Traveling pet peeves!

[osulax05]

I've never really had problems with infants on flights. They usually will cry a little bit here and there but nothing too major. It is the toddlers/pre-teens that annoy me because they don't shut up and like to kick seats.

Flying back to CLT tomorrow... here's to a tolerable flight

[amcflyboy]

Here's a good one...

Last year, I was returning from Christchurch when we dropped one of our skibirds off at Air New Zealand for depot MX (long story for another time). Anyways, I'm now in Auckland waiting to board the 747 for LAX, which is almost a 12 hour flight I have to look forward too. They call me up to the podium because they want to change my seat. Thankfully, I still had an aisle seat.

So I'm sitting in the gate area, and as they start to board the "elder" passengers, a kid, half naked, probably about 5, runs towards the gate and is stopped by the gate agents, and his dumbshit mother is running after him. They close doors to wait for the old farts to get down to the plane, and this mother is grabbing this kid as he's holding on to the door handle, screaming bloody murder saying that he needs to get on the plane. Within a second I determine this kid is either autistic, or really big pain in the a$$. Lovely I thought.

But wait, heeeeerrrreeee'sss my sign.....that family is sitting directly behind me, with the kid kicking my seat. I look to see who it is, acting like I don't know, and give the blank stare of death at the mother. The kid fell asleep the entire flight, thank Christ! He only started acting up on final into LAX. But it could have been worse. The kid's mother never really redressed the kid because he only wore his shorts the entire time. The mom was definitely a pushover.

[Toro]

I posted in another thread about the TSA making me chuck out my toothpaste while guys with fake bombs are getting on planes.

Well, it’s happened again.

On the one hand, these guys can’t (or aren’t allowed to) apply common sense to the policies and allow somebody with 2 oz of toothpaste board a plane because it’s in an 8 oz container. On the other hand, a guy is allowed to board a plane with a fake bomb.

In tests conducted in 2006 and disclosed to USA Today last year, investigators successfully smuggled 75 percent of fake bombs through checkpoints at Los Angeles International Airport, 60 percent through Chicago's O'Hare International Airport and 20 percent at San Francisco International Airport.

But as Devil's advocate for the TSA, this is exactly why people need to STFU about being ‘inconvenienced’ by having to take off their shoes, go through extra screenings, and get a pat-down.

[-Roll-]

I flew with Luftansa this last summer, and in Greece they didn't even screen us. We walked around a metal detector and were asked if we had any weapons. We transferred from Germany to Philly short afterwards, and while I was at Philly I had a pair of nail clippers, a disposable razor, zip ties, and my 4oz bottle of soap taken because they were not clearly labeled. This was the same group of people who were trying to get an old man in a wheel chair to stand up so they could screen him! Where does TSA find these people!?

On the kids thing: I know a couple who gives their Kids Dimetapp or Dramamine and knocks them out for the whole flight.

[Toro]

Air-Infidel has started operations. Terrorist attacks on this airline are estimated at 0.00000%

[F16Deuce]

Here are my ramblings:

-Why can't I listen to my Ipod until the flight attendant says I can? Will the airplane's navigation/communication capabilities shit the bed? I think not. Just aggravates me.

-What really annoys me is the fact that I cannot be on a flight where a screaming little shit isn't sitting behind me! Parents of such screaming little shits: if you must fly please do everyone a favor and place duct tape over their mouths.

-Next: fat people need to buy 2 seats. I remember a while ago some airlines did this, not sure if they still do, but I've been on many airplanes where the fat of the bitch next to me is spilling into my seat.

-I also think that their should be a "you need to be taller than x" to qualify for an exit row seat. Pisses me off to have my knees in my chest (Im 6'4") and see some midget in an exit row seat.

-If I have to be briefed about how to buckle a seatbelt I'm going to just shoot myself.

- "In the event of a water landing" WTF is that supposed to mean? More like: hey listen up, if we crash into the ocean and you still happen to be alive, you may use your seat as a flotation device.

-Lastly: People who put shit in the overnugget containers that could easily fit under their seat like a jacket or something stupid like that. Makes me want to just throw them on the floor.

