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Purchasing airline ticket is a headache.... (and flying too)

C

Chacha

Retired SOH Administrator
Why is purchasing airline ticket always a headache?
Why can't I just pay the tickets and fly?
Why do I have to pay for baggages?
Why do I have to purchase insurance?
Why is it cheaper to fly on Tuesdays?
Why do I have to reserve seat numbers and find out it is taken what I have booked is taken?

Can I just fly with smaller jet with say 8 people?
Land in private airports?
Less hassle having "other kids crying" all the way to your destination;
with the only passenger NOT annoyed are the parents...
I wonder why?

I wish I can fly in a private jet!
Sipping wine and watching my favorite movie,
... (what a way to day dream)
 
Chacha said:
Why is purchasing airline ticket always a headache?
Why can't I just pay the tickets and fly?
Why do I have to pay for baggages?
Why do I have to purchase insurance?
Why do I have to reserve seat numbers and find out it is taken what I have booked is taken?

Can I just fly with smaller jet with say 8 people?
Land in private airports?
Less hassle having "other kids crying" all the way to your destination;
with the only passenger NOT annoyed are the parents...
I wonder why?

I wish I can fly in a private jet!
Sipping wine and watching my favorite movie,
... (what a way to day dream)
Click to expand...

I share your frustrations with all of that. As for flying in a smaller plane, well, that's always an option, but it costs a LOT more!!!

Another problem I have experienced firsthand, is when you make reservations online, pay particular attention to the dates you choose! I made the mistake of accidentally selecting the wrong year for my return flight! That was a costly mistake!

NC
 
Navy Chief said:
I share your frustrations with all of that. As for flying in a smaller plane, well, that's always an option, but it costs a LOT more!!!

Another problem I have experienced firsthand, is when you make reservations online, pay particular attention to the dates you choose! I made the mistake of accidentally selecting the wrong year for my return flight! That was a costly mistake!

NC
Click to expand...


Eeeeks! :bump:
 
...Going through the whole rigmarole,...from going on line to put in for your tickets to waiting in line in order to board the plane raises my blood pressure at least 40 pts. or more. I don't envy persons who have to do this because their job demands it. Ain't like the ol' days..........which will never be again.
 
Something we recently "rediscovered" was train travel.

If you have the time, don't mind spending a little more and your travel is available through their routes, traveling Amtrak (or the Canadian railroad) is a totally different experience.

It hearkens back to a day/age when travel was simpler yet in many ways more relaxed and enjoyable...and more romantic.
 
CWOJackson said:
Something we recently "rediscovered" was train travel.

If you have the time, don't mind spending a little more and your travel is available through their routes, traveling Amtrak (or the Canadian railroad) is a totally different experience.

It hearkens back to a day/age when travel was simpler yet in many ways more relaxed and enjoyable...and more romantic.
Click to expand...
I would much rather take a train for the reasons you mentioned but, my God, it takes 2 days to get anywhere that a plane can get you in a few hours. The cost is about the same as air travel. My dream is to someday take a train excursion in Canada (British Columbia) or through the Alps. I guess if someone where to just work Amtrak into their vacation plans it would work. Food for thought.
 
Trans_23 said:
I would much rather take a train for the reasons you mentioned but, my God, it takes 2 days to get anywhere that a plane can get you in a few hours. The cost is about the same as air travel. My dream is to someday take a train excursion in Canada (British Columbia) or through the Alps. I guess if someone where to just work Amtrak into their vacation plans it would work. Food for thought.
Click to expand...

It takes more then two days in many cases.

You have to think about it along the lines of getting there is half the fun on a train, whereas when was the last time you had any fun with commercial air travel.

A couple of years ago we caught a ride with a friend flying out to Seattle and were going to fly commercial back. While we were there, one day we took Amtrak up to Vancouver, BC for the day. We left the Seattle station early in the morning with confirmed business class seats on the Sound side. After pulling out of the station we had breakfast in the dinning car, then coffee in our seats enjoying the view of the Sound on our way north. Coming back we'd reserved seats again on the Sound side. After and enjoyable dinner in the dinning car, we sipped wine and watched the sun setting across the Sound.

We enjoyed that day so much we went home by rail, that time going through Canada. Since then we've numerous trips on U.S. routes (the northern route from Chicago to Seattle via Portland and the Columbia River is very nice).

We were fortunate enough to retire early/young enough to be able to fully enjoy ourselves, the extra time and expense of a private room isn't an issue and it's made long distance (U.S.) travel fun again.

We're hitting the rails again next week to attend a Christmas wedding in Seattle.
 
