| Author | Message | ||
     Brett Citizen Username: Bmalibashksa Post Number: 2149 Registered: 7-2003 |
If you’re going on a quick business trip, and you’re an experienced flyer, feel free to bring your carry on. You know the one I’m talking about, the one that takes a little bit of expertise to pack because it’s just a hair to small. The one that fits correctly into the overhead bin, wheels first, not side ways. Trash bags, although handy, are not carry ons. Neither are Garment bags, see they don’t fit in the little thing outside that gate that says “Your bag can only be this big.” I under stand that you may fly with children, they are cute, but the Dora the Explorer rolling bag is not. A child does not need a carry on for a box of crayons and a coloring book. And it is slightly above there motor capacity to allow them to wheel it them selves. I notice that you’re trying to shove a pair of ski boots onto the overhead, I’m guessing you have skies that you checked, why not keep them together? I understand a change of clothes incase you bag gets lost. But are you carrying on the boots incase your sneakers get lost on the way to the lavatory? A lot of us carry computers with us. You’ll know who we are, we are the ones that successfully made it through the security gate with out forgetting the entire pocket full of change or the Fanny pack full of random metal objects. We are the ones sitting there with a book or the morning news paper, while you are carrying everything you may need for a transatlantic voyage. Those computers are one of the reasons we’re on that plane, we’re going to use them when we get to our final destination. Continually forcing your oversized bag into the bin may cause damage to my computer, so STOP. And on one final note, that blanket that you are so proud to have wrangled from the overhead after all the carry ons have been put away, I think that may be the blanket that brought the Measles to the Native Americans, so feel free to snuggle up to it, touch you face with it, cover your legs with it, but for gods sake keep it on your own seat. I don’t want to touch it. | ||
| susan1014 Supporter Username: Susan1014 Post Number: 1361 Registered: 3-2002 |
Maybe you should keep your computer bag underneath the seat in front of you, since your rolling suitcase is probably already in the overhead bin. I think that is what the flight attendant asks you to do. Check the smug frequent traveller attitude too. I travel fairly often both on business and with family (with the laptop in tow). My daughter has a ticket of her own, and we have every right to bring on a carryon for her. If it happens to have a kiddie picture on it, that's none of your business. (and on a 5 hour flight, we take more than a coloring book and some crayons, to try to make sure that she doesn't offend your frequent flyer ears) I'm with you that everyone should carry on as little as they can manage, learn to be efficient at the scanner, and be respectful of other people's possessions. But I think that it makes sense to also have some compassion for those who travel less than you, and don't have it down to a system (and yes, those for whom a flight is a big event). | ||
| Brett Citizen Username: Bmalibashksa Post Number: 2150 Registered: 7-2003 |
“Check the smug frequent traveller attitude too” Maybe you should check your attitude and read it once again with a little bit of humor. Would you like me to rewrite it so that I don’t offend you, or I account for every single situation that may arise, like long flights, or the elderly or your “we paid for two seats I’m using all the room I can?” And for what it’s worth, my computer is in my roll on bag, and it takes up the correct amount of room. Otherwise I check it. | ||
| Garcia Citizen Username: Photojournalist Post Number: 30 Registered: 3-2005 |
well, aren't you just god's gift to air travel. humor? | ||
| Lucy Supporter Username: Lucy Post Number: 2875 Registered: 5-2005  |
I have got to say I am  | ||
| Bob K Supporter Username: Bobk Post Number: 10702 Registered: 5-2001 |
Personally I think kids on planes should be treated like domestic animals. In other words crated and carried as cargo.  More seriously, it never ceases to amaze me the amount of stuff people manage to bring aboard airliners. The people doing this are not just tourists and infrequent flyers. I have seen a lot of business travelers circumventing the rules as well. I tend towards impatience so I have always been a carry on type of guy. However, recently I have begun to check my bag more and more often, especially with how crowded so many flight have become. | ||
| greenetree Supporter Username: Greenetree Post Number: 6756 Registered: 5-2001  |
Brett- I once got on a flight with a couple with 5 kids. The mom folded each child's coat & placed them neatly side-by-side in the overhead, with hat and gloves on top. I had my appropriate carry-on bag and nicely asked if I could move the coats so that there would be enough room for my bag. The response I got (nastily) was that they had paid for the tickets, so they had those overhead spots. Suffice it to say that my bag went into the overhead, along with 3 other people's, the coats got crammed on top of those bags by the flight attendant and the woman was politely asked to sit down or de-plane. Susan - I don't think that yours & Brett's post are mutually exclusive. Some people know how to travel, others don't. What frequent travelers want more than anything else is to get there on time, in relative peace. It's not fun for us. It gets old very quickly. | ||