[Butters]

-Lastly: People who put shit in the overnugget containers that could easily fit under their seat like a jacket or something stupid like that. Makes me want to just throw them on the floor.

The jacket or the person?

I have come close to blows when some jackass blocks the isle for 20 min while they place their bag in the bin, then take off their jacket, then retrieve something from their bag..... all the while there are multiple announcements saying ' Hey retards, don't bock the isle, move you fat ass out of the way let people pass then stow your crap" I have quit being nice about this. You should have to pass a competency test to be allowed to bring carry one luggage onto a plane.

[Whitman]

The jacket or the person?

I have come close to blows when some jackass blocks the isle for 20 min while they place their bag in the bin, then take off their jacket, then retrieve something from their bag..... all the while there are multiple announcements saying ' Hey retards, don't bock the isle, move you fat ass out of the way let people pass then stow your crap" I have quit being nice about this. You should have to pass a competency test to be allowed to bring carry one luggage onto a plane.

I never understood why airlines don't just board back to front? It would solve this very problem. I also never understood why its considered first class treatment to board first? If I'm paying double, I'd much rather chill in the Crown room in ATL (or anywhere else for that matter) and wait until the last possible second to get on the jet, strap in and go, but that's just me.

Well said Bull.

[herkbum]

I recently had TSA cut the lock of my suitcase, therefor leaving it unlocked for my travel back to Eastern Europe. I had bought 2, 80-GB iPods the day before and put them, still in original packaging, in that bag because of the lock. Needless to say, when my luggage arrived 7 hours after I did, both iPods were gone. I have filed a claim with TSA, so they should reimburse me for the theft. At least they give me that impression. So, my recommendation is to get TSA approved locks (SafeSkies has the ones I bought). They are combination locks that also have a key slot so TSA can unlock them and then relock them. Type "TSA approved locks" in Google.

[uhhello]

I recently had TSA cut the lock of my suitcase, therefor leaving it unlocked for my travel back to Eastern Europe. I had bought 2, 80-GB iPods the day before and put them, still in original packaging, in that bag because of the lock. Needless to say, when my luggage arrived 7 hours after I did, both iPods were gone. I have filed a claim with TSA, so they should reimburse me for the theft. At least they give me that impression. So, my recommendation is to get TSA approved locks (SafeSkies has the ones I bought). They are combination locks that also have a key slot so TSA can unlock them and then relock them. Type "TSA approved locks" in Google.

Wasting your money, those lock "keys" are a dime a dozen. Just draws attention to your bag as containing possible values.

[brabus]

I had some airline employee pull me out of the security line at OHare to tell me my carry on bag was too big and needed to be checked. I have flown on literally 15+ flights w/ this same bag...no problems fitting it in the overnugget compartment or just "checking" it plane side if it's an RJ. So she finally agrees to let me measure it in the little red square thing and the handle sticks out about a 1/2 in outside the red line...had to check it. Thanks for being a bitch.

On the lock/ipod thing: I always put any valuables in a backpack and carry that on. I don't see any reason to put something valuable such as a laptop, IPOD, jewelry, etc. in a checked baggage. If someone steals your clothes, at least you're not out a ton of money (hopefully). Plus, I doubt anybody is looking to steal clothes.

[Guest gonzo]

Half the time it seems like TSA are the ones that should be watched. Half of the TSA folks are the same idiots that worked the airline pre-9/11 and all they did was change into a fancier shirt to keep their job. Let's look at demographics, are most terrorists 65+ women or are they 20 something arabs? Easy answer, but they are always searching the old women while Ahmed walks on through. WTF?

One traveling peeve of mine involves uniforms while traveling. I understand the Army's policy, but I have talked to a few friends from college who are reservists who say they wear their uniforms on domestic flights, even when not on official business, because they usually get hook ups and upgrades. Knowing that is frustrating when packed into economy while Private Bagodouche who wore his uniform on his vacation gets an upgrade, which apparently they can take.

[F16Deuce]

The jacket or the person?

