I am a private pilot with access to a very small, very old, four-seat airplane. My sweet, but less-than-eager-passenger bride has come to appreciate the lack of security lines, the ability to fly over I-20 and I-85 and pity the folks stuck in traffic, and reducing a three-hour drive to Athens to see our grandson to a 90-minute flight. No, there’s no air conditioning. No beverage service or movies. But the view is amazing and our luggage is guaranteed to get there when we do.
I recall standing in line at O'Hare one day at least 20 years ago, and having an epiphany. I said to the woman in front me, "it's really not worth it, is it?" And she agreed. Have not gotten on a plane since.
Please not Neil Diamond! You can torture me with many things, but Neil Diamond is the worst threat of all.
Have you considered breaking out the fiddle? Surely they would find you a seat to somewhere to get you out of the airport. (I play banjo and it didn’t make my brother move out. But when I bought a fiddle….that did the trick.)
Having spent way too many hours in airports, yes, those delays sometimes feel like you're aging right before your eyes and may go straight to the nursing home! I used to love flying and it was a good thing, because flights across the Pacific and the Atlantic are never short. When I had the chance to fly in small planes, such as a six-seater, I really loved those and sort of hanging out the window taking photos of the ground. What fun and what adventures I've had. I may actually put them in a book one day, maybe when I get to the nursing home and have time to do it! Thanks, Sean, for your entertaining daily messages!
When my Mom was in her 40s, she was SO excited to fly her first time -- from OKC to Houston to help my sister with her new baby. Mom thought being a stewardess was the most glamourous job in the world! Boy, was she disappointed. "All they are is waitresses. I can do that!"
I remember when flying seemed glamorous. That was long before the days of TSA, and passengers weren’t squeezed together like sardines in a tin can. Now it’s something I avoid if at all possible.
Well, this essay came just in time for our flight to NC this weekend, 3rd time, for medical crap at Duke Hospital. Yes, plane is usually late taking off, you sit on your keester forever, people watching, thinking about how late it is, if it's an evening flight, thinking about the weather, thinking about how you hate turbulence, etc etc, watching the crew board (OMG, we're taking off soon!), watching the maniacs drag their luggage on board, holding up everyone else, dealing with nutty TSA before sitting at the gate ( I wear a knee brace for comfort, and you'd think I had armor on, pats, wands, feel ups, you name it. Second time: I took it off. Just scan the damn thing). Of course, if you have health problems, you're in a wheelchair for a while, so you get a bit of priority at TSA, although not much. The whole thing is stressful, but at times, it is better than driving for 10 hours.....maybe.
I don't fly much anymore. Leaving out of Atlanta is like leaving on Noah's Ark with Noah saying, "only two". Try the next ark. Dropping someone off then picking them up is an adventure you don't want to live but once.
Like all of metro Atlanta, where I live included, they are building more and more with no thinking of the infrastructure. They say they are going to build more roads but it won’t be in my lifetime.
We have a main artery in Richmond that was was under construction for 2 yrs. Finally after completion they tore it up to replace water/sewer lines for another yr. It is currently under construction again. Many contractors are not what they once were.
Years ago, when they opened the Casinos in Mississippi along the river some of the Casino owners needed a four-lane road going to the Casino’s to the nearest highway. Bought the farmland and in no time the contractors were out there building the four lane and did it pretty quick. They were told if it got finished before the Casino’s opened there would be a bonus. They got their bonus. A little incentive goes a long way but working with the government seems to slow things down.
Might as well make the best of it, right, Matt? Waiting for the plane to our trip to Alaska we met a lady who lives there, out in "the wild." She hunts bear and moose and skins and hauls her own game back to her cabin. My hunting buddy and I were fascinated - our wives not so much.
So sorry you’re stuck, Sean, and props for maintaining your great sense of humor! My former choice was to drive 6 hours rather than fly; now it is 13 hours. The indignity and waste of time of commercial air travel is not worth the meager, if any, time saved. Many thanks for your wonderful storytelling!
