You know you should probably consider slowing down on air travel when 2 of the biggest commercial airplanes manufactured cannot get off the ground without hitting each other at the Atlanta International Airport. On the rare occasion I can even consider leaving home now by myself, I feel confident I would get off any plane that had collided with another plane before the wheels were up. That’s not just a sign, that’s a major slap on the back of the head.
I did, however, have a very successful round trip by air in August to attend a play in the park where Diego was a member of the cast. I used Boutique Air in Portland, Oregon, where you get to park right outside their hangar front door for free, check in 1/2 hour before takeoff, do not have to go through the dreaded TSA checkpoints or pay luggage fees. On a small plane that seats only 8 passengers and 2 pilots, it was a surprise the seating was not a major pain on every inch of my aged body and bones. Everything after takeoff was no different from a large jet. Obviously, weight should be an issue on airplanes, especially small ones, which got me thinking about why bigger airline commercial flights charge exorbitant fees for overweight bags or additional luggage? Are we to believe that every extra bag or those over 50 pounds will arrive at our destination on a separate plane, justifying the cost? No matter the weight or the number of bags I have ever checked for large commercial flights, my bags have arrived at the same airport, at the same time, as I did. Mexico City is the only exception. Weight and number of bags, therefore, must be insignificant. These bag fees are causing my flight costs to double.
My favorite inequality observation, this past couple of years, is the announcement made at the boarding gate, at PDX and others, about all that carry-on luggage. They will now take bigger carry-on luggage, at no extra charge, and stow it away somewhere on the same plane with my expensive luggage, to loosen up overhead bin storage. Have you ever traveled on a flight where all the overhead bins were full, and they are still loading the last 20 rows of passengers? I understand that overhead bin storage is limited; and I paid to check my bags. Why, then, does the excess of passengers ignoring this issue qualify for free baggage check at the gate? If every passenger on a plane with 250 seats had to check their carry-on bags, which are more like a medium-sized suitcases, there would be no issues with overhead bins. Passengers can still carry on a backpack, or the equivalent, on the plane that can hold all the essentials. Most everyday backpacks fit underneath the seat in front of you.
I can’t even catch a break traveling on the ground. I needed to take a friend to Portland to meet up with family who would travel further east. After drop off, I immediately turned around to return home. The highway I drove on to Portland was closed for my return because of a fatal motor vehicle accident. I took the detour. Many miles later, on a highway that takes much longer to get home, I ran into multiple stops for road construction. That held me up an extra hour, not the 20 minutes as shown on temporary signage. Once I got on the 3rd, and final, highway home, I had to stop again for bridge repair. It was a good thing I had ample fuel.
When I finally arrive at home, Don and his babysitter are both sound asleep in the living room. I tiptoed around for 2 hours. When they wake up, Don wants to know what’s for dinner? It’s like I never left home and I was gone half the day.
Note to Self: OK, maybe getting off a plane after a collision on the tarmac needs rethinking if my only other alternative is going home.