Flying

Flying used to be a delight for me. Not anymore, the last so many years flying has been a nightmare. In 2002 they began extra airport security measures. In the last few years they have got the liquids rule. It is 100ml of things in a transparent bag. It is no longer possible to take a bottle of water to drink. Drinking water before a flight is sensible and so I buy it after I have gone through security at a high price. On my last trip the plane was delayed for five hours due to fog. Still it got me and my son all the way to lovely Cape Town. We are flying to Vancouver next month if our flight will take place. There has been volcanic activity and now there is talk of a possible strike. I will never travel with that airline again due to their strike action which makes me feel nervous. I have to travel for four and a half hours to get to the airport. I will be feeling more and more concerned as our departure day gets here. The airline is silly to strike and it is annoying its passengers. They will probably choose other airlines in the future. Still flying is enough to try the patience of a saint.

arabgirl, On the overall, I feel that traveling by air is actually getting better except for budget airlines where the experience is pretty much different compared to their full cost counterparts. I do not think delays are avoidable where it can be due to a crowded taxiway to mechanical failures, which is just part and parcel of life. I mean if you just look around even our well maintained cars can breakdown or caught in busy traffic situations. I feel that as much as it is frustrating to encounter these delays as travelers ourselves, the ground crew are also equally stressed from check-in to maintenance. So, as much as it is frustrating waiting, it is just no better at the other end putting up with pent up passengers to trying to get things fixed. Everyone is just equally worked up when we have these situations. However, I think you need to agree with me that things have improved overall starting with spacious, well designed and not forgetting well equipped airports to modern aircraft cabins. So, it isn't all that bad if you know what I mean. You just win some and loose some.

Most of the people wanting to board a plane are there for business or personal matters, so if a flight is canceled, they get so frustrated since they either lose a lot of money or a personal life is at stake. Flight has been looked at as one of the fastest means of transportation so any time it gets disrupted for whatever reasons, it can affect a person's mood.