Flying the unfriendly skies

"For the airlines to really maximize profits, they have reconfigured seats to fit Munchkins rather than regular human beings."

Anybody flown anywhere lately? Isn't it a gas? In November we flew down to Florida to start our cruise. The most nerve racking part of the entire flight was trying to get on a plane at the MSP airport. We got there in plenty of time so we could relax. The lines at the airport to get through security went on to somewhere short of forever. 

Then, after waiting for an inexcusably long time, you finally get to the TSA screener. Off go the shoes, everything out of pockets, get shoved through the machine, get wanded down, and then maybe frisked. When you finally get done and are getting your personal effects back and shoes on, you feel as if you have been through a police line up. But that is just the beginning of the torture.

After paying a few hundred dollars for a plane ticket, you finally get down at the gate with a zillion other people - all waiting to board the same plane you are. If the plane is on time, first everyone from the flight inbound needs to get off. Then the plane gets a "lick and a promise" of cleaning. Finally, your row number is called and you are allowed on board.

Unlike the old days, there is no comfort, no perks, no nothing in exchange for the money you had to shell out for a ticket. Only a way of getting from point "A" to point "B". And these days, most every seat is sold out. For the airlines to really maximize profits, they have reconfigured seats to fit Munchkins rather than regular human beings. If fact, they have become so small, Senator Chuck Schumer of New York wants to introduce legislation to mandate larger seats. And there is practically nothing offered for the sake of comfort which is free. Everything costs dough.

When I was a working stiff, I had to travel quite a bit. Air travel was NEVER like it is today. Some flights I took were actually enjoyable. Some were even fun. Today - never. Even the head of our local airport was on the news last night complaining about the long lines at the airport. (I know this is hard to believe from our government), but it seems these long lines are a government caused phenomena. New security rules in place by the TSA without the extra resources to implement them. The result - lines going out to Tuesday with very pissed off people standing in them. 

Do I hate to travel? Absolutely not! I love to travel on our highways and byways. I can take what I want, leave when I want, drive as far as I want, and not have to get frisked when I get into my truck. My wife and I used to argue about our mode of transportation - air or land. Now, the argument is becoming more slanted in my favor. All thanks to our wonderfully efficient government and airlines.