| spw784 Supporter Username: Spw784 Post Number: 853 Registered: 5-2001 |
And the fun thing is... much of that extra carry on stuff gets left behind, and then eventually offered for sale at the Unclaimed Baggage Center in Scottsboro, Alabama! (home sick today, so decided to check out MOL instead of TV this AM) | ||
| sportsnut Citizen Username: Sportsnut Post Number: 2309 Registered: 10-2001  |
The really annoying part of travel (well maybe more comical than annoying) is that on flights out of and into Newark I have never seen crowds trying to get on a plane before their seats are called. Its complete mayhem. Why can't people just follow directions and wait for their seats to be called? Why the need to form this mass of people that I have to cut through to board the plane? I actually saw a person in Las Vegas make an announcement that she wouldn't let anyone board the plane until the crowd dispersed - it was funny. Back to the post at hand - my son takes a backpack on the plane. In his backpack he has his DVD player and various other electronic games to keep him occupied so that he doesn't disturb the business travellers. If you'd prefer he talk to you during the five hour flight then we'll gladly leave his backpack of fun home.  But for the most part I agree with you Brett, that people are selfish when it comes to what they carry on. I saw one guy get on the plane with his dry cleaning then demand that no one put their carryon luggage on top of his precious shirts. It escalated and the flight attendant came back and told him that if there was room in first class she would try to accomodate him. Of course there wasn't and by the time she came back all of the overhead bins were stuffed so she wound up stuffing his shirts into an already full bin which didn't make him very happy. What a jerk. | ||
| Brett Citizen Username: Bmalibashksa Post Number: 2151 Registered: 7-2003 |
I wish the airlines would enforce the carry on limit a little bit. Here is your seat, here is your overhead, we’ve divided it up so that you only get this much space. If you need more, you can’t have it. Oh wait there is an exception? May I see your ticket? Ah perfect, you’ve informed the airline that you are carrying something that can’t be checked, we have space for that here. And by saying that I’m god’s gift to air travel you’ve obviously misunderstood, all I do is follow the rules. By your logic MOL is filled with “Gods gift to Snow blowers”, “Gods gift to Parkers”, “Gods gift to Drivers”, “Gods gift to Curbing your dogs”, “Gods gift to …..” | ||
| las Citizen Username: Las Post Number: 982 Registered: 10-2003 |
Um, forgive me please, no disrespect intended, so please be gentle when you bash me. As a former DINK and present mother of cats not kids I don't understand why people plan vacations with their miniature parcels of joy. I would think a vacation would be to get away from the little learners, decompress with your spouse, being intimate with abandon. Wouldn't the younger ones be just as happy taking a trip down Route 22 to BoFlex or the like instead of a day of traveling to Disney? I hate traveling on the best of days - I couldn't imagine doing the lug, tug and juice box thing within the confines of Row 14. I do understand the desire to create memories, but the truth is I don't recall those fantastic summers in the Catskills - the bungalows were rented for my Mother to get away from the City heat and and her working husband for five days a week. Are vacations really for kids? | ||
| God's Gift to Humor Citizen Username: Case Post Number: 1145 Registered: 2-2005 |
Brett.... here's some advice I am always tempted to give out during the boarding process: "Sit down and shut up". Susan's right - your attitude is a little too smug for someone who's "claim to fame" is simply flying a lot, and being able to get through airport security. | ||
| God's Gift to PCs Citizen Username: Case Post Number: 1146 Registered: 2-2005 |
Another excellent point which Susan raises - why are you using overhead bin space for a laptop? That's what the under-seat space is intended for. What are you, some kind of soccer-mom that doesn't fly every week?  | ||
| Garcia Citizen Username: Photojournalist Post Number: 31 Registered: 3-2005 |
how is a child's dora bag not following the rules? who are you to say whether someone else's child is dexterous enough to wheel her carry one? sorry, just sounds like haughtiness. read your book and newspaper and don't worry about anyone else. a blanket on your seat? call the cdc! guess you're cool with sitting on the cloth seat previously inhabited by some guy who hours before had his pants around his ankles touching the floor in the airport men's room, or the toddler who last flight was changed, sloppily, on that very seat. | ||
| CLK Supporter Username: Clkelley Post Number: 1928 Registered: 6-2002  |
