I’m glad our flights to/from California were a few weeks ago and not today. Incidentally, the Distler’s got in last night, so they’ve missed today’s mayhem. Reading about what’s occurring at airports on both sides of the pond triggered thoughts about how much air travel has changed.
It is a challenge to maintaining a normal schedule while flying cross-country since the airlines don’t serve food on the flights. Our original travel plan was a two-flight journey Philly to Dallas, Dallas to Palm Springs. The flight to Dallas was delayed by over an hour, causing us to miss the flight to Palm Springs. That was the last flight to Palm Springs so we were left with the choice of staying overnight in Dallas and flying standby to Palm Springs the next day or switching to another airline and ultimately flying Dallas to Phoenix and Phoenix to Ontario (for non-CA residents, not that Ontario, Ontario, California – look at an atlas already, would you?!?). But in all of this, when were we gonna eat?
Same thing occurred on the return flight – again routed, Palm Springs to Dallas, Dallas to Philly. Fortunately, we had a 2-hour layover in Dallas allowing us time to eat at the TGI Friday’s at the DFW airport. If it hadn’t been for the 2-hour layover, we wouldn’t have had time to eat.
And don’t tell me about the little food boxes the airlines are starting to sell for $5, as the one Sesame Street bit used to say “that’s not even enough to feed a flea!”
In addition to the meal challenges, there's the security changes. I remember taking the Christmas turkey with me back to the Philippines as checked luggage and being able to watch the screen as it passed through the screener - can't do that anymore. And I’m picturing the passengers in lines this morning finding out that they can’t carry any liquid or paste. They must feel like Jonah’s shipmates having to throw so much overboard.
I must be quite the site going through security. Out of fear of tripping the sensors, I feel a need to empty all of the things on my person into one of the beautiful gray bins they provide. So there I am dumping all this stuff out of my pockets, trying to remember to take the computer out of its case, oh, don’t forget the camera too. Then rushing to untie my shoes and throw them on the conveyor. All the while attempting to do all of this with only 2 hands, trying to make sure I’m keeping track of all our valuables so we don’t loose anything and getting all of this done in under 30 seconds so I don’t hold up the line – faster than drive-thru service at McDonald’s.
Get through the screener and then it is the reverse process. Get re-clothed, gathering everything up and actually have to do it faster since there’s often less counter space after going through security than in the lines before security. And so I end up hastening away from security shoes untied, bags hanging around my neck, computer in one hand, camera in the other, looking for somewhere to get this all stowed-away again while trying to dodge people traffic. And that’s without kids!!!
Of course, the luggage thing has changed too. When we traveled to/from the Philippines, we were moving our life’s belongings with us, so we were packed to the max with as much if not more than the allotted checked luggage. I’m amazed at the number of passengers who were flying to/from California that didn’t check baggage but used extra-large carryon suitcases instead. I sure hope those overhead bins are as securely fastened as my seatbelt is supposed to be or else I’ll loose my head!
With the terrorists seemingly coming up with ways to turn every conceivable household item into a life-taking device, how long will it be before no luggage is allowed on board? Travel expenses will rise sharply... travel to California, buy clothes and toiletries to last your stay and before returning the rental car, don’t forget to donate your clothes from the week to the Salvation Army. Oh and that would also explain why cargo pants are all the rage.
