[grimel]

I haven't flown since Jan of 2001. It was horrid before 9/11 and the resultant stupidity at the airports. I can't imagine it having improved (and I have my dad's experiance to bounce my thought off). I checked on a 1 way ticket to stop a friend from taking a day off to take his mother home (3-4hr drive each way). Well, I found a $270 ticket that resulted in 10hrs to make the trip - OR - he could drive her 2.5hrs to another airport and she'd have a 1hr flight. The first flight was Knoxville to DC to Raliegh, to Tampa to Atlanta to Alabama. In-freaking-sane.

Last trip on Delta - had to site 2hrs on the tarmac without any drinks or moving because we could take off "at any minute". 1hr flight Jacksonville to Atlanta. Circle Atlanta 1hr again no service we might land "at any minute". Land, taxi, wait 1hr on the tarmac waiting for a gate. Oh, yeah, we had a gate on the other end of the airport and they wouldn't hold planes for anyone they screwed up with the 4hrs delay (missed my connector by 15 minutes). Couldn't swap ticket for car/other ticket/anything - yes, we screwed up. Yes, we are cutting out a big portion of your time off. Yes, we have bad service. So? We have your money and the return flight. When will you be flying again?

I can only imagine the stupidity now. My 60yr old father gets checked everytime he flys. It's just stupid.