The Islanders beat writer had a classic airline experience in Denver with United and posted the grisly details on his blog. Massively overbooked by United, he would have had to wait two days for another flight to his next stop if the final United screw-up hadn't actually worked in his favor.
We now present: flying in the 21st century!
I've had nothing that bad, but I've had a few near-misses dealing with other airlines through the remote-but-massive Denver airport.
My general rule for travel: if it's within 12 hours' drive, I'd rather drive than fly. The whole airline/security/airport/health side of the flying experience has just gotten too miserable -- particularly for a guy who is 6'2" with a wonky back and sinus issues.
I can't fit in the seats well anyway. The in-plane air and food (if you are so blessed) stinks. You can't carry on a beer or flask. The past-security airport food markup is criminal. You don't know if your flight will go. You don't know if your best-made plans for a weekend will vanish into a long, uncomfortable stay in an airport terminal.
The usual complaints, I know. But besides that, I enjoy a road trip. I love crossing "the amber waves of grain" and the small towns you can pass through if you briefly detour off the Federal Interstate and Inter-McDonald's Highway System.
With the price of gas -- and, my brother would sell me, the amortization of your vehicle's value -- it certainly doesn't always "save" you anything to drive. But a road trip through the landscape is infinitely more enjoyable to me than 2.5 hours breathing bad air among the population roulette of your seatmates, sandwiched between a couple hours of security check-in and airport transport.
With the energy crunch looming, I'd happily trade my daily drives for biking and mass transit if I could preserve my ability to afford road trips. I'd have to invent a hockey equipment cart, though.
come vist Jenny and anchor-out on the Big River this summer - watch the eagles feed their babies while you sip on your cocktail - enjoy a campfire on the upper-deck where the dingy used to be - sleep under the stars on the best water-bed ever invented ...and make us breakfast in the morning, we can't afford a cook.
By no one you know - 1/8/2008 1:41 PM
*laughing* You got rid of the dingy?! Hooray!
I cook good Cocoa Puffs, so you're on!
By Dominik - 1/9/2008 5:19 AM
I LOVE Cocoa Puffs!!
oooh, I think I'll pick up some at the store tomorrow... I need to pack-on more winter insulation anyway.
As you may have noticed, the site has changed. Sampa, the free-site host, did a version 2 of some sort.
Despite an FAQ that made it sound like allowing one's site to go through v.2 surgery would be okay, there were several flexibilities that surprisingly disappeared with the click of a button. (e.g. I cannot believe sidebars like this one are even narrower than before.)
And I'm told -- miraculously! -- that the conversion cannot be undone. Truth be told, I'm actually quite pissed. But free is free. Sampa has otherwise been good to me.
So I need to sort through site "features" to see how I can make do. Except that I don't have the time at the moment, in the middle of graduate classes and Lighthousehockey.com. (btw, I've removed that Lighthouse RSS feed so that you're not clogged with random Islanders hockey gibberish).
But I promise to touch up the accessories when I get a chance, and return to irregularly scheduled blogging.
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. Massively overbooked by United, he would have had to wait two days for another flight to his next stop if the final United screw-up hadn't actually worked in his favor.
Comments (5) for "We hate to fly, and it shows"
February, 2008