Three Travel Trends That Tick Me Off
Ah – the glory days of travel: excitement, romance and luxury. The first time I stepped onto a plane, the experience was alluring. Seating felt roomy (I was young), there was food on little trays, and the cabin crew visibly loved their jobs – or put on a good show of doing so. Not any more. Here are three (plus one) things that take the shine off air travel.
Mealtime Woes
On most flights these days, you don’t get a meal unless you are flying long haul. Perhaps that’s good for our waistlines in a more health conscious era, but there are some flights where you could do with a bit of sustenance. I’ve spent a lot of time on AA flights this year. Sure there are food choices available, but the range of sandwiches, cheese and crackers, chips and cookies available is not exactly inspiring. As a semi-vegetarian, I’d love to have more choice on board. Since it’s not there, I have to prowl the airport looking for something decent or starve. Let’s not talk about the prices – this is a money spinner, pure and simple, and it increases the feeling that you’ve been had.
Paying For Booking Seats
So far, for me at least, AA has been in the clear on this one, but others are not so great. On many of the budget European airlines you can’t pre-book seats at all. Those that do allow it want to charge you for the ‘inconvenience’. Last I heard, you needed a seat to fly, so why should you have to pay extra? It’s not as though you are getting any extra comfort – it’s still what the British call cattle class – economy to us. Economy?! It’s the airlines who are raking it in from this move.
Paying For Carrying Bags – Or Not
How are you to travel without a suitcase? While there are times when it’s best to travel light (a good packing list will help with this), if you’re traveling for more than a few days, you need a suitcase. This year I’ve noticed many airlines changing their rules on bags. On some domestic flights you pay for an extra bag, while on some European budget airlines, they charge you both for checking a bag and for not checking one – having their cake and eating it too. That is soooo unfair, as my six year old would say.
Bonus – Too Much Reality
I’ve been lucky enough to get seats with extra legroom on the last couple of flights. That means I’m near the jump seats the crew members use for takeoff and landing. I can tell by the way they talk that these seats are their living room, and they behave as if no one can hear them. There’s lots of bitching and moaning about other crew members, some passengers and the tours they are assigned. It’s a bit too much like being a part of a reality show for me.
With these trends and others, travel just isn’t what it used to be. I still love the excitement of seeing a new place, but flying has lost its allure for me. I feel like part of a herd – and that’s not a good way to start a trip. What are your pet peeves about travel?
Tags: travel
November 5th, 2009 at 6:54 am
Amen for telling it like it is. The only thing I hate worse than these is *some* airlines seem to think that paying for check-in is also OK. Like with the assigned seat thing, I’m pretty sure you HAVE to check in to fly, but correct me if I’m wrong.
Dear Airlines – many of you are a dying breed. Treating your only lifeline like dirt won’t help your chances. Good luck.
November 5th, 2009 at 7:05 am
Yes! Paying for check-in is ridiculous, too. Thanks for adding that to the list, Andy.
November 5th, 2009 at 3:07 pm
Think yourselves lucky. Ryanair over here in Europe were recently widely reported as considering introducing a charge to go to the loo, can you imagine! I think it may have been over-zealous reporting, but all the same..
You’re right – air travel is not what it was and the crews are under so much pressure with quick turnarounds and slashed costs that it’s much harder for them to enjoy their work – my partner was one and I saw the decline first-hand.
November 5th, 2009 at 4:57 pm
It would actually make the most sense for airlines to offer a menu selection at the time of ticket purchase where you could choose from a larger selection. This would provide passengers with many different choices, would prevent the airline from carrying any more food than was required and would certainly win the respect of passengers. Even if you have to pay directly for it, at least you could have something healthier or tastier. Right now, if you can, you often have to pay for a meal with no real selection.
November 5th, 2009 at 5:35 pm
Good point, Michael. I guess it is harder for air crew to feel the joy of travel with all the new requirements – budget cuts must take a toll on them too. I know recently I was amazed to realize how skeletal the staff is on some flights – leaves everyone with a lot to do.
@Wellescent – good suggestion. I wonder if there’s any chance they might implement it?
November 5th, 2009 at 10:49 pm
Sharon- right on, please say it like it is. Just went to Mexico for 10 days. Our flight was delayed by about 3 hours, so of course we had to eat lunch at the airport and I detest eating at the airport.
And I will never fly Ryan Air! Problem is that the airlines somehow think they have the upper hand– when WE are the paying customers!!
November 6th, 2009 at 2:14 am
Thanks for reminding me why its good not to travel as much any longer…. However, we will prolly try easy jet or monarch soon….. will keep you posted
K
November 6th, 2009 at 6:29 am
Yes, Aye, how did that happen? Whatever happened to ‘the customer is always right’? (though I’d settle for the customer being right some of the time.
Kristina, things like that really take the shine off travel – good luck with the budget airlines – where are you off to?
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