las, let me assure you that going to Disney is every bit as much fun for the parents as it is for the kid. We've done it three times - twice flying, once driving. She remembers the times when she was 6 and 8, but not the first when she was 2 - but we do, and they are some of our best parent memories. Taking your kid to Paris is even more fun - three days of solid joy. And she DEFINITELY remembers every second of it in profound and deep detail. I think she memorized every work of art we saw in the Louvre. (the day in the Louvre was as close to a perfect day as I have ever experienced in my life.) And we go to Ireland every summer to visit family. A lot of times people traveling with kids are going to visit relatives. We've also gone to California as a family to see my sister, and had great fun being tourists too. We also travel without our daughter sometimes, for just the kind of experience you mention - but we really actually enjoy her company. I hate business travel, though I do it a lot - but traveling with my kid is fun. (and fwiw, she's a great, well-behaved traveler and we observe all carry-on rules. :-) | ||
| Brett Citizen Username: Bmalibashksa Post Number: 2152 Registered: 7-2003 |
I see so commenting a child’s bag is what you’re rallying around. Had I not brought kids into this you would have understood. I don’t mind children having carry ons, I mind people using up unnecessary room, or taking a ridiculous amount of time to stow those items. One of those items being a half empty bag. I would gladly put my laptop under the seat. I use up the amount of room available to me and often put a jacket under the seat because it won’t fit, or it would cause someone’s else’s bag not to fit. I usually board the plane first, so I can use as much room as I want. But I don’t as a common courtesy to others. And sometime I don’t have a carry on, I’m just flying for the day, should I bring something to fill that space because it’s owed to me? The point here was that there are a lot of people on the plane trying to get from point A to point B, following the rules helps get us there on time. | ||
| CLK Supporter Username: Clkelley Post Number: 1929 Registered: 6-2002 |
I guess it's just mixing up two separate issues, Brett. It's wrong to violate the rules - no question of that. And it's aggravating when people are rude, whether the rudeness is against the rules or not. A kid having a bag isn't against the rules, though. If you have a party of three people, they are entitled to six carry-on items - three roller bags and three small items. Kids need their stuff at least as much as grownups do - and as others have said, you'd regret it if they didn't have their toys / crayons / game boys / snacks with them. I can't answer for anybody else, but when we travel with our kid, we usually have way less carry-on luggage than we are entitled to. Her stuff all fits under the seat in front of her - and as her legs don't reach that far, she doesn't need the space for her feet anyway. So it really isn't about flying with a kid, it's about violating the rules. | ||
| jet Citizen Username: Jet Post Number: 1032 Registered: 7-2001 |
My pet peeve is reclining the seat back on a flight less than 3.5 hrs. | ||
| Garcia Citizen Username: Photojournalist Post Number: 32 Registered: 3-2005 |
how is it your business whether a bag is half-filled, fully filled or empty?? and where is it written a passenger can't use a plastic bag?? i bet when you're finished with the lavoratory you leave it smelling like roses, too. | ||
| Brett Citizen Username: Bmalibashksa Post Number: 2153 Registered: 7-2003 |
So you think that it’s your duty to fill up the exact amount of room allotted to you? I on the other hand pack the smallest bag that will accommodate my stuff. | ||
| Garcia Citizen Username: Photojournalist Post Number: 33 Registered: 3-2005 |
i'm perfect. why can't everyone be more like me?? that's it in a (honey roasted) nutsell, right?? | ||
| Brett Citizen Username: Bmalibashksa Post Number: 2154 Registered: 7-2003 |
So others can complain about everything from Parking to Hummers, Lawn care to Shoveling snow, yet they’re not calling them self’s perfect. I complain about flights and that’s what you think I’m doing? | ||
| Duncan Supporter Username: Duncanrogers Post Number: 5740 Registered: 12-2001  |
This is the crux of the discussion. How very Scrooge. They best do it then, and decrease the surplus population. | ||
| Meandtheboys Citizen Username: Meandtheboys Post Number: 3042 Registered: 12-2004  |
Oy vey. Fagedaboutit already! You're entitled to your pet peeves and people are entitled to take exception to what you have to say on a public message board. One would think after 2000 posts, you'd be used to the way things work here on MOL. | ||
| greenetree Supporter Username: Greenetree Post Number: 6757 Registered: 5-2001 |
Ease up on Brett, guys. It's probably all the stress from having no outlet since That Busybody forced him to shut the wedding blog down. | ||
| Brett Citizen Username: Bmalibashksa Post Number: 2155 Registered: 7-2003 |
I am used it it, that's why I don't understand why Garcia is being a jerk about it. | ||
| Meandtheboys Citizen Username: Meandtheboys Post Number: 3043 Registered: 12-2004 |
I'm under the impression--after only 33 posts--that that is Garcia's M.O. Don't take it personally. | ||
| SoOrLady Citizen Username: Soorlady Post Number: 2998 Registered: 9-2003 |
Garcia - many of the Brett-Fans on this board happen to think that he IS perfect. Like GT says.. ease up! | ||
