Richard W
Ding Dong! Merrily on High Definition TV
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quote:Originally posted by Glowy Chloe: I want to put in a plug for tiny little airports catering to general aviation. They're almost always clean and nice, with perks like popcorn and coffee, and the loos are stocked with complimentary handcream and hairspray and mouthwash. Amd sometimes complimentary rental cars to get you into town (or even overnight).
This isn't really an airport, but similar - I was in Victoria, BC once and wanting to get back to Vancouver. I'd caught the ferry and bus out there, and had vaguely been thinking of getting a float plane back, but since I'd not done anything towards investigating the prices or times or booking a ticket I'd given up on the idea. I was on my way to the bus station for the return journey with some time to spare and realised I was walking past the float plane office and terminal. So I popped in on the off-chance, thinking I'd check it out for next time, and literally ten minutes later I was on the plane, after a free cup of coffee (I think there free snacks available too). It wasn't even that expensive. I wish more flying could be like that...
(edit) And they had free transport at the other end too - even though they fly pretty much from the centre of Victoria to the centre of Vancouver.
quote:Was she elderly?
Hmph.
(edit again) Just read Barbara's post and it seems like flying can be like this even at big airports!
Posts: 8725 | From: Ipswich - the UK's 9th Best Place to Sleep! | Registered: Feb 2000
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I flew SouthWest a few times. What little I can catch (deafness,hearing aids and flying don't mix well...) is funny. The only one I remember is when we landed somewhere and the pilot came on to say we were taxiing in. At this point most people generally start undoing the seatbelt if they were on any other flight. This one...there was a beat and the pilot came back on and said "not yeeeeeeeeeeeeeeet!!!" The riders all laughed.
Heh...I don't really have too many complaints about airports. Charlotte Douglas Airport is a really nice one. Small (about as small as Midway and Mephis- now Memphis was SMALL!).
I'm surprised that PHL got a whack- Its okay for the most part- although I will say that the construction/remodeling for YEARS was a pain in the behind (I flew out of PHL often when I lived in PA).
O'Hare and Orlando are both HUGE and easy to get lost in. Orlando more so. I did get lost in there once.
Airlines? Hmm.... United is okay so is USAir. ATA stinks I don't like them...the one time I did fly with them- my return flight from PA to CO was delayed at least 3 times- once because they had to turn back to refuel! . Southwest I loved. Frontier is a pretty good one but too limited in locations. Seems like any time I want to fly on a "discount airline" like Frontier, Southwest or Independence- they'll have ONE of the cities on my trip but not the other. F.E.- SouthWest will have ABQ but not Atlanta (just examples I don't know for a fact). Never fails and I wind up having to go with the bigger ones.
USWest also is not a great one- my mom and aunt had a bad experience with them. BUT they did get vouchers/compensation from them as an apology
Richard W
Ding Dong! Merrily on High Definition TV
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quote:Originally posted by Smoked Petrelgirl: Singapore/Luftansa: I forgot which had the plane I flew, but I remember it had the Singapore Airlines in-flight cabin crew. Either way, It was nice and relaxing both to Frankfurt and from Schipol. Economy both ways, but the food was amazing, and the steward/esses (What's the crazy term they use now?) came by often just to make sure everything was okay.
Singapore Airlines is about the best I've flown with, too.
I should mention Qatar Airways, because they upgraded my sister and me to business class on our flight from Doha to Kathmandu. It's the only time I've been upgraded. It started well, with great seats and a very good martini cocktail. But I'm used to flying economy, over the wings, and unfortunately I discovered that being near the nose with all the ups-and-downs makes me airsick, which I'd never experienced before. Add the fact that my digestion was a bit dodgy at the time (I must be about the only person to go to Nepal with diarrhoea and come back absolutely fine...) and I didn't really have a great flight. The food looked lovely but I could barely eat it, and eventually the stewardess even took my martini away before I'd finished it - it was the only thing that I'd been enjoying! So, they get points for trying but I felt I hadn't deserved their hospitality.