I have come close to blows when some jackass blocks the isle for 20 min while they place their bag in the bin, then take off their jacket, then retrieve something from their bag..... all the while there are multiple announcements saying ' Hey retards, don't bock the isle, move you fat ass out of the way let people pass then stow your crap" I have quit being nice about this. You should have to pass a competency test to be allowed to bring carry one luggage onto a plane.

haha. I meant their jacket, but either way works.

[osulax05]

which apparently they can take.

Thought the whole "joint ethics" publication(s) said we (all service members) are not supposed to accept upgrades when in uniform. Guess they missed that memo.

[osulax05]

I don't think it's a problem.

2

Was just saying that I'm pretty sure that just like us, they aren't supposed to take the "upgrade"

[yerfer]

Here are my ramblings:

-Why can't I listen to my Ipod until the flight attendant says I can? Will the airplane's navigation/communication capabilities shit the bed? I think not. Just aggravates me.

-What really annoys me is the fact that I cannot be on a flight where a screaming little shit isn't sitting behind me! Parents of such screaming little shits: if you must fly please do everyone a favor and place duct tape over their mouths.

-Next: fat people need to buy 2 seats. I remember a while ago some airlines did this, not sure if they still do, but I've been on many airplanes where the fat of the bitch next to me is spilling into my seat.

-I also think that their should be a "you need to be taller than x" to qualify for an exit row seat. Pisses me off to have my knees in my chest (Im 6'4") and see some midget in an exit row seat.

-If I have to be briefed about how to buckle a seatbelt I'm going to just shoot myself.

- "In the event of a water landing" WTF is that supposed to mean? More like: hey listen up, if we crash into the ocean and you still happen to be alive, you may use your seat as a flotation device.

-Lastly: People who put shit in the overnugget containers that could easily fit under their seat like a jacket or something stupid like that. Makes me want to just throw them on the floor.

2 on that. I have had the misfortune of having to sit next to fat asses more than once. I may as well kill two birds with one stone, so I'll tell my story now.

Gonna cover why sitting next to fat people sucks ass, and why you should never fly US Airways.

During this last Spring semester my sister gave me a call to come see her on the show (American Idol). I was really busy and ROTC wouldn't let me leave for one day. So I had to fly out to the show and back the same day.

My first time to show (went twice) I had the luxury of flying Southwest which I can't say enough kudos about. Have never had a bad experience with them.

Second, time. Not so lucky. I had to fly out on US Airways. The first problem with this airline is they make you think that by choosing your seat pre-flight that your gonna be happy. The problem with this is if your not flying with 2 other people to fill your isle, your stuck next to people who are going to possibly smell like a combo of B.O and butt hole, be fat and sweaty, or some psycho frat kid thats gonna blow up the world if he doesn't get everything his way. The possibilities are endless.

My flight left PHX with some prissy choreographer that "asked me nicely" to sit next to the window to comfort his worry of someone nudging his weak hip on the isle. Oh heaven for effin bid someone bumps your poor hip! That idiot did NOT shut up the entire flight about some stupid upcoming music video. As soon as we landed, boy did he dart off that plane. Some "weak hip" you got there...

After the show I had to speed through CA traffic to LAX to fly to Vegas for a delay. I get on the plane and sit down on the seat assigned on the ticket. I close my eyes to get some shut eye and suddenly hear someone say, Hey get out of my seat. Open my eyes and this frat punk with iced tips is standing in the isle over my head demanding me to get up and move. I show him my ticket and say, wrong seat bro. He says, No, your going to move. I say, hey, go talk to the flt attendants and they'll show you your seat. By this point he's getting really hot with me and says, "Look KID, your gonna do what you have to do!" I look around and see the flt attendants just standing there watching. I say, Can someone do something about this guy? Nobody did ANYTHING. As a matter of fact, they sat me in ANOTHER seat that wasn't assigned to me and with 2 fat people on both sides. Lets not forget how they absolutely most positively HAD to have their fat sweaty elbows on the arms rest jabbing into my ribs the whole way to Vegas. I sat there with my elbows tucked into my stomach the whole time. The stench of these people was so overwhelming I wanted to vomit! Does deodorant not work for these people? ITS DISGUSTING.

I can handle people pathetically throwing their hopeless lives down the drain because they won't help themselves, but people who smell like $hit need a serious reality check. If you have the nerve to go in public smelling like a pile of dead bodies, you are retarded.

