Airport Employee Power Trips

[BertStevens]

I'm surprised there have not been more stories on this thread. Has the airline industry ,axe progress in service?

 

[The Chairman]

I rarely carry much in carry on, preferring to check most of my gear. Consequently, I haven't been screwed with too much.

FWIW, TSA really stands for Terrorists Strike Again.

 

[John A Lewis]

I rarely carry much in carry on, preferring to check most of my gear. Consequently, I haven't been screwed with too much.

FWIW, TSA really stands for Terrorists Strike Again.

I think of it as 'Theatrically Silly Annoyance'.

 

[WarrenZ]

This year I carried my dive gear on the plane I almost felt bed until I saw people with guitars and urban survivalist levels of crap then I quit feeling bad. What I do is bring my rollaboard to the first gate and ask if it needs to be gate checked they then will check it to my destination for free (AA) after that I just have my dive gear and a couple of days of clothing as a carryon.

 

[Maverick17]

The gate check is a good way to get around bag fees. Some airports though are known to have stickler TSA lookouts and use the bag sizer and send you back to the counter if your bag doesn't fit. EWR was certainly that way when I was flying 125k miles a year in coach out of there. But I usually check my bag and didn't have problems myself, just observed it often.

I've generally never had much trouble from anyone on the ground. They usually seem quite nice and very patient with the DYKWIA's. It's the flight attendants that can bug me. Ever since 9/11, they seem to have carte blanche when it comes to giving orders, and if you don't listen to them, you're a danger to the plane. I find that often FA's are happy to make anything they want up and tell you that you have to follow it. I don't like to always put my window shade down, for example, but I've been told many times it's not an option. But really it has all been small things for me, no big trouble.

 

[chillyinCanada]

Window shade down? They have to be up on take off and landing. If an FA asks you to put your shade down it's because you're being inconsiderate to other passengers that are either trying to sleep, watch the tv or the sun is at an angle so that it's blinding the passenger(s) behind you. In those cases, 9 out of 10 times the inconvenienced passenger has made the request of the FA.

 

[Maverick17]

Yes I'm very aware of the rules, and of the long debate on the issue of my choice versus it's inconveniencing a passenger. I don't leave it up for long, if that's your concern and assumption. But I do like to look for 5 or 10 minutes or so in the middle of a 14 hour flight.

 

[ajtoady]

I travel more than most for my one business. That being said, my only one big b-tch is there is no one standard amongst the gate agents or security personnel. At one airport people are carrying on what seem like trunks. At the next, the gate agent, has a cow about a woman's purse. TSA, is another story. One airport, they are a bunch of mini Hitlers berating and confusing. Next airport, helpful and making the experience at least a little pleasant. Yes it sucks to fly, but, it's part of doing business. I admire the agents that do try to enforce the rules and do it fairly. Now on a side note,,,,,the airlines have mostly created the mess seen at the gates.. Charging for checked bags has created the funnel you see upon boarding. Me personally, I check my bags whenever I can,,I hate carrying luggage!!

 

[Zeagle Eagle]

Yes I'm very aware of the rules, and of the long debate on the issue of my choice versus it's inconveniencing a passenger. I don't leave it up for long, if that's your concern and assumption. But I do like to look for 5 or 10 minutes or so in the middle of a 14 hour flight.

So you are the (insert any expletive you care to) that wakes everyone up that is near you with a blinding flash of light. As long as you get your look, screw everyone else. It's a common courtesy to extend to your fellow passengers.

 

[AdivingBel]

Yeah, the carry on situation got worse when airlines increased restrictions and costs for checked bags.

Seems to me they should charge for carry-on and make checking bags free and easy. That way you are paying for the added "convenience/item safety" of carry-on while the bulk of the baggage goes in the hold where it belongs. Would sure make life in the passenger area much nicer. IMHO.