Best and Worst Experience Flying on a Commercial Flight?

[Sky Captain]

My best flight was this summer from Roma to Vilnius, there were nice turbulence over Poland. Plane (it was A320) was really shaking. I had seat near the window over wings and could see wing tips bending up and down sometimes for about half a meter. Few times plane was in nearly freefall for a second or two. It was fun ride that lasted for about ten minutes.

 

[Melvin]

Yeah! I'll be there for a few hours on my way home on the 10th Sept - I hope there's a decent view from the terminal!

Head up to the Heineken bar. It's were I go for a quick smoke and a couple brews while waiting connecting flights.

Nice view too.

:thumbup:

 

[george7378]

Will do! Although I think I'm still too young to drink in America. Maybe I'll have a nice soda

 

[paddy2]

Virgin Atlantic to Boston, asked for a last glass of port just as they where closing the bar....." Sorry Sir, we have no more port left." "What, you have been giving my port away!" "No Sir, YOUR the only one on the flight drinking port"
6 hours 3 bottles ooooopps

 

[Thunder Chicken]

I've often heard that. And I would like to agree. Lufthansa is amongst the best airlines in the world if you ask me. And I'm not saying this because it's a German airline and because I am German. I'm saying this because they really offer high quality in all areas; technology, maintenance, personnel, training, comfort, service, etc. It's premium. That's what I like to expect when I buy a ticket. Flying as safe and as comfortable as possible.

That was another aspect of the Lufthansa flight that I recall - they actually fed us! We received something quite hot and delicious for dinner, with drinks and desert, and a good breakfast the next morning at sunrise. It was almost like they wanted us to actually be able to function when we got off the plane! :lol:

Flying in the U.S. means being treated like cattle. Terrorist cattle after 9/11.

 

[Codz]

Flying in the U.S. means being treated like cattle. Terrorist cattle after 9/11.

I honestly don't get why security is such a big deal. I've been in and out of TSA security dozens of times, and I've never had an issue, even when I got "randomly selected". In Hartsfield, it usually takes me about 15 minutes to get through security. Almost every officer I met was nice, and patient too.

 

[Andy44]

Flying in the U.S. means being treated like cattle. Terrorist cattle after 9/11.

I honestly don't get why security is such a big deal. I've been in and out of TSA security dozens of times, and I've never had an issue, even when I got "randomly selected". In Hartsfield, it usually takes me about 15 minutes to get through security. Almost every officer I met was nice, and patient too.

I think Thunder Chicken is referring not to the TSA itself, but to the new attitude the airlines have adopted towards passengers since 9/11. They no longer treat you like guests at a hotel the way they used to. Now you are an inconvenience at best, and at worst you are a potential danger. Sit down, shut up, do exactly as you're told, and don't complain or they sic the dogs on you. That is why I, who grew up loving to fly and even got a pilot's license, now hate commercial air travel.

The TSA is a topic for another (Basement) thread.

 

[Thunder Chicken]

Well put Andy. I also have a pilot's license and love flying, but I haven't flown commercial of any sort since 2005. I'd really rather walk.

I tend to give my travel business to Amtrak these days. And I'd have to have a *really* good reason to step on an airplane to the West Coast or overseas, which is a shame as I love to travel. My job puts me on ships fairly frequently so that helps.

 

[Andy44]

I also have become an Amtrak customer. I even got an Amtrak credit card and use their "rail points" program (like frequent flyer miles sort of). Since I live near a station and have family up the Northeast Corridor line it makes a lot of sense, and I've crossed the continent a few times by rail. Amtrak employees are actually nice to you, and if you ride first class it's a real treat. The only time I saw them get cross with a passenger was when some guy got stupid drunk or tried to sneak a cigarette. Those guys got kicked off at the next stop, in the middle of nowhere, LOL!

 

[Codz]

I'd like to try Amtrak sometime, maybe the Atlanta-DC-New York route?

 

[Andy44]

I'd like to try Amtrak sometime, maybe the Atlanta-DC-New York route?

I believe that would be "The Crescent": http://www.amtrak.com/crescent-train

Most scenic one I've ridden was "The California Zephyr" eastbound through the Rocky Mountains. I guess we need a new thread...

 

[Codz]

Yes, I believe I saw the main locomotive of the old Southern Railway Crescent in a Rail Travel museum here, from before Amtrak took over the route.

 

[Thunder Chicken]

Yes, I believe I saw the main locomotive of the old Southern Railway Crescent in a Rail Travel museum here, from before Amtrak took over the route.

Lake Shore Limited from Boston to Chicago, overnight sleeper - that's traveling right!

OK, time to get this thread back on track (bad pun, but unavoidable). Back to them airlines...?

 

[Wrangler]

My best flight was the my first trip from Islamabad to Skardu, in the first week of January 2003. It was a Boeing 737, and we were flying between the Himalayan and Karakoram mountain ranges covered with snow. The approach was tricky as Skardu is surrounded by mountains, and after a while it felt like I was in a bus, as were flying inside the canyon, that opened up into the Skardu valley. it was an amazing sight. Then came the landing. The guy didn't have much room to make an approach, and there was not much time between when he leveled the wings and pre-flare. Yet I felt the aircraft Flare, but didn't feel the rear gears touchdown. it was when the nose started to drop that I realized that he had landed. I remember turning around to look at the flight attendant, and she just grinned and said "I get to see that look a lot with this Pilot. He is the best." PIA may not be the world best airline, but they do have some good drivers. BRILLIANT. :tiphat:

Not gonna list the bad ones. too depressing....

---------- Post added at 05:18 AM ---------- Previous post was at 05:08 AM ----------

I honestly don't get why security is such a big deal. I've been in and out of TSA security dozens of times, and I've never had an issue, even when I got "randomly selected". In Hartsfield, it usually takes me about 15 minutes to get through security. Almost every officer I met was nice, and patient too.

Good to hear you get along fine with the TSA. I can't complain about them, as I have never been to the US. But during my trips to Ireland and Germany, it got a bit tedious. Not me personally, but my colleague got randomly selected everytime! It was a dark comedy. After he was selected the 4th time in Germany, he stopped talking to me as if it was MY fault. :rofl:

So it depends who you are and what you look like. I know alot of the folks who like to blow themselves up are from our neck of the world. But come on!!!! Not all of us are into that!