Homework—It Seems to Never Go Away
Flying used to be exciting and a lot of fun. I loved the days when families or friends could meet me at the gate, and the airline served meals as part of the travel package. In those days we called it good service. Today very few airlines have these services available on domestic flights. Passengers pay for everything except coffee and soda. These days I take my own snacks on board or have a meal in the airport or I eat before leaving home. The meals served on most airlines are not worth the price. I don’t pay for anything extra when I fly. Crossword puzzle books, novels and yellow ruled pads for writing out manuscripts have become standard carry-on items for me. Some people carry their laptop computers while others use the time in the air as a chance to catch up on sleep rather than shell out more money for poor service.
The seats on most airlines today leave a lot to be desired. In order to save money the designers put in smaller seats with less backing and very little leg room. Let’s face it—ordinary people like you and I are forced, as a rule, to fly Economy Class. Once in a while we get lucky and end up in First Class.
Check the information about the advantages of your frequent flyer program if you belong to one. Airlines may be able to provide a loyal patron of the program with better seating arrangements. It still may not get the traveler into First Class, but could get them into choice seating in the Economy section.
There are tips from seasoned travelers on how to make a trip more pleasant and trouble free. Of course, it is best to do your homework beforehand, and in some cases it is best to use an agent. Being a member of the American Automobile Association (www.aaa.com) can really help when planning a trip. Membership depends on the type of plan you need. I have a Primary Membership in the AAA Plus Plan, and it runs $76.00 a year. Members receive special consideration when using any of their services and the discounts they provide do help on any domestic trip. AAA has a special travel division, and the agents can give good tips on air travel.
Another very good source of information that I have found is on the travel site at the MSNBC website (http://www.msnbc.msn.com/ ). Christopher Elliott is a Travel columnist and a regular MSNBC contributor. He talks about creeping delays. He writes: “Have you ever sat in a terminal - or worse, on a plane - and been assured by a bored voice on the public.
“It’s called a creeping delay. Airlines used to do their best to prevent them because they drove passengers quietly mad. But this year, strangely, creeping delays have been re-imagined as a tool to deflect the anger of air travelers and divert attention from the incompetence of air carriers. With each update, another party is blamed for the delay: air traffic controllers, the weather, lack of available gates. By the time the flight actually departs, passengers are so confused that they don’t know where to direct their wrath. Mission accomplished!” He goes on to point out that the traveler does not have take this condition lying down. Do your homework. Check the airline website, call the airline and don’t be afraid to ask questions. Learn something about the Traveler’s Bill of Rights. In cases like this the airline may owe you a meal and a hotel.
I wish I had known more about the Contract of Carriage provisions when being stranded in the Pittsburgh airport all night a few years ago. Their excuse was that several big conventions had come to town and they could not put us up at a hotel. The problem stemmed from the fact that there was a very real security issue when coming out of another airport and passengers missed their connecting flights. Flyers can find out more about the Contract of Carriage on the airline website. Read the fine print.
