How I Spent My Summer Vacation: Dear Airline Companies
Dear Sirs,
Just a brief note to let you know how enjoyable my Family Summer Vacation was this year.
We have family on both coasts. Typically we travel to at least one remote family per year.
One year we go to LA to see my family, and the next we go to the East Coast to see my Wife's Family. Some years we even travel to see one family for the summer and another
for the winter holidays. This means my small family spends something on the order of
2-3 thousand dollars on airline tickets per year.
Now as an avid motorcycle rider, I personally understand very well the axiom:
"It is the journey and not the destination" However, my family is not so passionate about
riding bikes as I am and so we have as a group turned that rule on its head by
flying to our vacation destinations.
But not this year. This year I pulled Executive Priveledge and demanded a road trip to see
my family in LA. From where we live that is about a 2000 mile round trip by car.
You see, airline travel is no longer the path of least resistance.
It is something to be endured, not enjoyed. Even pre-9/11 I was regularly treated like a
criminal by airport security. No matter how polite or friendly I was, some martinet would
inevitably want to examine my shoes or poke around in my baggage. No matter how I stripped myself of metallic objects, I would invariablybe selected for a good dose of "the wand". And back in those days, the guards were pikers compared to the trolls that TSA
has working for them. Back then at least I could at least have some expectation of an on time flight. I could expect a decent cocktail and something above Rodent Chow to eat to be provided during the flight.
I could rely on staff to make some small effort in making our journey pleasant.
I could expect the airline agents to work hard to see that we and our baggage got to our
destination in the event that something did go wrong.
Not any longer.
We are through being treated like criminals. Our family is finished with being
regarded as livestock. My tribe will no longer accept being treated with open contempt by you,your company's policies and your employees. Yes I chose the word "contempt" very carefully.
Not only did we decide that running the risk of being held hostage by your company with
inadequate sanitation,food or water being a very definite possibility; but the attitude
regarding that potential is unacceptable. You are contemptuous of us.
In fact, I recently heard news coverage in which a representative
of your industry blamed us directly for "wanting this by wanting lower fares".
So by wanting my house to cost as little as possible it is acceptable to be shoved
into a cardboard box when what we saw on the ad was a mansion?
So by wanting low prices on toys, it is acceptable for my son to chew on lead paint?
Really. Obviously you make up for a lack of conscience with an abundance of sheer balls
But hey, you have to remember... while the courts have said that we passengers have to
show ID when we fly because there are other travel options - It also cuts both ways.
So we chose to travel by car this year. And oh what fun we had!
We spent much more time together as a family. We stopped when we wanted.
We ate and drank what we wanted to. We adventured. We laughed. My family didn’t worry about me losing my patience at the Airport. We not only arrived in LA
to spend a great week with family, but we returned at a more relaxed pace.
I took my family to the Winchester House in San Jose, where I had visited some
30 years ago with my grandfather. We enjoyed the Shasta Caverns.
We stopped and visited friends in Northern California. Friends whom
I had not seen in over a year.
Hell, we even changed out itinerary at will. No fees. No hassle. No Standby.
In short this was a vacation that will be remembered with joy and fondness rather than
how awful the journey to get there was.
And all that money we would have spent with your company went to someone else.
Hotels who greeted us with superior service and comfort.
Restaurants who served us great food and genuine smiles. Hell, the only time we did have a problem it was handled graciously and with professionalism. Something you all seem to lack.
You know what? I think we will do it again next year. Only this time we will
cross the country to the East Coast. Won’t that be fun? Too bad you wont be a part of it.
Sincerely
The Road Crew.
Just a brief note to let you know how enjoyable my Family Summer Vacation was this year.
We have family on both coasts. Typically we travel to at least one remote family per year.
One year we go to LA to see my family, and the next we go to the East Coast to see my Wife's Family. Some years we even travel to see one family for the summer and another
for the winter holidays. This means my small family spends something on the order of
2-3 thousand dollars on airline tickets per year.
Now as an avid motorcycle rider, I personally understand very well the axiom:
"It is the journey and not the destination" However, my family is not so passionate about
riding bikes as I am and so we have as a group turned that rule on its head by
flying to our vacation destinations.
But not this year. This year I pulled Executive Priveledge and demanded a road trip to see
my family in LA. From where we live that is about a 2000 mile round trip by car.
You see, airline travel is no longer the path of least resistance.
It is something to be endured, not enjoyed. Even pre-9/11 I was regularly treated like a
criminal by airport security. No matter how polite or friendly I was, some martinet would
inevitably want to examine my shoes or poke around in my baggage. No matter how I stripped myself of metallic objects, I would invariablybe selected for a good dose of "the wand". And back in those days, the guards were pikers compared to the trolls that TSA
has working for them. Back then at least I could at least have some expectation of an on time flight. I could expect a decent cocktail and something above Rodent Chow to eat to be provided during the flight.
I could rely on staff to make some small effort in making our journey pleasant.
I could expect the airline agents to work hard to see that we and our baggage got to our
destination in the event that something did go wrong.
Not any longer.
We are through being treated like criminals. Our family is finished with being
regarded as livestock. My tribe will no longer accept being treated with open contempt by you,your company's policies and your employees. Yes I chose the word "contempt" very carefully.
Not only did we decide that running the risk of being held hostage by your company with
inadequate sanitation,food or water being a very definite possibility; but the attitude
regarding that potential is unacceptable. You are contemptuous of us.
In fact, I recently heard news coverage in which a representative
of your industry blamed us directly for "wanting this by wanting lower fares".
So by wanting my house to cost as little as possible it is acceptable to be shoved
into a cardboard box when what we saw on the ad was a mansion?
So by wanting low prices on toys, it is acceptable for my son to chew on lead paint?
Really. Obviously you make up for a lack of conscience with an abundance of sheer balls
But hey, you have to remember... while the courts have said that we passengers have to
show ID when we fly because there are other travel options - It also cuts both ways.
So we chose to travel by car this year. And oh what fun we had!
We spent much more time together as a family. We stopped when we wanted.
We ate and drank what we wanted to. We adventured. We laughed. My family didn’t worry about me losing my patience at the Airport. We not only arrived in LA
to spend a great week with family, but we returned at a more relaxed pace.
I took my family to the Winchester House in San Jose, where I had visited some
30 years ago with my grandfather. We enjoyed the Shasta Caverns.
We stopped and visited friends in Northern California. Friends whom
I had not seen in over a year.
Hell, we even changed out itinerary at will. No fees. No hassle. No Standby.
In short this was a vacation that will be remembered with joy and fondness rather than
how awful the journey to get there was.
And all that money we would have spent with your company went to someone else.
Hotels who greeted us with superior service and comfort.
Restaurants who served us great food and genuine smiles. Hell, the only time we did have a problem it was handled graciously and with professionalism. Something you all seem to lack.
You know what? I think we will do it again next year. Only this time we will
cross the country to the East Coast. Won’t that be fun? Too bad you wont be a part of it.
Sincerely
The Road Crew.
posted by Z at
11:56 AM
1 Comments