To top things off, In Vegas the plane I was suppose to get on broke and I ended up waiting 4 hours for something else to show up. I finally got home just on time to throw on my PTU's and make it to ROTC.

What a load of F*&^

[Guest gonzo]

To clarify, If some army dude is on his way from from a deployment, no problem with him taking the upgrade. My peeve is with the clowns that wear it while traveling on vacation just to score the upgrade. Seems classless.

[Finance_Guy]

I see this all the time, and normally, it's someone in first class with the best of intentions saying "Hey stewardess, I'm going to the back to give that young soldier my seat."

Either that, or sometimes the Capt telling the FAs to move him up to an open 1st class for "weight & balance."

I don't think it's a problem.

I don't know about the Ethics regs, but I don't really think this is a problem provided "Everyone" on the flight witnesses the seat give-a-way. Otherwise, other pax may think the DoD has a shit load of tax payer money and can afford 1st Class tickets for the military. Sends a wrong signal. But if someone already in 1st Class gets up and goes back and tells the soldier, "Hey take my seat in 1st Class", that's OK in my book--especially if they appear to be returning from deployment.

I was on a flight to Tampa once and saw two uniforms already sitting in 1st Class as I boarded. So me, thinking finance reimbursement, know they shouldn't be reimbursed for 1st Class, but then again they could have used their personal banked miles to upgrade. Of course I think these two worked for one of the COCOMS, so maybe they think they are special or something.

I just think military in uniform have to be carefull to eliminate the appearance that DoD pays for 1st Class tickets.

Something that pissed me off on my return from Qatar a few years back. We luckily got on one of the World Airlines rotators that was configured with about 4 or 5 rows of 1st class. I was even luckier to get one. Well, wouldn't you know that about 3 of the seats were taken up by the World Crew/Maint (one guy hardly sat in the seat during the first leg). So we stopped in Shannon Ireland for fuel and a crew change. So I know I have a couple buds in the back and asked the main FA dude if they were getting off for sure and could I have my buds move to where they were sitting. Dude started giving me attitude, but then I brought up the fact that they have crew seats in the back so they can be separated from the main cabin and get some shut eye, so why don't the new crew use them. I also brought up the fact that everyone on this flight besides them have been on a long deployment and would appreciate a better seat. So he finally says yes, go ahead and tell them to take the seats. So we get off the bird, go have some awesome 16 yr whiskey and a few beers. As we are getting back on, I go back up front and wouldn't you know it, three other aircrew (what their purpose was I don't know) are sitting in those 3 seats. Shit...so I have to go back in the cabin and let them know the new crew (maybe some just catching a ride back) are in the seats and they'll have to stay put. I just thought it was rude of them to do that since their ass hadn't been deployed for the last 4 months. Anyway, just something I thought I'd share. I also want to say I offered to switch with my buds, but they told me to stay where I was. But I really would have gave it up if they would have came up there, but that crew wouldn't.

[-Roll-]

This no Shit happened about a month ago...

I walked through security with a 6 inch switchblade in my backpack... The lady in front of me had a bottle of water and the TSA agent turned into a counter terrorism expert. They literally were threatening her with the repercussions of breaking a federal mandate, and here I am walking through with a fvcking switchblade...

I don't know much about the FFDO program, but with this kinda support team all you commercial pilots on here might wanna start looking into it!

[yerfer]

This no Shit happened about a month ago...

I walked through security with a 6 inch switchblade in my backpack... The lady in front of me had a bottle of water and the TSA agent turned into a counter terrorism expert. They literally were threatening her with the repercussions of breaking a federal mandate, and here I am walking through with a fvcking switchblade...

I don't know much about the FFDO program, but with this kinda support team all you commercial pilots on here might wanna start looking into it!

I believe it, but I don't see terrorist taking over planes anymore(not saying turn down the heat for security). A smart terrorist would watch people turn their eyes to what they just did and use that as a distraction to do something else. Besides, someone pulls a knife on a plane and people realize the possibly of crashing into a building. Someones gonna step up this time.

