Remember when airlines asked for able bodied volunteers for Exit rows?

[ThatDogDontHunt]

...
Planes are no longer the means of travel for the elite. They are the Greyhound Busses of the sky.

- You are on the wrong plane?
OR
- You are not sitting close enough to the pilot?

 

[ThatDogDontHunt]

But if nobody is in the seat because it is extra cost, nobody can open the door.

Or maybe one of the waitresses can open it faster because there is no one in their way?

 

[runsongas]

I see that Turkish, Qatari and Emirits airlines are still the best by a wide margin. The attitude of the flight attendants on American carriers is the worst I have seen it in my region.

flag carriers don't have to deal with shareholders

 

[ThatDogDontHunt]

I've had them hold the plane. On my recent trip they held the flight to Hong Kong for almost an hour to not only get people like me who were on late connections, but they also actually got our luggage on board.

"You" personally had them hold the plane? What type of device did you use to accomplish this? I thought the security perps are supposed to take those away from you?

I have been subjected to the unpleasant experience of efficiently loading and then stewing for almost an hour while about 1/4 of the plane showed up late due to a single other delayed plane. Everyone applauded the latecomers. Not because we liked them. Or the airline. We applauded because WE finally got to leave.

Please remember: It's all about ME! (This seems to be the mantra of the new generations?)

 

[ThatDogDontHunt]

Please remember: It's all about ME! (This seems to be the mantra of the new generations?)

And to continue my rant...

On a recent flight I observed some quizzically bizarre (to me) behaviour. A young 30ish person appeared at the seat across the aisle from me. They whipped out a bunch of nasty chemical smelling handy wipe things and proceeded to wipe their complete seat area (including the seat fabric areas - does that work?). Once happily settled, they then proceeded to whip out an emery board and leisurely file their finger nails. WTF? Sigh... I guess they assumed the passenger before them acted like them?

 

[BoltSnap]

flag carriers don't have to deal with shareholders

I fly Lufthansa, Swiss and others and they are all better than American Carriers.

 

[Manatee Diver]

"You" personally had them hold the plane? What type of device did you use to accomplish this? I thought the security perps are supposed to take those away from you?

I have been subjected to the unpleasant experience of efficiently loading and then stewing for almost an hour while about 1/4 of the plane showed up late due to a single other delayed plane. Everyone applauded the latecomers. Not because we liked them. Or the airline. We applauded because WE finally got to leave.

Please remember: It's all about ME! (This seems to be the mantra of the new generations?)

I've been on both ends, I've stewed in the airplane waiting for a late connecting passenger, and I've been the late connecting passenger that had to practically run from one end of the airport to another. You know what, yes I don't mind when the airline holds the airplane particularly when the next transoceanic flight is 12-16 hours later. I also don't mind waiting a reasonable amount of time for connecting passengers.

Now I do wish that airline computer systems could plan for those better, and just not board the plane until the last connecting passenger's that you are planning to hold for was say 15 minutes away. But I would also like their system to notify me when a flight is delayed because the flight crew needs more mandatory rest time.

 

[runsongas]

I fly Lufthansa, Swiss and others and they are all better than American Carriers.

Swiss is also a flag carrier. Lufthansa was until recently. American carriers are terrible in economy, but pretty good in business or first where they actually make their money.

 

[AfterDark]

No I don't ever recall hearing that but then I don't fly, much. Probably can count the number of flights I've taken in my 65 years of life on one hand. In 2003 I took a flight to FL, my 1st flight since 9-01 and my last. After I returned I vowed not to fly again until the TSA is abolished and security is back in the hands of the airlines where it belongs. I'm perfectly happy to drive or not go if flying is required. I'm not willing to play any of their games at all ,ever.

 

[Manatee Diver]

I fly Lufthansa, Swiss and others and they are all better than American Carriers.

Most of the European flag carriers are privatized. For example Lufthansa is publicly traded private company, and owns Swiss.

I don't think it has anything to do with being private or public, but probably the power of their unions, and the bidding process that goes into the routes that favor the senior crew members on the international routes. On my recent flight back to Tokyo we had a FA that was with United (through Continental) for 50 years to that day, she was 71 years old.