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Honored Contributor
Posts: 14,857
Registered: ‎03-09-2010

@Angeldrawers wrote:

Unfortunately my daughter is deceased now but in 2007 my husband just ruined part of her destination wedding whining  about his delayed luggage. Watch a downer.  When we came home I gifted him a carryon and said I'll never travel with you again without this.  Lol


@Angeldrawers - I'm sorry your daughter passed away. I'll bet she had a lovely wedding and you have those memories when times are hard for you. 

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Registered: ‎02-07-2011

@beach-mom  Sorry about your son's travel problems.  However, I don't think it's that uncommon.  And one of my primary travel rules is NEVER travel without bringing our own food.  DH and I always have a sandwich and snacks with us.  I don't do well if I have to go without food for an extended time so no matter how short the flight may be, we ALWAYS have food with us.

 

 

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Posts: 2,861
Registered: ‎11-08-2020

@beach-mom , travelling by air is not fun anymore.  Even in business class the seats are jammed together.  After sitting in crowded airports last year, we are getting to the point where, if we can't drive, we don't go.  Add lost luggage, delayed flights and missed connections and it becomes just awful.  I used to enjoy trips but getting there and back is so much hassle.  And the airlines couldn't care less.

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Posts: 15,882
Registered: ‎03-09-2010

Anytime except maybe once I have had the misfortune of flying American, it has been delayed for one reason or another. Just a week ago my daughter's and family flight on American was delayed for hours-the reason-the crew noticed something not right and concerning and decided to change planes for safety. That was comforting my daughter thought but I've read many major news reports recently that American has had mechanical issues and emergency flights that have had to return or not take off.

 

If not that, even years ago, they overbook and then try to have people change flights. I think they do this so if someone cancels they still have the money. I don't know.

When I took my mother to NY they actually stopped us and others at the gate and said they didn't have room for us both, plane overbooked, but she could go on a similar flight. No, no way I said and they relented.

 

American has always been this way.

Plus don't buy their "main cabin" extra room. I thought where is the extra room aside from the feet?! The seats were squished even tighter. The guy nest to me said the same thing. Where is the room? And we paid extra for this. Not first class but up a step from the unfortunates who had the cheapest flights. I can't imagine it could get any tighter between seats though.

 

As for the airport not having anything open past a certain hour, I thought that was so weird when I got off several times late from a flight. So dark and erie. 

How does that make sense? Flights come and go at all hours. They don't sleep after 10pm. That is just awful. Especially for a big airport. I hope they are not all this way but I can't imagine that they are.

 

Oh I'm sorry. Thanks for letting us all vent fellow travelers. It has changed and it used to be exciting and fun.

I still love looking at all the clouds when up high on a plane all the while tying not to elbow the poor guy next to me.

"If you walk the footsteps of a stranger, you'll learn things you never knew. Can you sing with all the voices of the mountains? can you paint with all the colors of the wind?"
Honored Contributor
Posts: 14,797
Registered: ‎03-15-2014

In the last month, I've heard a couple similar travel nightmare stories in my own family.  All I can say is - I'm glad I don't have to travel much any more.

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Posts: 12,295
Registered: ‎03-27-2010

@kaydee50   I agree...we always bring our own food, even for extended car trips. Fruits and nuts for quick snacks and for longer trips I make sandwiches and salads.  I often have some home made treats for my husband also.  It is an event when we travel, but we stay healthy and enjoy the trip!

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Posts: 8,522
Registered: ‎05-15-2014

Sadly it is happening with every airline now, you can't single out one.  We have flown several different airlines in the past couple of years several times and I will tell you it has become a fr**cking nightmare.   Not one of our flights has been on time, therefore missed a couple of connections (direct flights not available) and our luggage was lost on Canadian Air.   I'm at the point of stopping traveling, it has become so bad.  It's upsetting as DH and I are doing our traveling being retired and thankfully somewhat in good health.  Lost time with Covid, seriously rethinking the future of it all......travel industry is a mess.

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Posts: 2,572
Registered: ‎05-02-2017

 

 

Gosh, I have been traveling internationally by myself since I was a teenager.

 

In those days cell phones did not exist, so I could not call and complain to my mother.

 

People were on their own, and had to learn to be reliant.

 

In fact, the only phones available would be pay phones in the foreign country, and you would have to drop coins of that currency into that slot.

 

Of course, all my travel experience has taught me a lot: avoid connections as much as possible, always have some food with me, build in one or two days buffer in each direction before and after a trip.

 

We just returned on a flight on American from Athens, Greece, and all went fine, even though there were wildfires affecting the country.  I never blame any individual airline--travel is always an adventure.

 

I have had to travel all night frequently, and then go to work or do something the next day.  Your son is a man, not a boy, and he will be fine.

 

I can't wait for my next flight to go somewhere exciting in the world!

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Posts: 2,479
Registered: ‎08-01-2019

Travel has become a nightmare.   Of course the restaurants will not stay open past their usual time "in case" of delay..........it's $$$$

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Registered: ‎01-09-2016

@Angeldrawers wrote:

Unfortunately my daughter is deceased now but in 2007 my husband just ruined part of her destination wedding whining  about his delayed luggage. Watch a downer.  When we came home I gifted him a carryon and said I'll never travel with you again without this.  Lol


@Angeldrawers I'm very sorry about the loss of your daughter. God bless you.