Recently, IRENE asked whether I thought American-run airlines are unsafe. This followed my statement that I don't like to fly on American-run airlines.
No, I can't say that the planes are unsafe. But, if they are safe, I would attribute that to the government's persisting efforts to keep them safe, and I suppose that would apply to foreign owned airliners operating in this country, as well.
Here are some of my beefs:
1. My luggage and I are often not on the same airplane. This has happened twice in the last four trips. 50%
2. I have been bumped off a plane only to go on standby and wind up seated next to someone besides my wife (who was elsewhere on the plane after having been initially bumped herself.) I don't know why this happened, and neither did the guy at the check-in gate, but the reason given was "over-booking." The fact that I had booked 6 months (yes, really!) ahead was immaterial to the smooth functioning of Delta Airlines.
3. Everyone on the airplane pays a different price for the ticket.
4. The airlines industry has been babied, catered to, fed U.S. government dollars almost endlessly. They are thoroughly imbued with the idea of corporate socialism, an entitlement they get from the rest of us. For all that fawning you would think we'd have a better-running operation, wouldn't you?
5. The airlines fought against locked cabin doors that would protect pilots against wackos with weapons, even after 9/11. What this signifies to me is sheer stupidity, not surprising in the American educated management class.
6. Comparison. In recent years I have flown on Air France and Lufthansa and found them to be much better experiences, except for that event in Frankfurt where the goddam Germans acted like Germans usually do.
2 comments:
Oooh - we can't even mention the words "Frankfurt" and "rental car" or "Frankfurt" and "sacher torte" in the same sentence around my in-laws. I think Germans act like Germans particularly in Frankfurt.
What annoyed me when we were in the US is that the airlines don't give a stuff if you miss your connecting flight,even if you are continuing on with the same airline. They make the scheduling so tight that there is no room to accommodate for their normal tardiness. Also - since they started charging for checked in baggage, half the passengers are trying to get on the aircraft with these massive "carry-ons" which funnily enough, are the same size as the bags they used to check in! So it takes forever to board the plane because passengers are struggling down the aisle with their bags and big surprise - can't fit them into the overhead compartment. Why don't the airline staff stop these people at the gate??? I never board until they say final call, otherwise you end up standing in the finger for 20 mins, freezing.
The airlines are, collectively, the worst customer-oriented businesses in the United States. There are good people working at some, but excellent service, timely arrivals, and hassle-free flights are the exception rather than the rule. And this nonsense about paying for your checked bag is absolutely unbelievable. The first checked bag should be included in the ticket price, and the law should require that.
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