The other reason to mention Qatar Airways is their brilliantly misguided slogan (They might have changed it as it appears in the Google result, but apparently no longer on their page):
quote:Qatar Airways: Taking you more personally!
Posts: 8725 | From: Ipswich - the UK's 9th Best Place to Sleep! | Registered: Feb 2000
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The glamorously named Cork International is a shock for the first time visitor - due to the nature of the approach and the local geology, you can't see much of the city or the airport, or a great deal of tarmac for that matter, until touchdown. Until this point you think the aircraft is coming down in a cow field
-------------------- This is where I come up with something right? Something really clever... Posts: 6552 | From: UK | Registered: Oct 2002
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quote:Originally posted by Jay Tea: The glamorously named Cork International is a shock for the first time visitor - due to the nature of the approach and the local geology, you can't see much of the city or the airport, or a great deal of tarmac for that matter, until touchdown. Until this point you think the aircraft is coming down in a cow field
Aaah sounds like Hobart "International Airport" so named because a few years ago it had flights to New Zealand.. during summer only.. 2 times a week.. which failed due to lack of interest ( I mean truly, Auckland is just as dull as Hobart and it has the added inconvenience of all those New Zealanders - sorry Marrya).
At Hobart airport one of the two major airlines that service the place requires you to collect your luggage from the trailers that get it from the plane and take it to a sort of hanger area (this gets a bit chilly during winter and its sleeting outside). And you only ever board from the tarmac.
Drop-still, I call it home-bear
-------------------- " The villagers had said justice had been done, and she'd lost patience and told them to go home, then, and pray to whatever gods they believed in that it was never done to them. -- (Terry Pratchett) Posts: 823 | From: Hobart, Tasmania | Registered: Jun 2005
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Shannon 'International' Airport. Build to bring tourists to the west of Ireland, the government legislated that all transatlantic flights from Dublin have to stop there, so I got the privlege of a visit on my way to Toronto (although I think they're changing the legislation). Within security there are about 50 empty vending machines, very few seats (cause they lock you out of the gate area) one big irish kitch duty free, and a little tiny cafe. We had to stay over an hour, and it was the worst hour of the trip.
The Irish wing of Heathrow is also worth mentioning. I love flying to Canada through Heathrow (lots of duty free shopping) but returning, I end up in the Irish wing. It is, essentially, big corregated iron tubes with a few windows, chairs and desks. Too cold in the winter, too hot in the summer, always crowded, nothing worth eating, and barely more than a magazine and bottle of booze shopping-wise. I think their logic was 'The Irish are only going to bomb it anyway, why spend money on it?' They have in the last few years added an extra coffee counter and tvs broadcasting Sky News, but it's still got a long way to go.
I can't say I've found an airline I really like, although I was surprised by Air Berlin. If I remember correctly (which I might not) they gave us food, for free. First time I'd seen that in a few years!
Air Canada's not too bad on the international flights, but they just don't seem to get the idea that people might want to sleep. On the 5 hour flight I usually get to London, they only turn the lights off and shut up for about 2 hours. Seriously, it's the middle of the night (no matter what time zone you consider us in) I don't want food, I don't want to shop, I want to SLEEP!
-------------------- "England and America are two countries divided by a common language." - George Bernard Shaw Posts: 555 | From: Ireland | Registered: Apr 2003
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I haven't flown much, either, and when I do, it's on business, so most times I'm armed. I have the advantages of being able to skip through security and getting boarded ahead of the other passengers when I'm packing. And the last time I flew, about three years ago, I was going to a training session in Washington State, I wasn't armed. Boy, that sucked.
Tucson International is a nice, easy airport to get around. Same with Burlington Vermont. For a big airport, Phoenix Sky Harbor is good too. But I agree, Dallas/Fort Worth isn't great.
-------------------- NO BETTER FRIEND, NO WORSE ENEMY -- "I grok when apes learn to laugh, they'll be people." Posts: 727 | From: Southeastern Arizona | Registered: Sep 2005
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Richard W
Ding Dong! Merrily on High Definition TV
posted
quote:Originally posted by DAnnino: I haven't flown much, either, and when I do, it's on business, so most times I'm armed. I have the advantages of being able to skip through security and getting boarded ahead of the other passengers when I'm packing.
