Experiences flying

I probably wrote too much can yall even read that? I like to use plenty of spacing it all goes away wtf. I usually get used to the new formats but I gotta say this iteration I can't wait for founder to move on from.

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Southwest discarded open seating. American (I am an idiot/frequent flyer on America) is Usairways/Usair/Piedmont/Mohawk with a different name, but flies Logan to Miami and Los Angeles nonstop.

The single best flying experience I have had in my life is flying JetBlue out of Worcester, MA nonstop to Fort Lauderdale or Orlando. Last trip I got the closest spot in the parking lot to the terminal. 20 feet to the stairs. 20 stairs. Cross the street with no traffic. Enter terminal. 30 feet to check in. 60 feet to go through security and grab seat at bar. 2 beers. 15 feet to doorway. Maybe 50-55 yards from my car to my ailse seat. The airport is in a residential neighborhood and is so small, it like one of your buds has an airport in his backyard. The first time I flew I was late and got dropped off at 4:55 for a 5:20 flight. Was at the bar at 4:58.

I just flew in from Frankfurt (family vacation, no FKKs).
German airport security is crazy. This was a connection from Barcelona. Three passport checks, two baggage screens, and a belt and shoes off metal detector. They thought one souvenir was suspicious, so four Polizei armed with H&K automatic weapons escorted us to an additional scanner. Our flight was delayed over an hour for additional detailed security inspections. I wonder where it flew in from. On Lufthansa, it was a male pilot and all female crew. One of our business class attendants was a 10. 5'9", size 2, blonde hair and blue eyes. The service from all of them was excellent, but one in particular mixed a great Whiskey Ginger. The business class chow was pretty good, but the entertainment options sucked. AA, our flight in to Fiumicino, had more comfortable business class seats (Boeing 777, Lufthansa was an Airbus 321), better entertainment, and better food; but they didn't have the St. Pauli girl serving drinks hot towels.
Barcelona has a lot of airport shopping, but more busses to your plane than jetways.

I agree that Delta is the best for economy. Now that I've flown Lufthansa, I'd like to try British Airways and Virgin Atlantic. Spirit, Ryan, Frontier and other discount carriers are a hard No.

I like Charlotte, Houston, and DFW airports. ATL and LAX are too big and stale. Chicago and New York transfers are nightmares.

I feel like a flight originating anywhere and heading to either Vegas or any Florida destination is probably what it’s like to take a flight straight to hell. Not that the destinations are bad but the people on those flights usually are.

I wish all airlines would charge $30+ to bring a carryon and let you check bags for free so it wouldn’t take 45 minutes to de-board a plane.

I will take a spirit airlines flight with the seat next to the restrooms if it’s direct versus a first class ticket on American with a layover. I always choose the flight that doesn’t have a layover no matter how crappy the airline. Now, if I have no other choice that I have to take a layover then I can get picky. Where the layover is at, which airline to pick.

Lastly if the drive is under 6 hours I’ll often just drive instead. Dealing with airports and delays are that annoying that I’d rather sit in a car for 6 hours.

Somewhere around 9/11 this got all messed up. Flying used to be fun and an adventure. Now it’s just a daunting task. I really think this went to shit around 2008 when airlines were flipping out over fuel prices and started gouging customers. When that wasn’t enough they started taking away all the perks and guess what, people still booked flights because who really wants to drive from Kansas to Florida?

@skibum609: "American (I am an idiot/frequent flyer on America) is Usairways/Usair/Piedmont/Mohawk with a different name,"

If only American were Piedmont with a different name. That airline was bloody stupendous. That buyout was probably one of the worst results for passengers.

Btw I always take the back rows. Unless it's a west coast flight where the window seat can offer some amazing views I usually just take the aisle so I can go to bathroom 5 million times without having wake up the aisle every time.

@gammanu - "German airport security is crazy."

Really. I never had that experience at Frankfurt Flughafen (but I never transferred through it; only as my start or end). Passport was quick coming and going--what are you here for, how long are you staying--OK enjoy your stay. Their security was like in the states, only more efficient. More lines, more screeners, you're efficiently shuttled to where you're supposed to be.

Interesting that you had a hot flight attendant. On all my trips there--at least 12 over the years--I never saw one I'd rate above a 6. They weren't fat like American flight attendants, but they were usually older, with that stern Nordic face, and not much in the curves department. Very attentive though. Loved the hot towels.

Also if you're in the back I notice there's a better chance of their being empty seats back there. Btw I never have flown anything above coach.