[Herk Driver]

I don't know about the Ethics regs, but I don't really think this is a problem provided "Everyone" on the flight witnesses the seat give-a-way. Otherwise, other pax may think the DoD has a shit load of tax payer money and can afford 1st Class tickets for the military. Sends a wrong signal. But if someone already in 1st Class gets up and goes back and tells the soldier, "Hey take my seat in 1st Class", that's OK in my book--especially if they appear to be returning from deployment.

The Joint ethics reg does forbid riding in 1st class in uniform as it presents the wrong appearance to the taxpayer. IIRC, nothing is said about business class though. You can use airline miles to upgrade, but shouldn't do it while in uniform to avoid the same perception problem.

That being said, I'm not going to say anything to the dudes coming back/going to the desert. Pretty stand up guy for someone to give up their business/first class seat to a service member knowing what those seats costs (especially if it is a transatlantic flight).

[Carpetbagger]

DELTA...

Don't

Expect

Luggage

To

Arrive

I'm currently 8 for 12 over the past 2 years. Batting .670 is great for a baseball player but completely unsat for an airline. Currently 100% with Southwest, American, and US Airways. Northwest is the... anomaly... at 2 for 3. Wait, they're part of Delta now. That makes sense.

Recommendation: I've taken to requesting a "Priority" tag with my bag due to professional gear that must arrive with my military self at my military location. Haven't had one of those tagged bags end up somewhere else at the end of the flight.

Edited August 16, 2008 by Carpetbagger

[brickhistory]

yerfer:

I close my eyes to get some shut eye and suddenly hear someone say, Hey get out of my seat. Open my eyes and this frat punk with iced tips is standing in the isle over my head demanding me to get up and move. I show him my ticket and say, wrong seat bro. He says, No, your going to move. I say, hey, go talk to the flt attendants and they'll show you your seat. By this point he's getting really hot with me and says, "Look KID, your gonna do what you have to do!" I look around and see the flt attendants just standing there watching. I say, Can someone do something about this guy? Nobody did ANYTHING. As a matter of fact, they sat me in ANOTHER seat that wasn't assigned to me and with 2 fat people on both sides.

Is there something more to this part of the story? If you have an assigned seat, why did asswipe get to sit there and you get stuck between the fatties?

And if the gutless (in this case, according to your story so far) flight attendents won't do anything, then clown act can pack sand or make a move, in which case the nice airport police can have a chat with him.

Yes, I get it that that action would also delay you and you were pressed for time. I'm not judging you, I'm just asking if there was more to this story.

[yerfer]

yerfer:

Is there something more to this part of the story? If you have an assigned seat, why did asswipe get to sit there and you get stuck between the fatties?

And if the gutless (in this case, according to your story so far) flight attendents won't do anything, then clown act can pack sand or make a move, in which case the nice airport police can have a chat with him.

Yes, I get it that that action would also delay you and you were pressed for time. I'm not judging you, I'm just asking if there was more to this story.

I was trying to figure out the same thing. Both me and my girlfriend looked around in shock when the flight attendants did nothing. What made me more mad than anything was being threatened by that lousy dick head and knowing that if I wasn't on that plane, I'd tell him to shove it, but being the situation (on a plane) I knew their was nothing I could do if the airline wouldn't help me. Trust me, when I arrived in Vegas I went straight to file a complaint and all they said was, sorry for the inconvenience. They didn't offer me a refund or anything. I showed proof of my seat number and where I actually sat, and they didn't care.

Moral of the story. DO NOT FLY US AIRWAYS.

[uhhello]

I was trying to figure out the same thing. Both me and my girlfriend looked around in shock when the flight attendants did nothing. What made me more mad than anything was being threatened by that lousy dick head and knowing that if I wasn't on that plane, I'd tell him to shove it, but being the situation (on a plane) I knew their was nothing I could do if the airline wouldn't help me. Trust me, when I arrived in Vegas I went straight to file a complaint and all they said was, sorry for the inconvenience. They didn't offer me a refund or anything. I showed proof of my seat number and where I actually sat, and they didn't care.

Moral of the story. DO NOT FLY US AIRWAYS.

Or the moral could be don't give up your assigned seat to some bitch who thinks it's his.