Hey, does that work? If you tell the staff you're armed, they let you skip security and board first? I should try it!
You don't need a special license or anything, do you?
Posts: 8725 | From: Ipswich - the UK's 9th Best Place to Sleep! | Registered: Feb 2000
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Mac air milk run flight, worst ever. Mac air is the local airline which flies to the rural and remote areas. My flight out here was almost 5 hours long, and had 3 stops and i was so sick the whole way. They turned the air vents on and it smelt like mice. I will avoid that flight again like the plauge. I am even opting to take the chance of being flooded in and having a 13 hour drive at Christmas to go back, rather than do that flight again.
-------------------- Love is a sudden revelation: a kiss is always a discovery Posts: 902 | From: Australia | Registered: Dec 2005
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quote:Originally posted by DAnnino: I haven't flown much, either, and when I do, it's on business, so most times I'm armed. I have the advantages of being able to skip through security and getting boarded ahead of the other passengers when I'm packing.
Hey, does that work? If you tell the staff you're armed, they let you skip security and board first? I should try it!
You don't need a special license or anything, do you?
Well, it helps to be a sworn officer. An regular citizen has to stow any weapons in their checked baggage.
You have to need your service weapon upon arrival. Generally, when we fly armed, we let the airline know when we get the tickets. Then, just show your credentials. You get some lovely bright pink and yellow papers appended to your ticket/boarding pass. Then, you go to security, and show your creds to security and the airport police. You generally get boarded first, so the captain can say "hi," because he/she wants to know who's got a gun on his/her plane. And the flight crew will introduce you to any other armed officers on the flight. You'd be surprised how many prisoner transports occur on regular flights.
Oh, and the Captain can refuse to let you on the plane. Yep, its happened (most recently to a Secert Service special agent several months ago). He or she is, after all, the Captain.
I wouldn't recommend just going up to the counter and telling the agent you've got a gun. I can imagine that the British officers know how to use those MP5s they tote around! It could be worse, though. Whatever you do, don't do it at the El Al counter!
-------------------- NO BETTER FRIEND, NO WORSE ENEMY -- "I grok when apes learn to laugh, they'll be people." Posts: 727 | From: Southeastern Arizona | Registered: Sep 2005
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The best thing about Pearson (Toronto) is that if you are flying to the US, you clear US customs & immigration while still in Toronto, so when your flight arrives in the US it's treated as a domestic flight. I love getting that out of the way before the flight.
On the other hand, coming back into Pearson, Canadian customs & Immigration is almost always a complete disaster. At least in the terminal I usually fly into, they have that awful setup where it's just a big room and you form seperate lines for each agent (rather then setting up a system where there's one big line and when you get to the front you go to the first available agent like US customs does). Inevitably I end up choosing the wrong line and the people in front of me have filled out their forms wrong or are smugglers or don't know what country they're in or are all shifty-eyed and suspicious. Meanwhile the lines next to me are getting rubber-stamped and shuffling through rapidly while I'm standing there getting progressively more annoyed.
On the plus side, always waiting forever at customs means I generally have never had to wait for my luggage!
Posts: 160 | From: Ontario, Canada | Registered: Feb 2004
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quote:Originally posted by dissonance: The best thing about Pearson (Toronto) is that if you are flying to the US, you clear US customs & immigration while still in Toronto, so when your flight arrives in the US it's treated as a domestic flight. I love getting that out of the way before the flight.
It's called "preclearance," and was started by the old Customs Service to reduce congestion at US air ports of entry. It is paid for by the airlines, if I remember correctly. I believe there's more information on cbp.gov, the CBP public website. By the way, they just opened a new preclearance port in Halifax (I've got a friend who's working there now).
-------------------- NO BETTER FRIEND, NO WORSE ENEMY -- "I grok when apes learn to laugh, they'll be people." Posts: 727 | From: Southeastern Arizona | Registered: Sep 2005
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My least favourite airline is United for their insistence on giving their passengers the completely wrong information about what is happening to their luggage.