The Summer of ‘73, a month or so before I turned 11, my Aunt Memmie(I couldn’t pronounce “Emily” so the name stuck) flew my 9 year old brother and me to spend a couple of weeks with her, our 5 year old cousin Karen, and our Uncle Russ who was a Lieutenant Commander in the Navy stationed at the Pentagon. We flew the regional and long defunct Southern Airways(I still have my return ticket). It was our first flight and we were both excitedly nervous. My brother kept pressing the stewardess call button just to see if the stewardess would show up. After the third time, she very politely informed my brother that the call button was for needing something. I covered my rear by exclaiming that I tried to tell him to not do that. I’m not sure if she believed me but she was a very pretty lady and helped us get to our aunt after we landed at Dulles Airport.
Every comment would get a "Like" if my iPad was behaving. I can recall flying on a prop engine plane in 1964 and being concerned about every change in the pitch of the engine. I don't trust aeronautical engineering, and what with parts falling off and pilots "dying suddenly," I'll take the train! Train travel is slower, true, and if you can't afford a compartment, less comfortable, but much more interesting. I remember crossing the Tennessee River by train when I was about 5. Mom and I were moving back home from NJ. I embarrassed my mother by calling it a "brook." (Well, I learned to talk in NJ, which had life-long repercussions. LOL) I prefer life at something less than the current breakneck speed.
I am a private pilot with access to a very small, very old, four-seat airplane. My sweet, but less-than-eager-passenger bride has come to appreciate the lack of security lines, the ability to fly over I-20 and I-85 and pity the folks stuck in traffic, and reducing a three-hour drive to Athens to see our grandson to a 90-minute flight. No, there’s no air conditioning. No beverage service or movies. But the view is amazing and our luggage is guaranteed to get there when we do.
The joys of flying😂 it used to be fun, but you couldn’t pay me to get on board these days😛
Ditto 100%
Me, either, Carol.
I recall standing in line at O'Hare one day at least 20 years ago, and having an epiphany. I said to the woman in front me, "it's really not worth it, is it?" And she agreed. Have not gotten on a plane since.
Those that know…call it “Oh Hell”☺️😉
Please not Neil Diamond! You can torture me with many things, but Neil Diamond is the worst threat of all.
Have you considered breaking out the fiddle? Surely they would find you a seat to somewhere to get you out of the airport. (I play banjo and it didn’t make my brother move out. But when I bought a fiddle….that did the trick.)
I like Neil Diamond...
Well, I don’t like Neil Diamond…I LOVE him❣️
And there are more than 130 million others, like Matt and me, worldwide, who have bought his records…just sayin’.
Me too. But if you played constant Barry Manilow, I'd wait outside for my flight!
Having spent way too many hours in airports, yes, those delays sometimes feel like you're aging right before your eyes and may go straight to the nursing home! I used to love flying and it was a good thing, because flights across the Pacific and the Atlantic are never short. When I had the chance to fly in small planes, such as a six-seater, I really loved those and sort of hanging out the window taking photos of the ground. What fun and what adventures I've had. I may actually put them in a book one day, maybe when I get to the nursing home and have time to do it! Thanks, Sean, for your entertaining daily messages!
When my Mom was in her 40s, she was SO excited to fly her first time -- from OKC to Houston to help my sister with her new baby. Mom thought being a stewardess was the most glamourous job in the world! Boy, was she disappointed. "All they are is waitresses. I can do that!"
Sean don't talk about Neil Diamond he is an Icon !
130 million fans who bought his records can’t all be wrong!
At least you didn’t say de pane! De pane!
Haha
Ex-military. Life itself was hurry up and wait. Also expert in airport living. The people watching is the best there though.
I remember when flying seemed glamorous. That was long before the days of TSA, and passengers weren’t squeezed together like sardines in a tin can. Now it’s something I avoid if at all possible.
Passengers also didn't used to be so big, either.
In 1958, at a local air show, Kids could fly for a penny a pound. Commercial airline should charge by the pound, like luggage.
I was probably 4 and got to fly on a tiny plane for "penny a pound" at B'ham airport. Don't remember hearing that term since.