| CLK Supporter Username: Clkelley Post Number: 1930 Registered: 6-2002 |
Brett, sometimes one doesn't want to go buy a smaller bag just so that one can have the exactly-right-sized bag to bring on board. The alternative would be to use a trash bag, which I agree with you isn't a great way to travel. ;-) | ||
| dougw Citizen Username: Dougw Post Number: 716 Registered: 3-2005 |
Brett - With 80k of miles last year I feel your pain. Especially when it comes to traveling families. They often seem to have a sense of entitlement. They show up late, have to much stuff that they cannot carry, stuff packed in shopping bags and they cannot control their children. In short they are a mess and slow down the boarding process significantly. Just to be fair I have to say I have seen the following several times. A highly organized mother who takes charge of her children, knows what seats they will sit in (no discussion with the five year old) gets to the flight early and boards early, kids are seated, given snacks and entertainment, bags are stowed, boarding proceeds. This type of mother is often accompanied by a husband who carries large amounts of bags and stows them promptly. These families do not think it is their right to slow the boarding process just because they have children. If only all mothers were like this. | ||
| Wendyn Supporter Username: Wendyn Post Number: 2719 Registered: 9-2002  |
On occasion I take the train to NYC with the kids (2 and 5) and my commuter hubby. He is so anal with all of the unwritten rules of the train. Kids are requested (endlessly) to sit still and be quiet. Any extra objects (diaper bags, pocketbook) go on the rack above (I would never do this as I can't reach the rack). Don't stand up until we are at the stop because you will block all of the commuters, etc. Just the perspective from someone who takes the train, or flys, much less frequently and more often for pleasure than business. I'm more focused on dealing with the kids and enduring the journey without killing one of them. Hub is more focused on accommodating the other passengers, as that is him 2x a day every day. Just remember when you get on board with your one carryon and I am holding one kid's hand, carrying another because she is too slow, pulling my carryon and lugging a huge car seat that I am not any happier about it than you are. But I bet I'll have a better time on my vacation than you will on your business trip!  Oh and those kids pulling Dora suitcases? They are trying to emulate you. Yes you Brett, the frequent air traveler, and your "been there done this so many times" world-weary attitude.  | ||
| Brett Citizen Username: Bmalibashksa Post Number: 2156 Registered: 7-2003 |
Actually I wasn’t complaining about the kids being on the flight. For the last year I haven’t seen any kids misbehave on a flight. The parents had them fed and occupied the whole flight. I did have one kid ask me for my candy bar, and I was quite polite when I said no. I really would have given it to him but it was the chocolate, almond caramel one that I really like. | ||
| LilLB Citizen Username: Lillb Post Number: 1295 Registered: 10-2002  |
Brett - you have every right to vent. Many of us have vented about train riders...feel free to vent about plane riders. | ||
| Wendyn Supporter Username: Wendyn Post Number: 2720 Registered: 9-2002 |
Brett . One of the best moments in my life so far was my kid saying on Halloween, "oh this is chocolate. I don't like chocolate. You can have it Mommy!". | ||
| argon_smythe Citizen Username: Argon_smythe Post Number: 756 Registered: 5-2001 |
Get yourself a private jet or fly first class. Otherwise you're stuck in coach with us riffraff. | ||
| Garcia Citizen Username: Photojournalist Post Number: 34 Registered: 3-2005 |
as long as we're getting personal, brett, what's with the compulsion to be adored by the female population of mol?? can't someone disagree with you without being called a jerk?? are you that hooked on the fawning?? | ||
| Oldstone Citizen Username: Rogers4317 Post Number: 543 Registered: 6-2004  |
garcia, correct me if i'm wrong but didn't you start with the god's gift thing? | ||
| mjh Supporter Username: Mjh Post Number: 377 Registered: 5-2001 |
las: what a weird comment! It's called a family vaction, and we almost invariably have a great time together. And no, my kid is not "just as happy" staying elsewhere when my husband and I take a romantic get away together. We're going to Colorado to ski next week, and we're so excited! I wouldn't dream of going without my son. I can guarantee you that we're a closer family through all the great memories we share from trips like these. Believe it or not, some people truly enjoy their children (and yes, my husband and I have our "alone time" too) | ||
| Wendyn Supporter Username: Wendyn Post Number: 2721 Registered: 9-2002 |
Um, pretty sure las is joking. | ||
| Purplebug Citizen Username: Purplebug Post Number: 45 Registered: 10-2005 |
Vent Brett, VENT!!! Although now I am more a pleasure traveler than a business traveler (WAHOO!!!) I will explain about the big bag. On the way to my destination, the bag is half-packed: clothes that I no longer like, and those that don't fit. They will be tossed while on vacation. On the return trip, it is filled to the brim with clothes and souvenirs that I bought from the trip. |