When travellers land in Sydney and are then transferring to a domestic flight they must first clear Customs in Sydney before heading off to the domestic airport. And without fail the passengers have all been told by United that they won't have to touch their bags until they arrive in Wangaratta Creek (or whatever one-horse town they are off to). The result - hundreds of American tourists walking around the terminal scratching their heads, wanting to re-enter the baggage hall to get their baggage and swearing they will never fly United again.
-------------------- All the way with Paulie Jay Posts: 476 | From: Sydney, NSW, Australia | Registered: Jun 2006
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quote:Originally posted by desertdweller: As for me, my least favorite US carrier is United. Bad customer service, seats crammed as close as possible, surley flight attendents and baggage seems to get lost on a regular basis.
As Hunter S. Thompson once said, "Flying United is like crossing the Andes in a prison bus" (It was also his belief that somebody like Pat Nixon was responsible for selecting, training and approving every flight attendant for United). As for myself, every single dealing I have ever had has led me to believe that "United customer service" is an oxymoron. During the entire year I lived in Australia, I only encountered one rude person, and she was a customer service rep at United Airlines.
quote:Originally posted by Mr. Furious: US Airways is by far the worst airline I've ever flown. I have had no issues at all with American or Delta, though I've only flown Delta once.
Philadelphia is the worst airport I've ever flown into or out of. Pittsburgh is a very nice airport, but very few flights connect to AVP through there.
PHL is such a horrible airport that we actually prefer to drive 10-12 hours rather than deal with that hellhole.
When US Airways was still Agony Airlines, I agreed with you 100%. I lost track of all the games they played with my luggage and flight reservations. When I had occasion to use then in the late 90s, however, I was quite surprised by how much they had improved. At the time, they seemed to be ahead of the other airlines in terms of computerizing and decentralizing their ticketing process, so purchasing tickets online through them was a snap, and their rates to upstate New York couldn't be beat (though it probably helped that I was travelling out of Washington National). I haven't flown with them since 9/11, though, so I have no idea if or how they've changed.
Though I never liked Philly airport, the only memories I have of it were pre-deregulation, when I would fly from Albany to Philly on Agony, and then Delta onto Atlanta. The two gates were on opposite sides of the airport with a half hour layover, so my primary memeories of the place are of seeing a blur with a stich in my side as I reprised my O. J. Simpson impression several times a year trying to make my connection.
The one airport I well and truly hate is Dulles. The airport staff are beyond indifferent, and the terminal is split in half by the runway, so you have to catch a bus to go from the half of the airport where you check in to the half where your gate is. If you ever want to pick out the Washingtonians in a group of people, just show them Die Hard 2 - the Washingtonians will be the ones cheering for the terrorists.
-------------------- "Pardon him. Theodotus: he is a barbarian, and thinks that the customs of his tribe and island are the laws of nature."
George Bernard Shaw, Caesar and Cleopatra Posts: 4847 | From: Washington, DC | Registered: Jun 2001
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My least favourite airport is Heraklion in Crete. The main problem is that it simply isn't big enough for the crowds of tourists that pass through it, even in the off season. When my bf and I were coming back from Crete, we had to queue outside for at least an hour, then after checking in, we entered what appeared to be one of Dante's circles of hell - hordes of people crammed into one cramped hall, all the uncomfortable metal chairs were taken, and the only thing open was the duty free shop.
I haven't really got a favourite airport, as I've never been to any airport that has impressed me to that much of a degree. Birmingham International's ok though, there's plenty to do and it's not so big you get lost. (although the increased security meant a long line for departures, and it wasn't immediately obvious where the queue was going.)
My favourite airline that I have travelled with is probably Virgin, mainly due to the freebies even in economy, and the many ways of passing the flight time.
Least favourite.. Hmm, probably Monarch..
-------------------- Come sail your ships around me And burn your bridges down.. Posts: 232 | From: UK | Registered: Nov 2004
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Mr. Furious
Ding Dong! Merrily on High Definition TV
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quote:Originally posted by bufungla: When US Airways was still Agony Airlines, I agreed with you 100%. I lost track of all the games they played with my luggage and flight reservations. When I had occasion to use then in the late 90s, however, I was quite surprised by how much they had improved.
