Blog of a Common Man: Fly the Friendly Skies...

Blog of a Common Man: Fly the Friendly Skies...: Throughout my years I have flown countless times.  The first trip I can remember was flying with my dad and grandpa on, what seemed to ...

Fly the Friendly Skies...

Throughout my years I have flown countless times.  The first trip I can remember was flying with my dad and grandpa on, what seemed to be short flight in a small twin prop.  I can remember as I got older that our family rarely flew anywhere.  It seemed to me that flying was for the wealthy.  We were middle class, and flying to any destination was simply a luxury we couldn't afford.  On those rare occasions when my parents did pay for us to fly somewhere it was a big event.  I can remember my mom dressing up, my dad wearing a coat and tie, and my brother and I outfitted as if we were going to church.  Flying seemed to be a big deal for everyone.  The flight attendants were called stewardess back then, because all of them were women.  They did their best during the flight to cater to each and every passenger, regardless of where you sat or how fancy you dressed.  We were served full meals during the flight.  A full length movie played in the front of the cabin, and the flight was an adventure all within itself.  I used to get excited about flying.  The thrill and experience I had on those rare occasions to fly carried over for me into my adulthood.  And then, September 11, 2001 happened……….

Overnight everything changed in the airline industry.  The Department of Homeland Security was established and the Transportation Safety Administration, or TSA, was formed.  What used to be an exciting adventure became a dreadful experience.  As the years have progressed security has tighten, due in large part to continuing terrorist attempts on public transportation systems, including the airline industry.  Today, in order to board any flight in the United States you must do the following:

1.       Stand in a security line at the airport and show a photo ID and your boarding pass to a TSA agent.

2.       Once you've cleared the initial screening, you must remove everything out of your pockets, remove your jacket, remove your belt, remove your shoes, remove your jewelry, remove any liquids of 3 oz or less from your bag, and remove your laptop computer before feeding all of it through an x-ray machine.

3.       Next, you yourself will walk into another screening machine that scans you from head to toe, looking for anything you may try to bring into the boarding area or on the plane.  If something shoes up on your image, you will be patted down by another TSA agent and must be cleared before you can retrieve your belongings.

4.       At times TSA will randomly select someone, or their personal belongings, for an additional swab to detect explosive substances on your luggage or your person.

5.       Once you've made it to your gate you will need to show your boarding pass one last time before you are allowed on the plane.  On rare occasions TSA may chose your particular flight to once again check IDs against boarding passes and random bag checks.

I understand that the bottom line of Homeland Security and TSA are to achieve greater safety measures for all passengers flying in and out of the United States, but I must admit that at times common sense was thrown out the window and the pendulum has swung a full 180 degrees to the opposite side of how air travel experience used to be.

The airline industry as a whole has shifted too.  Gone are the free meals and full length movies on most flights, unless you’re willing to pay for it.  Ticket prices over the years have skyrocketed (literally).  It’s not uncommon for a couple to spend nearly $2,000 for a round trip ticket across the country.  Airline fees have climbed through the roof as well.  As an example, I recently flew home to Seattle, WA.  Here are my charges:

Round trip from Midland, TX to Seattle, WA - $1,093

Upgrade to a seat with more leg room - $69

Luggage cost for 2 bags - $60

Change fee to move my flight up to an earlier flight - $75

Snack box meal on the flight - $9

Wi-Fi while on the flight - $15

Movie entertainment player rental during the flight - $16

GRAND TOTAL: $1,337

Keep in mind, that’s for one person….

Service isn't the same either.  If you’re sitting in an exit row and the flight attendant asks you if you are willing and able to assist other passenger in the event that an evacuation of the plane is necessary, you must say “Yes” and nothing more.  You can’t nod your head; say “Sure,” or “Ok,” or “Absolutely.”  The only acceptable answer is “Yes.”  If you refuse to say “Yes” the attendant can remove you from your seat.   If you need to use the restroom while in flight and you’re seating in coach, you’re not allowed to use the restroom in the 1^st class cabin.  You must turn off your phone prior to flight, put away your laptop, and stow your carryon underneath the seat in front of you.  You cannot get up until the Captain says it’s safe enough to do so, and you must wear your seatbelt at all times.  Again, I understand all of these measures are supposed to be for our own safety, but the fun of flying is not there for me any longer.

So here I sit, waiting for another flight from one airport to another.  I’ve survived the security line and all its checkpoints,   and I pray TSA isn’t waiting at my gate to check me once again before I board.  I pray that the flight attendants are nice, that I have at least a reasonable amount of legroom (after all, I paid $69 for that luxury), and that the person sitting next to me doesn’t decide that they deserve the arm rest between us more than I do.

I know I’ll take countless more flights in my life before I’m no longer able, but I simply ask that common sense once again rule the day and the airline industry decides that service above profit is more important.

A Common Man