Just how bad is airline service

[gsganzer]

I fly at least a couple times a month for work. Things have changed over the years for sure. Almost all flights are 100% full these days. Passenger manners and decorum are non-existent. The "me-first" generation has taken over.

I'm lucky that most of my flights originate and return to DFW via AA, so most flights are non-stop and rarely do I ever have to book connecting flights. Plus with DFW being AA's hub, they usually have planes in position.

Connecting flights is the big hassle.

 

[bnold]

I think much of who your best service and favorite airline is based on your location…

Mine are American and Southwest because I live in Dallas area and far less drama if a flight change is required.

If I lived in Atlanta, my favorite would probably be Delta for the same reasons.

As my status is expiring with both American and Southwest (which I consider a great thing!!) I expect they will still be my goto.

 

[newbury]

Love these stories.
Before retirement in 2010 I was flying about 2 or 3 times a month and had been for decades. When I first got in the "high travel mode" flights were rarely packed, service was good, seats were generous. By the time I retired flights were packed, TSA was a pain and seats had shrunk.
Sort of glad to hear it's only gotten worse.

 

[caver]

Allegiant . When my folks were still snowbirding in the Clearwater FL area I tried them out of Belleville IL. A one horse airport with probably one flight a day? We take off and before we get to cruising altitude I see a steward carrying a fire extensisher. There was a slight haze in the air or maybe just an odor?? This is not good. Well the captain announce we are returning. Since TSA had gone home they told us if we depart the terminal we can't get back in. They had called a mechanic in. We wait, the snack machine gets cleaned out. Mechanic arrives...numerous run ups and it is finally determined they accidentally got de-icing into the engines. So I get to Clearwater after dark and get the shuttle cab to my folks place. I was watching airplane crash videos on YT and recall Allegient had a crash due to sloppy/cost cutting maintenance. Nice to know after the fact.

 

[BravoXray]

I've refused to fly anywhere for several years now. Too much of a hassle. And since I'm retired I have the time to drive, so I do. I've driven back to Pennsylvania where I grew up twice in the last 5 years (~6000 miles round trip), and to Kansas City every year (just over 3000 miles round trip) for a family gettogether. When I was in Kansas City last July some of my cousins flew in from Connecticut...it took 4 tries (3 cancellations) for them to get a flight back home.

I have flown on a commercial airline once in the last 40 years, to Phoenix and back for my son's wedding in 2012. Wanted to fly my plane, but it was awaiting it's annual inspection, and I really wasn't able to be away from my business for two weeks if I drove.
I flew on Allegiant on and MD80 I think. Seating of course sucks, and I'm a pretty big guy, and of course the two others seated in my row on the downbound trip were kind of hefty too. Coming back I lucked out and there was an empty seat in my row. The flights were okay, but I doubt I'll fly commercial again unless it's some kind of an emergency. My Town Car is a good traveling machine for me.

 

[bmg88201]

Several decades back, I flew from Albq to Roswell on a small commuter called Mesa Airline that sat about 20, I think. There was no door on the cockpit, you could see and hear the pilots. The pilot was a lady (stop a clock good looking too) and the co-pilot was a man. I could hear them arguing, it was a relationship type argument. Something about another woman. I thought to myself, oh crap she’s gonna take us all out just to get back at him.

 

[Citydude]

All we have here in the boonies is commuter planes. Fondly referred to as flying tin cans.

 

[jfsawatzky]

Not much of a flyer but my last trip was a doozy. My parents get booted off a cruise ship in Alaska due to my dad’s sudden serious illness. Short story, we got home to south Georgia from Bellingham WA in a Lear 35 or 36 (?) semi-converted for med flights. Dad was recovering by then and he enjoyed the ride too at 43,000 ft. Two pilots, two nurses, mom, dad, and me. A wee bit pricey way to fly though.

I hope they had the correct type of travel insurance.

 

[caver]

I used to do volunteer work at Carlsbad Caverns once or twice a year on long holidays. This was back in the late 90's. I flew Mesa several times into Carlsbad. So a fellow caver wanted to come out for one of the expeditions. No problems going out via ABQ. The holiday weekend is over and we say our goodbys. One of the volunteers gives us a lift back to the airport since she lived in ABQ. The park let us stay in old ranger cabins. She drops us off and the airport doors are locked. We find an unlocked outside door to a weather guy's office and he lets us in the lobby. Hmm Our first clue. Our flight time comes and goes and no employees or plane. I call their phone number on the pay phone... are you Mr Caver and Mr Schmuckatelly? How did she know who i was? Turns out I never gave a phone number as it's hard to get a hold of us at the park. Well your flight was cancelled and we tried to get a hold of you.will book you on the evening flight. So we knew we would not make our connecting flight to STL. Luckily my buddies sister lived in ABQ. We crashed at her place and they got us out on the red-eye flight next morning. After that I found out it was cheaper to fly to El Paso and get a rent a car. They ferried that plane to a place it would make more money on the holiday weekend.

 

[deserteagle71]

All we have here in the boonies is commuter planes. Fondly referred to as flying tin cans.

I preferred flying on those little planes! 17 passengers or so...very quick to load and unload passengers and get underway. Not having to wait for 300 people to stash their baggage and get settled in.