I dislike flying, so I drink 2 bloody Mary's, then I'm fine.
That sounds cool, M209!
Well, this essay came just in time for our flight to NC this weekend, 3rd time, for medical crap at Duke Hospital. Yes, plane is usually late taking off, you sit on your keester forever, people watching, thinking about how late it is, if it's an evening flight, thinking about the weather, thinking about how you hate turbulence, etc etc, watching the crew board (OMG, we're taking off soon!), watching the maniacs drag their luggage on board, holding up everyone else, dealing with nutty TSA before sitting at the gate ( I wear a knee brace for comfort, and you'd think I had armor on, pats, wands, feel ups, you name it. Second time: I took it off. Just scan the damn thing). Of course, if you have health problems, you're in a wheelchair for a while, so you get a bit of priority at TSA, although not much. The whole thing is stressful, but at times, it is better than driving for 10 hours.....maybe.
Very kind of you to say this! Much appreciated. We hope so too; third trip down to Duke; hopefully, it all works to improve status.
I don't fly much anymore. Leaving out of Atlanta is like leaving on Noah's Ark with Noah saying, "only two". Try the next ark. Dropping someone off then picking them up is an adventure you don't want to live but once.
I was there during a fire in the subway. Nightmare.
I’m flying out of Atlanta today and already dreading everything about it 😩😩
Everyone has told me that the "Park and Ride" is the way to go.
Like all of metro Atlanta, where I live included, they are building more and more with no thinking of the infrastructure. They say they are going to build more roads but it won’t be in my lifetime.
We have a main artery in Richmond that was was under construction for 2 yrs. Finally after completion they tore it up to replace water/sewer lines for another yr. It is currently under construction again. Many contractors are not what they once were.
Years ago, when they opened the Casinos in Mississippi along the river some of the Casino owners needed a four-lane road going to the Casino’s to the nearest highway. Bought the farmland and in no time the contractors were out there building the four lane and did it pretty quick. They were told if it got finished before the Casino’s opened there would be a bonus. They got their bonus. A little incentive goes a long way but working with the government seems to slow things down.
Add this to the hours every day we wait on line in traffic snarls, post office delays and food market lines and you realize we were born to wait.
I've met many fine folks while standing in line.
Might as well make the best of it, right, Matt? Waiting for the plane to our trip to Alaska we met a lady who lives there, out in "the wild." She hunts bear and moose and skins and hauls her own game back to her cabin. My hunting buddy and I were fascinated - our wives not so much.
So sorry you’re stuck, Sean, and props for maintaining your great sense of humor! My former choice was to drive 6 hours rather than fly; now it is 13 hours. The indignity and waste of time of commercial air travel is not worth the meager, if any, time saved. Many thanks for your wonderful storytelling!
The Summer of ‘73, a month or so before I turned 11, my Aunt Memmie(I couldn’t pronounce “Emily” so the name stuck) flew my 9 year old brother and me to spend a couple of weeks with her, our 5 year old cousin Karen, and our Uncle Russ who was a Lieutenant Commander in the Navy stationed at the Pentagon. We flew the regional and long defunct Southern Airways(I still have my return ticket). It was our first flight and we were both excitedly nervous. My brother kept pressing the stewardess call button just to see if the stewardess would show up. After the third time, she very politely informed my brother that the call button was for needing something. I covered my rear by exclaiming that I tried to tell him to not do that. I’m not sure if she believed me but she was a very pretty lady and helped us get to our aunt after we landed at Dulles Airport.
Every comment would get a "Like" if my iPad was behaving. I can recall flying on a prop engine plane in 1964 and being concerned about every change in the pitch of the engine. I don't trust aeronautical engineering, and what with parts falling off and pilots "dying suddenly," I'll take the train! Train travel is slower, true, and if you can't afford a compartment, less comfortable, but much more interesting. I remember crossing the Tennessee River by train when I was about 5. Mom and I were moving back home from NJ. I embarrassed my mother by calling it a "brook." (Well, I learned to talk in NJ, which had life-long repercussions. LOL) I prefer life at something less than the current breakneck speed.