. With my luggage-at least they didn’t lose that. Greg, I’ve learned to hate DFW with a passion, but it beats the Big Doggie. We need someone to invent teleporters.
You need to plan to go a day early just so you have time for the snafu’s.
Missing karaoke is the silver lining, in my book.
If you’re now in Portland, that looks like the Pearl District, which is nice. Anyway, have fun and enjoy the beer (if you drink beer) and say hi to Powell’s for me; it’ll be a month before I’m up there again. (And good Lord, no I’m not flying!)
Oh, Powell’s…
I too remember when the chance to fly some where was an fun adventure. Flying to a location sometimes was the best part of some trips. Now flying is an absolute dread. The Airlines attitudes combined with TSA attitudes has made a once enjoyable experience and turned it into something to be avoided at all costs.
Condolences!!!
Ah, the stories I could tell…here’s one! Flying from Myrtle Beach to Newark to Belfast. Flight leaving MB was delayed due to the bare remnants of a hurricane fizzling out over New Jersey. By the time I got to Newark, my flight to Belfast had left. Stayed overnight in Newark and waited all day for the next flight to Belfast (oh, btw, my mother flew from Dulles to Newark with no problems…we were supposed to meet in Newark and fly to Belfast together). Get to Belfast, no problems. Fly Glasgow, no problems. Leave Glasgow for Newark…problems! In-flight delays caused me to miss my flight to MB. Had to fly to Atlanta and connect there to MB. Mom got a straight flight to Dulles. I handed my luggage to the agent collecting Atlanta-bound luggage then went to get my tickets. They tell me I’m not going to Atlanta, but Cincinnati and from there to MB. Okay, whatever. Maybe one day I’ll see my suitcase again since it’s on its way to Atlanta! And of course, flight is delayed so I miss my connection to MB. Have to stay in Cincinnati. Go to get a hotel voucher and the agent says my flight isn’t allowed vouchers. Meanwhile the agent next to her is handing out vouchers like candy. I point it out to the manager, discussion/argument ensues. My agent slips me a voucher and toiletry kit and I high-tail it out of the airport. Next flight to MB isn’t until the afternoon. When I finally make it there, guess what’s waiting at the for me…my suitcase! It managed to get home before me.
I know you went overseas, but if I’m doing continental US I usually mail or otherwise ship stuff to my destination and go as luggage free as I can on the flight parts. And learned to embrace the long layover and fly as early in day as possible to avoid afternoon weather boiling up. My usual through-hub is DFW (Dallas) and I have learned to loathe going through there. I have two flights this year going through there, non joy (including one to Portland where Greg just went)
Worse things happen at sea, or so I’m reliably informed… just watching the news of BA’s meltdown at LHR…
Every trip has had issues of some kind. Most are delays with a scoff and a “Deal with it” vibe. I feel ya.
If it’s important, get there a full day before. My wife used to be an airline agent, and she’s seen it all. Especially when their “god machine” malfunctioned and they couldn’t control severe weather.