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Esteemed Contributor
Posts: 5,610
Registered: ‎03-20-2010

Yup, they have you/ us over a barrel if we need to fly and they are the only airline... That’s  how it is-   I fly rarely, I find travel very stressful... 

Honored Contributor
Posts: 9,958
Registered: ‎03-09-2010

My last few trips have been with American and they are always trying to get me to upgrade to a different seat when I check in online.  More dollars for them, nothing relevant to me. 

 

Last week, I was offered an upgrade to first class for $59.  I  briefly considered it, then realized the flight was about 75 minutes in duration!  I “suffered through” my time in my economy seat!

 

as others have stated....I know what to expect when I travel....it’s a necessary evil to get where I want to go, in the quickest time possible.  I prepare by packing snacks I like, having a good book to read, games to play on my iPad, and earbuds!

Honored Contributor
Posts: 9,958
Registered: ‎03-09-2010

@haddon9 wrote:

I hate flying.

 

However if I want to see my 92 year old mother I need to fly.  It takes 2 1/2 hours to fly from Philadelphia to Ft. Lauderdale.  It would take almost a day to travel by train and probably more expensive (I checked several years ago).  I simply can't physically drive that far myself anymore so I fly.


Good point!  I travel to see my older parents, who can no longer come to see me.  I also alternate flying to see my kids and grandkids.  They come to me, too, and none of us look forward to the air travel, but we want and need to see each other. 

Respected Contributor
Posts: 2,887
Registered: ‎03-11-2010

@haddon9 wrote:

I hate flying.

 

However if I want to see my 92 year old mother I need to fly.  It takes 2 1/2 hours to fly from Philadelphia to Ft. Lauderdale.  It would take almost a day to travel by train and probably more expensive (I checked several years ago).  I simply can't physically drive that far myself anymore so I fly.


@haddon9 We drove from PA to FL for Thanksgiving and no way I’m doing that again any time soon!  It’s a long time in the car but not only that...it’s the rude folks who insist on traveling slowly in the passing lane, backing everyone else up behind them, mile after mile after mile, that convinced me to fly next time! Seriously, how hard is it to pass in the left lane and then move into the right lane to travel??  We also encountered several traffic jams which added 2 extra hours to our return trip. Ugh. 

 

Must say though that it sure was nice to wear shorts and light summer tops in November! 😊 

Respected Contributor
Posts: 3,327
Registered: ‎05-09-2016

Meh. This is much ado about nothing, released just in time to rile up those people who fly maybe once a year and think having an airline credit card makes them extra, super-duper special. For as long as I can remember, Delta (and Northwest before they were acquired by Delta) had "preferred"seating. Typically at the front of the coach cabin, and only available at no additional charge to members of their frequent flyer programs who fly at least 25,000 butt-in-seat miles a year. Same thing with exit row seats, and quite frankly that was a good thing. Now the front section of the coach cabin usually has several rows of an enhanced coach product, which has more legroom and possibly better food and beverage service. That moved the "preferred" seats back a few rows. 

 

Flying is only stressful if you let it be, or have unrealistic expectations. READ the fine print before you click on "purchase" so you'll know what's included and what you're going to pay extra for. 

~The more someone needs to brag about how wonderful, special, successful, wealthy or important they are, the greater the likelihood that it isn't true. ~

Honored Contributor
Posts: 13,482
Registered: ‎02-02-2015

@FrostyBabe1 wrote:

Typically at the front of the coach cabin, and only available at no additional charge to members of their frequent flyer programs who fly at least 25,000 butt-in-seat miles a year. Same thing with exit row seats, and quite frankly that was a good thing.

 

 

@FrostyBabe1 You made my day! Smiley LOL I have never heard that phrase and it actually made me laugh outloud! LOL!

Valued Contributor
Posts: 874
Registered: ‎10-27-2018

Fly first class - that's the ONLY way I fly - Easy Peasy.

Occasional Contributor
Posts: 11
Registered: ‎10-18-2013

I was a flight attendant for several years before flights turned into flying 7-11’s in coach.  I pay for my flights now, and cringe anytime I see an exit row vacant where there is no one sitting near an overwing exit because they don’t want to pay extra for the added leg room there, and there is no jumpseat for an F/A.  Or the person sitting there is obviously not physically able to open that plug exit, even though when asked, they say they are.  I want to tell everyone that we were trained that if something bad is going to happen, it’s normally during takeoff or landing.  There is no excuse for a vacant exit row with no one there to open those exits in case of an emergency.  This happened on a United flight I took from Dallas to Newark.  I offered to sit there just for takeoff and landing, then go back to my assigned seat, but the F/A said she’d still have to charge me $19.00.  I wrote an email to United about this being a safety hazard, but never received a response.

Honored Contributor
Posts: 13,482
Registered: ‎02-02-2015

@manhattan1950 Two summers ago I thought I would try Business Class "just one time." It was from the West Coast to Europe. Well, don't ever say you will do it just one time. I can't imagine going any other way. ha!

 

Is it expensive? Can be, depends upon where in the world you go. It was very expensive to go to Japan last Spring. I used Japan Airlines. But for another trip planned this summer, because of the destination, it is not that expensive.

 

That first try at Business Class just happened to be a special price being promoted by British Airways, so it was not bad at all.

 

Just saying.........try it if you can financially do it. But be warned.....it will spoil you!

Honored Contributor
Posts: 33,580
Registered: ‎03-10-2010

@manhattan1950 wrote:

Fly first class - that's the ONLY way I fly - Easy Peasy.


Obviously you aren't privvy to flying by private jet.  Now THAT is truly the only way to fly.  You should try it sometime.  It's beyond amazing.