I started flying regularly early in 2000. If they were worse before that, then I shudder to think how awful the experience must've been.
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Best airports? Hong Kong, John Wayne (in Orange county), and, yes, I like DFW. I suppose I am just so familiar with it. I hate O'Hare. It seems like everyone there has their nose out of joint. Rudest security screeners ever. And don't even get me started on their immigration people. One actually threw DH's passport back in his face because the Indonesian consulate had placed a paper clip in it to make it easy to find the visas. What a NFSKBhead.
AFA airlines go, we always fly American or an affiliate. My DH is Executive Platinum, so that means we get upgrades, access to the Admiral's Club and sometimes the First Class Lounge. Best airline? Cathay Pacific. Hands down. They give you PJs in first class, the seats go completely flat and they provide duvets to keep you cozy through the night. JAL wasn't too bad either.
To people who get angry at airlines/airports because there wasn't enough time to make your connecting flight, I have to say that it's really your responsibility. You book your flights. You should've given yourself enough time to make your connections. It's not the airlines' or airports' fault.
-------------------- "How do you make chocolate? You take dark chocolate, you mix it with white milk, and it becomes a delicious drink. That is the chocolate I am talking about." --Ray Nagin Posts: 1325 | From: Missouri | Registered: Sep 2005
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Surely if your scheduled flights fit the airline's acceptable margin of time, as they have to do before you are allowed to book them, and you still cannot make the connection because that margin is too small, and you're traveling at normal speed or more, it has to be the airline's fault. How can you expect travelers to know the layout of each airport and how far they will have to travel to reach their connecting gate?
-------------------- ~~Ai am in mai prrrrrraime!~~ Posts: 10111 | From: Oklahoma | Registered: Sep 2004
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I'm surprised no one has mentioned how awful Pittsburg is. I used to fly USAir to/from SNA to BDL, and wound up changing flights in Pittsburg and Baltimore (how exactly does it make sense to have a connection in Baltimore when I'm flying from Hartford to OC?). Appalling. Dark, dirty, unfriendly, nothing to do.
Worst airline ever? America West, now part of, you guessed it, USAir.
Now I fly American both domestic and international, and xfer at DFW if I need to.
-------------------- When Hell is full, the dead will walk to work. Posts: 32 | From: Orange County, CA | Registered: Sep 2005
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quote:Originally posted by PallasAthena: To people who get angry at airlines/airports because there wasn't enough time to make your connecting flight, I have to say that it's really your responsibility. You book your flights. You should've given yourself enough time to make your connections. It's not the airlines' or airports' fault.
I completely disagree with you. (you sound almost as helpful as an airline agent.) Customers do not have any control over how the airlines schedule their flights, which ones connect to which ones, and which gates your flight will land in and leave from.
I call American, I tell them I want to fly from Texarkana to Amarillo, and THEY tell ME the flight times. THEY tell me which connecting flight I'm going to get. They do NOT give the gate information out - and you can't know if you have enough time to make the connection or not without that information. 35 minutes would have been more than enough time to make a connection 5 gates away.
Unless I want to insist upon booking and paying for two separate flights - one to DFW, and then wait for my luggage, take it to the counter, and re-check it myself on my second flight to my final destination - which would be a pretty stupid thing to do not to mention a huge hassle, which is what I am trying to lessen, not add to - or request a huge, like, 4 hour layover JUST to be safe (again, defeating the purpose of increasing my convenience - especially when traveling with small children) which may or may not even be available - I have no control over when and how American schedules its flights. How the NFBSK is something I have no control over MY responsibility? Jeez. And it's not like there are just tons of flight times to choose from, either - it's entirely possible that there IS only one flight and connection available anywhere close to the time I need to fly.