Allegiant Airlines can be a good deal and great price, if you book it when first available. I prefer Delta to American. My Jet Blue experience has been inconsistent.

I notice there's almost more ultra flamboyant gay guys as flight attendants than actual hot girls working that job now.

I'm locked into United because I have their credit card, a shitload of miles from over the years, and our antiquated FICO scoring system. But they've devalued their points so much that it doesn't pay to be loyal. I'll go with fewer connections over loyalty any day.
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Back when I traveled more domestically for work, they were a complete shit show. Cancelled flights, missed connections, lost luggage, dirty ass planes that probably carried exotic pathogens. I e-mailed their CEO with a piece of my mind enough times that he probably remembers me. Since then, they've cleaned up their act. Unfortunately they've cut down a lot of routes from Boston.
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I like JetBlue, one of the better airlines out of Boston. Planes are comfortable and well-maintained, and they seem to stay on schedule.
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I haven't flown American in a long time.
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The joke was that Delta stood for "Don't Expect Luggage To Arrive" but I've never had a bad experience. Normally I only fly Delta to Atlanta to paint the town red with my clubbing buddy.
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Alaska is fine for direct routes to Seattle, but I don't really fly OneWorld.
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I haven't flown Southwest in a long time but their connections are sloppy as fuck, they had that debacle a couple Christmases ago, their planes were junky and uncomfortable. It was like Greyhound only faster.
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Never flown Spirit, Frontier, or Sun Country, and don't care to.
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@Muddy - Yes, I've noticed a lot more gay dude flight attendants. I remember getting motion sick back in the day and having a blonde 10 and an Asian 10 rubbing my shoulders. (Thankfully, this was right about when any chick with a pulse was hot to me.)

@puddy the flight attendants on Barcelona-Frankfurt were the older Nordic types, friendly but not hot. My intercontinental flight was the smokeshow. It's no surprise the more senior attendants chose the more local flights. As for security, there was clearly a heightened alert, but I have no previous baseline to compare it to. Even the gate agents were befuddled as to the detailed plane check. However, I still consider it amateur hour compared to 75% of the domestic boarding I've had. I can PM you the details if you care that much.

^ I'm talking about transcontinental flights as well.

I don't know that I've had a heightened alert. Only a couple passport checks (including one at the gate) which went pretty quickly.

I've never had problems flying into or through Frankfurt. Passport checks and security have generally been quick and efficient and the Lufthansa lounge is very nice. My problem with the place is that you're always getting on buses - it's like they didn't think to build jet bridges.

my only experience flying in the last 20 years has been Aloha to Hawaii and back and starlux to Bangkok and Japan air from Bangkok back to LAX.
very nice looking stewardesses on both Starlux and Japan air. and the food was good too!

Muddy I suggest you get on a plane and visit some of the great clubs in the world outside the US

@gammanu95 hey hey hey - those are free Emotional Support Roaches Spirit provides for passengers.

@wld definitely plan too but it's a whole lot harder to do weekend trips to Argentina. If I haven't done something in America I wanna do it but yes I am running out of runway on that one.

Most of my flying is on Soirit and Frontier. No issues.
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Just flew on both airlines a few days ago to Atlanta for $60 round trip.

The videos you say about budget airlines are typically either from people who don’t want or can’t follow rules or expect the exact same experience they get from flying a larger airline.

Sun country I can fly direct into MSP for under $200. Nobody can beat that. No issues being on time of the 2 dozen times I’ve flown them

Ive never had a problem flying. I prefer the bus or train though

I’ve flown a lot for work for many years. At an airport presently. Chose to connect even though I could have flown direct because I need to pump up my segments to keep my status.

Only tip I can think of is to go on the airline’s website to book a flight vs. Orbitz and select flight times that are unappealing and review for the seat map to confirm that it’s pretty open if you strongly prefer being on a flight that is not packed.

Every flight seems full these days. Every mo fo out there seems to travel by air these days. So much for no one having money to make an ends meet right now.

->"Southwest is a joke with that open seating abuse. Everyone is handicapped going on to get a good seat and then going off it's a miracle they are healed up."

In the Southwest airlines subreddit, this is mocked as "Jetway Jesus." Southwest is crucifying Jetway Jesus effective early 2026 when open seating will end.

After 4 years in the USAF and 42 years working in flight operations for a major air line I can say that since retiring in 2009, I haven't been to the airport and I don't miss it.