Don't Fly United

[gmerkt]

Without respect to the matter of firearms. The entire baggage / carry on thing has gotten way out of line. The airlines have turned it into a big money grab. Somewhere along the line, they decided to cash in on baggage. Then people gamed the system by carrying overly large items onto the plane as bogus carry ons. To both curb this practice and capitalize on it, now they are focusing on fees for carry ons.

So they see something out of the ordinary like a rifle, they can't resist cashing in on it. It may not just be a matter of anti 2A.

They are such chiselers now that they charge extra for a seat with a few inches extra of leg room. And once the flight is airborne, and the plane happens to have empty seats (not often because of efforts to maximize capacity), if one of the extra room coach seats is empty, you aren't allowed to migrate to it.

Complimentary meals went away long ago. Mrs. Merkt and I used to fly Alaska Airlines in the 1970's and it was truly special. I remember getting filet mignon steaks as a complimentary meal. There's nothing special about them anymore.

So what's next? Don't be surprised to see a credit card reader placed on the toilet.

 

[nwslopoke]

I have a dream. One day the airlines will just show the price of the ticket including a standard suitcase and meals. I don't know which model it is but at least one model on the last 2 rows has 2 instead of 3 seats. Although you're last to get off, there is tons of extra space due to the missing seat. It's an isle and window seat in one.

 

[Ducati_Meister]

Without respect to the matter of firearms. The entire baggage / carry on thing has gotten way out of line. The airlines have turned it into a big money grab. Somewhere along the line, they decided to cash in on baggage. Then people gamed the system by carrying overly large items onto the plane as bogus carry ons. To both curb this practice and capitalize on it, now they are focusing on fees for carry ons.

So they see something out of the ordinary like a rifle, they can't resist cashing in on it. It may not just be a matter of anti 2A.

They are such chiselers now that they charge extra for a seat with a few inches extra of leg room. And once the flight is airborne, and the plane happens to have empty seats (not often because of efforts to maximize capacity), if one of the extra room coach seats is empty, you aren't allowed to migrate to it.

Complimentary meals went away long ago. Mrs. Merkt and I used to fly Alaska Airlines in the 1970's and it was truly special. I remember getting filet mignon steaks as a complimentary meal. There's nothing special about them anymore.

So what's next? Don't be surprised to see a credit card reader placed on the toilet.

Seatac airport used to have pay toilets, which was böölsheet imo. Pisses me off when businesses nickel and dime people, like fast food joints charging for extra sauces at a high markup.

 

[johnny bob]

Seatac airport used to have pay toilets, which was böölsheet imo. Pisses me off when businesses nickel and dime people, like fast food joints charging for extra sauces at a high markup.

Years ago in Seattle on the door of a Sears store pay toilet I saw "the call of nature should not be call collect:". I was once told the limbo was invented due to pay toilets.

 

[gmerkt]

Re. gastric issues. This is a thing for lots of older people. Either they can't hold their waste for the duration of a flight, or they get bound up by travel and can't eliminate for several days. For the former, always book an aisle seat and put up with rude people jostling you as they go down the aisle.

I use, with some justification, the gastric issue card with Mrs. Merkt to avoid air travel now.

But if you happen to crap your pants mid-flight, don't feel bad for your fellow passengers. Because you are probably getting back at some of the rude ones. The innocent bystanders are just collateral damage.

I wouldn't be too embarrassed if I did crap my pants on a plane. After living in WW2 barracks where there were 8 communal toilet bowls with no stalls, and doing Number Two in cut off steel barrels in Vietnam, you lose some of that sensitivity. For life. I got sick in BCT and crapped my Long Johns. Then had to get out of them in a four holer while two shamming cadre stood there and laughed at me.

 

[Tlock]

Re. gastric issues. This is a thing for lots of older people. Either they can't hold their waste for the duration of a flight, or they get bound up by travel and can't eliminate for several days. For the former, always book an aisle seat and put up with rude people jostling you as they go down the aisle.

I use, with some justification, the gastric issue card with Mrs. Merkt to avoid air travel now.

But if you happen to crap your pants mid-flight, don't feel bad for your fellow passengers. Because you are probably getting back at some of the rude ones. The innocent bystanders are just collateral damage.

I wouldn't be too embarrassed if I did crap my pants on a plane. After living in WW2 barracks where there were 8 communal toilet bowls with no stalls, and doing Number Two in cut off steel barrels in Vietnam, you lose some of that sensitivity. For life. I got sick in BCT and crapped my Long Johns. Then had to get out of them in a four holer while two shamming cadre stood there and laughed at me.

I've had my fair share of code browns.....but on a plane is my worst nightmare!

 

[arakboss]

I'm gonna do everything i can to never fly again!

I hate flying and will avoid it at all cost. If we flew less for recreational purposes maybe that would help with Air Traffic Controller shortage.

 

[gmerkt]

Seatac airport used to have pay toilets, which was böölsheet imo.

Yes, I've seen them in other large airports when I was a kid. Coin op, 10 cents, I think they were.

I don't know how it is now, but when I was in Germany 35 years ago, paying to use the public toilet was quite common. At that time, they usually had a human attendant. Especially in East Germany, where I think it was one way to find employment for everyone. Often some old woman who'd seen thousands of dicks. There was a pay structure, taking a leak was like 25 pf. Taking a dump was 50 pf. And if you wanted a paper hand towel after you washed up, it was 10 pf. Something like that. In West Germany some places had turnstiles. But whatever it cost, it was worth it, because public facilities were fewer and farther apart than in the US.

When people are travelling, they aren't at home and they aren't at work. So they don't have access to their own bathrooms. Relief facilities are a normal part of most public transportation systems. Yet in the Puget Sound metro area where the Link light rail project has been undertaken at a cost of (at least) $142 Billion, public restrooms are quite scarce. The initial stations didn't have any; riders were told to "go to McDonalds" and similar. Some of the later stations have minimal facilities. Single toilet rooms with a lock on the door, so all it takes is one drug addict to go in there and hole up indefinitely.

 

[nwslopoke]

Seatac airport used to have pay toilets, which was böölsheet imo. Pisses me off when businesses nickel and dime people, like fast food joints charging for extra sauces at a high markup.

Most of western Europe still have pay toilets at train stations and a lot of public areas. France has a weird setup with urinals exposed in public view.

Paying didn't guarantee a clean bathroom experience either but in general they were better. You have to pay a Euro to get in the restroom controlled by some kind of gate, usually.

 

[Jay Walk]

Soon you will need an enhanced ID too.

 

[Tlock]

F that!

 

[Alexx1401]

I told Wife while back that if we fly again its going to be 1st Class. To me if its not worth the cost of that then its not worth going. If we can drive there in say 20 hours? Then its drive. Price is what it is. There is a lot of competition so if so many are this bad that should tell you what the real problem is. That not enough people are willing to pay what really nice service would cost.

 

[HighlandLofts]

I fly every year for deer hunting. Never had a problem, just stay with in the size requirements and weight.