Had the booking agent mentioned that my connecting flight was 40 gates away I might have asked her about other flights but she didn't say that and I've never in my life found 35 minutes to be not enough time to change gates - one would ASSUME that someone in scheduling would have caught it. It never occured to me to even ask - I'd always flown Southwest whenever possible and as I said, they try to avoid asshattery and being as stupid as possible, as a rule, so I just wasn't used to such idiocy. I won't make the mistake of assuming that American Airlines can tell it's mouth from it's asshole again, though.
edited for typo and just plain old edited!
-------------------- "Wolves, dragons and vampires, man. Draw the nut-bars like big ol' nut-bar magnets." ~evilrabbit
(snurched because one of my nutbar family members is all about wolves and another one is all about dragons...)(with apologies to surfcitydogdad) Posts: 2397 | From: Texarkana, TX | Registered: Mar 2006
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quote:I completely disagree with you. (you sound almost as helpful as an airline agent.) Customers do not have any control over how the airlines schedule their flights, which ones connect to which ones, and which gates your flight will land in and leave from.
I call American, I tell them I want to fly from Texarkana to Amarillo, and THEY tell ME the flight times. THEY tell me which connecting flight I'm going to get. They do NOT give the gate information out - and you can't know if you have enough time to make the connection or not without that information. 35 minutes would have been more than enough time to make a connection 5 gates away.
Maybe this was once true. When I look for flights online, I am able to choose my layover time, if there are multiple flights available. And most flights arrive/depart from the same gate each day.
If there is a big difference in plane sizes (going from a 757 flight to a commuter), there is a good chance there will be some distance between gates. Also, airport layouts are on-line. It's possible to get an idea of the maximum distance between gates.
I don't consider 35 minutes to be enough time for any sort of airport layover. There are too many airports with multiple terminals and too many weather incidents in my flying history to accept anything less than an hour.
-------------------- "Strength is the capacity to break a chocolate bar into four pieces with your bare hands - and then eat just one of the pieces." Judith Viorst Posts: 1082 | From: Luzern, Switzerland | Registered: Jan 2005
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quote:Originally posted by Glowy Chloe: Surely if your scheduled flights fit the airline's acceptable margin of time, as they have to do before you are allowed to book them, and you still cannot make the connection because that margin is too small, and you're traveling at normal speed or more, it has to be the airline's fault.
Actually, more likely than not it's the fault of those mean, nasty air traffic controllers. Even when planes take off on time they can arrive late at their destinations because of the holds, vectoring, speed restrictions, and occasional spins assigned to them by ATC--and the domino effect starts once the plane is only five or ten minutes late at its first of five destinations for the day. Buncha jerks, those controllers.
Chalk me up as another who loves John Wayne Airport....and I hate San Diego Lindbergh with a passion.
Posts: 918 | From: Southern CA | Registered: Jan 2004
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I'm going to be totally superficial and post my vote for "wrost dressed" airline.
Austrian Airlines, without a doubt. Red jackets, red skirts (or pants), red shoes AND red stockings. It's like every day is Christmas day with Austrian. click for a peek at the horror.
-------------------- All the way with Paulie Jay Posts: 476 | From: Sydney, NSW, Australia | Registered: Jun 2006
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To those complaining about Dulles, at least it's not National....That dive in and out is a little spine-tingling. (Actually I love to sit in Arlington Cemetery and watch 'em come in, but I'm weird.)
Montego Bay in Jamaica also has a thrilling approach. You come down over the water, and keep on getting lower, and lower, the approach lights are actually out in the bay, the runway is so close to the water. I'm not a scared flier, and I was thinking "I think we're going in, and they're not telling us!"
I grew up solely flying American, as my dad is a pilot for them, so it wasn't until I was an adult (and lost those lovely, lovely benefits) that I got to compare.
DFW is getting better. Their new tram is actually worth riding. The way you could tell the out-of-towners in the old day was that they'd actually take the tram. You could walk faster than that thing would get you there. It started out as just being for employees, then just for American, and now it serves everything.