CWOJackson said:
Something we recently "rediscovered" was train travel.

If you have the time, don't mind spending a little more and your travel is available through their routes, traveling Amtrak (or the Canadian railroad) is a totally different experience.

It hearkens back to a day/age when travel was simpler yet in many ways more relaxed and enjoyable...and more romantic.
Click to expand...




...Absolutely....

I have always loved of traveling by land,
RV or bus or train, or a car across country...

I remember doing that in 1996,
Traveling from DC to Cali...
Man, that was the funnest trip ever....

We were able to visit relatives from all over the Country...
 
Chacha said:
...Absolutely....

I have always loved of traveling by land,
RV or bus or train, or a car across country...

I remember doing that in 1996,
Traveling from DC to Cali...
Man, that was the funnest trip ever....

We were able to visit relatives from all over the Country...
Click to expand...

We'd thought about buying an RV when we re-retired in 2005. Fortunately we never rush into significant purchases. We researched various models and the associated costs of maintaining and operating them.

We did our homework...too well. We were so focused on "RV's" that we'd lost sight of the original purpose; to get away from home not take a second one with us. Did a little quick computing and came to the conclusion that it was far more practical, for us, to get a comfortable highway vehicle (we ended up getting the Town Car "she" wanted) and staying in nice hotels/motels/lodges where someone else cooked, do the dishes and make the bed.

In truth, if you break down the costs over travel days, driving a nice car and staying in first class accommodations is cheaper in our case...and a lot less work.

One of our favorite things to do is to just throw some bags in the car, turn the Garmin on and head out on back roads with no direction/destination in mind. We have only one rule: no fast food.

(Edit: Now my only interest in RV's is to have an open hunting season on them. For instance, even though they put in a new/shorter road between Anchorage and Homer, AK, it takes even longer to make the drive because of the RVs. I wouldn't mind hanging a Dynamax motorhome bumper over a garage door, "Yep, bagged that one on the Kenai Peninsula last summer.")
 
I share your frustration..:salute:

A week ago last Wednesday, I was notified that my Stepfather had passed away. As soon as I received the details on the church service, I booked a round trip flight from Seattle to Phoenix.

Booking was easy through Expedia.com. I had done my homework and didn't find much price difference with other sites. There were cheaper fares if I wanted a layover in Salt Lake City.

Unfortunately, I misread the flight time on the first flight. Instead of taking off in mid-afternoon, my flight took off at noon time so I had four less hours to get to the airport and pack.

For both flights I arrived at the airport expecting to take more time to go through security. Since I was prepared it was not a problem. I wasted a few hours at both airports. At least I was able to catch up on some reading.

I had to pay $20 for one piece of luggage. Each flight had complimentary beverages and a teeny, teeny bag of crackers. If I wanted an adult beverage it would cost me $6.00 - and my wallet was in my jacket in the overhead bin. It would have cost more for a sandwich.

The seats weren't bad and there was good company on both flights. But everytime I wanted to nap, my neck hurt like the dickens. Although the flights were under 3 hours each, my legs and feet were numb by the time we landed.

I hate commercial flying, but I suspect I may have to do more flights to check in on my Mother in the months to come. Wish there was an easier way to commute between Washington and Arizona in the shortest time possible.

--WH
 
If you got the cash, Charter is the way to go... Netjets is a fractional company. You're buying part of the plane.

Where I used to work was a Wyvern certified Part 135 on demand air taxi company.

Prices are ballpark and two years old but you get the idea....

King Air C-90: $1,500 an hour, two hour minimum. Up to 6 pax. Good for trips within 5-800 miles.

Cessna Citation Encore: $2,500 an hour, up to 8 pax. Coast to coast with 1 to 2 fuel stops.

Cessna Citation Excel: $3,200 an hour, up to 8 pax. Coast to coast (US) with one stop.

Bombardier Challenger 604: $4,800 an hour, up to 9 Pax. Intercontinental range.

Typical "Across the pond" and back run in the Challenger ran about 60-70 grand. Once had a charter to Hawaii. total bill including having the aircraft (and crew) stay there for 10 days was about $300,000.
 
CWOJackson said:
(Edit: Now my only interest in RV's is to have an open hunting season on them. For instance, even though they put in a new/shorter road between Anchorage and Homer, AK, it takes even longer to make the drive because of the RVs. I wouldn't mind hanging a Dynamax motorhome bumper over a garage door, "Yep, bagged that one on the Kenai Peninsula last summer.")
Click to expand...

I like that idea.
 
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