But, Continental is actually growing on me. Now that I live in Houston, that's usually the best bet for places that Southwest doesn't go. Cont's headphones DO cost $5, but your own headphones will fit the jack. (The sound only comes through one ear). They also still don't charge extra for food. They brag on this fact, but the food isn't really that spectacular. Lunch is a sandwich the size of a deck of cards, a limp salad and a mini pack of M&M's. Breakfast is a little better, with a banana, cereal, and a muffin. Cont also shows honest to goodness movies on longer flights. On american, you almost have to be going Int'l to get an actual movie. If it's domestic, you get reruns of Everybody Loves Raymond and Will and Grace. (Sometimes even months after the show has exited primetime.)
Bush Intercontinental is a dump. The Cont terminals are fairly nice-local restaraunts, like Pappadeaux, and nice lighting and art. Leave Cont's territory, and it's dank, with leaking ceilings and florescents.
-------------------- "this could increase your brain power, or it could kill you..." "Increase my killing power, ehh???" Posts: 1153 | From: Houston, TX | Registered: Nov 2000
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quote:Originally posted by Class Bravo: Actually, more likely than not it's the fault of those mean, nasty air traffic controllers. Even when planes take off on time they can arrive late at their destinations because of the holds, vectoring, speed restrictions, and occasional spins assigned to them by ATC--and the domino effect starts once the plane is only five or ten minutes late at its first of five destinations for the day. Buncha jerks, those controllers.
I don't have a problem with missing connections when planes are late (well, I do, but I don't blame anyone). Stuff happens, and it's nobody's fault. But when your plane arrives *on time*, and your airline has booked you a connection which it turns out you still cannot make, I think the problem is with the booking system that allows such tight connections. And it is the booking agent's job to know whether making such a connection is possible or not, not the consumer, who may be able to figure out how far he or she has to travel, but cannot know about speed and frequency of inter-terminal transport, for instance.
ETA: And why the hell can't flight attendants ask people who are not making connections less than, say, an hour, to stay in their seats until those people in more of a rush can get out? I regularly stay sitting when I have a longer layover or I'm at my final destination, but the minute that seatbelt light goes off, it seems as if everyone else leaps up to grab briefcases and take up position in the aisle. Surely not everyone's in a time-crunch?
-------------------- ~~Ai am in mai prrrrrraime!~~ Posts: 10111 | From: Oklahoma | Registered: Sep 2004
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quote:Originally posted by Glowy Chloe: And it is the booking agent's job to know whether making such a connection is possible or not, not the consumer, who may be able to figure out how far he or she has to travel, but cannot know about speed and frequency of inter-terminal transport, for instance.
In fact when I was planning my recent trip and asked about connection times and getting around the Newark airport, I was assured by several snopsters that airports have minimum connection time requirements and that the airline would not be allowed to book me on the flight if it were not possible to make the connection.
quote:ETA: And why the hell can't flight attendants ask people who are not making connections less than, say, an hour, to stay in their seats until those people in more of a rush can get out? I regularly stay sitting when I have a longer layover or I'm at my final destination, but the minute that seatbelt light goes off, it seems as if everyone else leaps up to grab briefcases and take up position in the aisle. Surely not everyone's in a time-crunch?
Flight attendants on United*, the airline everyone else seems to hate, have made that announcement when I've flown into O'Hare. As far as I could tell, though, most people ignored the request.
*ETA: Ok, technically most of these flights were United Express operated by Air Wisconsin or Mesa Airlines, not mainline United flights.
-------------------- "Unseasonable is an odd word to begin with. It sounds like it's describing something that it's impossible to sprinkle pepper on." -- Nonny Posts: 5483 | From: Just south of Folsom Prison, CA | Registered: Jul 2002
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quote:Originally posted by Richard Wilkins III: As for airlines, I've vowed not to fly KLM again...
As have I. Every single person I know who has ever flown them has has either been bumped, had their flight canceled, or had their luggage lost or plundered. I know half a dozen stories. One friend got her luggage back 6 months later, one never did at all.
quote:Originally posted by Paulie Jay: Austrian Airlines, without a doubt. Red jackets, red skirts (or pants), red shoes AND red stockings. It's like every day is Christmas day with Austrian. click for a peek at the horror.
On a positive note, I want to add my "me too" to the votes for Frankfurt. We were snowed in there overnight once, and they handled an airport full of miserable travelers incredibly well. Bags were accessible, hotels were found, shuttles were organized, dinner was free. The airlines deserved credit, too, of course, but overall I was impressed.
-------------------- The technical term is narcissism. You can't believe everything is your fault unless you also believe you're all powerful.--House Posts: 2684 | From: Budapest | Registered: Sep 2005
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quote:Originally posted by creative gal: My least favourite airport is Heraklion in Crete.
That is why I loved flying out of Hania. If you had an early or late flight, usually there wasn't any security. We once made friends with another couple that were worried about what to do, we told them to just head through (this was towards the end of living there for 2 years and flying out a lot.) We ended up chatting while waiting and then giving them a speed tour of Athens while we were waiting for our morning connecting flights. When my parents flew out of Hania, in the middle of the day, security was getting backed up and they were just waved through. Sigh, I miss Crete.
However, Athens is my personal purgatory. It seemed like no matter what I did, I always ended up spending the night there.
-------------------- We frettered around like farm animals, looking around for formulas and father figures. -Twilight Zone Posts: 425 | From: Lynchburg, VA | Registered: May 2005
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I have NEVER had a bad experience whilst flying and that includes seventeen hours of flying on one day from Taipai to Hong Kong to Schipol to Heathrow. (OK the flight to Heathrow was delayed for forty minutes because of a thunderstorm over Amsterdam.)
Best airline: British Airways (surprised they have not been mentioned before - or perhaps they have and I missed it). Good food. Pleasant staff. And they spoke quite good English as well.
Cathay Pacific, KLM and Ryan Air have also been good.
Best airport: Schipol. Any airport with a Van Gogh Museum is all right. (Memo to Heathrow, how about a Turner Museum?) Hong Kong was good as well and I have always found Heathrow easy to get through.
(Sorry to be overly positive. Perhaps I'll find something to moan about next time.)
-------------------- Andrew, Ware, England Posts: 1709 | From: Ware, England | Registered: Apr 2003
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quote:Originally posted by Andrew of Ware, England: Hong Kong was good as well...
I assume you're talking about the new airport, not Kai Tak. (Speaking of airports with thrilling approaches)
-------------------- "Unseasonable is an odd word to begin with. It sounds like it's describing something that it's impossible to sprinkle pepper on." -- Nonny Posts: 5483 | From: Just south of Folsom Prison, CA | Registered: Jul 2002
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posted
Worst airline: USAir. Terrible service. Cancelled my flight without an announcement and had us waiting 5 hours for the next one. They lost my luggage, too, and the employees were plain rude. This was the only time I ever had a problem with flying. I sent them a complaint but I never got an answer. (BA lost my luggage, too, but they looked heartbroken when they told me and went out of their way to apologize and get it to me. And I'm pretty sure it was the fault of TSA that it stayed in Philly.)
I like SAS, but my airline of choice is generally British Airways, because they have neat student discounts and personal screens, because they give out headphones for free and because I have a thing for British accents, especially with pilots. Also, I'm fond of Heathrow. I dunno why.
Of the four US airports I've been to: I'm indifferent concerning Philly, I hate Washington-Dulles, I don't care much for Oakland and I like ATL. It's big, but I didn't get lost there and I can get lost in my own room.
My home airport, Oslo, is okay. That's all I can say about it. It's just not very exciting. I'm whatevering whoever said Frankfurt is great. It was modern, clean and well-structured. Same goes for Düsseldorf, too. Brand-new and and one of the cafés in the terminals sells awesome moccha.
Posts: 1201 | From: Pennsylvania | Registered: Jun 2005
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. Southwest I loved. Frontier is a pretty good one but too limited in locations. Seems like any time I want to fly on a "discount airline" like Frontier, Southwest or Independence- they'll have ONE of the cities on my trip but not the other. F.E.- SouthWest will have ABQ but not Atlanta (just examples I don't know for a fact). Never fails and I wind up having to go with the bigger ones.![[Razz]](tongue.gif)
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It could be worse, though. Whatever you do, don't do it at the El Al counter!
