usvi-on-line
AA to charge $15 for overweight/oversize carryon bags
I have that electronic luggage scale and that thing rocks. It is dead on accurate everytime and saves surprises at the airport-- now more critical than ever.
As for POUSes (people of unusual size) -- I'm one of them. 5'10", big boned and plus size, but I still fit in my seat with the armrest down. I make the effort to sit in the aisle and not take up someone elses space. I upgrade to first whenever possible.
But the fact of the matter is, even though we may be larger the seats ARE SMALLER and unless your are 5'6" and weigh under 150lbs an airline seat is not comfortable. Even a skinny guy over 6' is uncomfortable. The average seat size is 17" -- that's the length of your keyboard, kids.
They did it to squeeze as many seats on the plane as possible, screw comfort, screw leg room, screw passengers. They did it to make a buck not to make you and I comfortable -- at any size.
The other thing that irks me (and believe me I get the user fee argument on the luggage) is that our tax dollars bailed these bastards out of bankruptcy after 9/11.
The only reason United and American are still flying is becasue you and I paid out big bucks even though their security standards would have allowed me to take a bazooka on board at the time while some "security" person talked on their cell phone and did their nails.
I'm tired of the nickel and diming-- ALWAYS at my expense. And mark my words every one of those CEO's are going to get MONSTER bonuses at the end of the year.
Welcome to hell boys, come on in the water is warm.
*end rant*
As for POUSes (people of unusual size) -- I'm one of them. 5'10", big boned and plus size, but I still fit in my seat with the armrest down. I make the effort to sit in the aisle and not take up someone elses space. I upgrade to first whenever possible.
But the fact of the matter is, even though we may be larger the seats ARE SMALLER and unless your are 5'6" and weigh under 150lbs an airline seat is not comfortable. Even a skinny guy over 6' is uncomfortable. The average seat size is 17" -- that's the length of your keyboard, kids.
They did it to squeeze as many seats on the plane as possible, screw comfort, screw leg room, screw passengers. They did it to make a buck not to make you and I comfortable -- at any size.
The other thing that irks me (and believe me I get the user fee argument on the luggage) is that our tax dollars bailed these bastards out of bankruptcy after 9/11.
The only reason United and American are still flying is becasue you and I paid out big bucks even though their security standards would have allowed me to take a bazooka on board at the time while some "security" person talked on their cell phone and did their nails.
I'm tired of the nickel and diming-- ALWAYS at my expense. And mark my words every one of those CEO's are going to get MONSTER bonuses at the end of the year.
Welcome to hell boys, come on in the water is warm.
*end rant*
*Another fine scatterbrained production
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TropicAtHeart
- Posts: 180
- Joined: Mon Jul 30, 2007 11:37 am
- Location: Ohio
I agree! The seats are very small width. I'm 5' 11" 175lbs which is a normal size guy and the seats in coach were not really made to fit me comfortably. I do have room on both sides of my rear, but my back/shoulders don't really fit into the seat back. And, you're are correct about our tax dollars bailing out the airlines. Just another reason we all work about 5 months out of each year for the government in the form of taxes.Gromit wrote:But the fact of the matter is, even though we may be larger the seats ARE SMALLER and unless your are 5'6" and weigh under 150lbs an airline seat is not comfortable. Even a skinny guy over 6' is uncomfortable. The average seat size is 17" -- that's the length of your keyboard, kids.
They did it to squeeze as many seats on the plane as possible, screw comfort, screw leg room, screw passengers. They did it to make a buck not to make you and I comfortable -- at any size.
The other thing that irks me (and believe me I get the user fee argument on the luggage) is that our tax dollars bailed these bastards out of bankruptcy after 9/11.
The only reason United and American are still flying is becasue you and I paid out big bucks even though their security standards would have allowed me to take a bazooka on board at the time while some "security" person talked on their cell phone and did their nails.
I'm tired of the nickel and diming-- ALWAYS at my expense. And mark my words every one of those CEO's are going to get MONSTER bonuses at the end of the year.
*end rant*
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chicagoans
- Posts: 1586
- Joined: Thu Jan 18, 2007 2:51 pm
- Location: IL
Whew! Nothing gets a bunch of travel-lovers riled up like stupid airline tricks!
I'd be happy to pay for checked luggage IF THEY DIDN'T LOSE IT!!!
Here's another favorite of mine: they should stop tracking the "on time" record based on when a flight backs away from the gate! All those hours stuck on the tarmac, but your flight is "on time" because it backed away from the gate on time. Get real. If I considered my work projects to be on time just because I started them on time (but finished them really late), well I wouldn't have to worry about work projects much longer because I'd be fired.
I'd be happy to pay for checked luggage IF THEY DIDN'T LOSE IT!!!
Here's another favorite of mine: they should stop tracking the "on time" record based on when a flight backs away from the gate! All those hours stuck on the tarmac, but your flight is "on time" because it backed away from the gate on time. Get real. If I considered my work projects to be on time just because I started them on time (but finished them really late), well I wouldn't have to worry about work projects much longer because I'd be fired.
The Today Show travel editor, Peter Greenburg, quipped, "They used to lose my luggage for free. Why would I pay them for that?"chicagoans wrote:I'd be happy to pay for checked luggage IF THEY DIDN'T LOSE IT!!!
He advocates shipping your luggage by UPS or some other service and have it meet you there. It costs more than the airlines, but it is more likely to arrive at the destination. That's what a lot of us do with our villa managers, Connections or other means.JIM
Man it's like some dream we live down here....
Mrsb-- the stick figure guy made me pee my pants!
I have used services like LuggageForward for international travel in the past. There's a whole movement out there to travel "luggage free" and have your stuff shipped to your destination.
This service is great. But depending on where you go prices can vary greatly. We shipped two large bags to Florence Italy and it was costly but not ridiculous. Especially since we bought discount coach tix on Alitalia and would have paid nearly as much in extra baggage charges. So we could justify the cost.
This year we checked on prices going to Prague and for whatever reason the costs were VERY high and disproportionate to our last trip. We figured out that we could pay a bit more for biz class tix and get the extra baggage allowance for a bit less than it would cost to fly coach and ship bags.
These days it pays to look at the big picture.
I have used services like LuggageForward for international travel in the past. There's a whole movement out there to travel "luggage free" and have your stuff shipped to your destination.
This service is great. But depending on where you go prices can vary greatly. We shipped two large bags to Florence Italy and it was costly but not ridiculous. Especially since we bought discount coach tix on Alitalia and would have paid nearly as much in extra baggage charges. So we could justify the cost.
This year we checked on prices going to Prague and for whatever reason the costs were VERY high and disproportionate to our last trip. We figured out that we could pay a bit more for biz class tix and get the extra baggage allowance for a bit less than it would cost to fly coach and ship bags.
These days it pays to look at the big picture.
*Another fine scatterbrained production
I had briefly forgot that I could send stuff to Connections (or maybe my villa manager). With those flat-rate priority boxes, I'd bet it's cheaper than the extra luggage charge.
OK, I'm going to try this carry-on only nonsense again. I need a new rolly bag anyhow, so I'll just make sure to get one that meets Delta's standards. And I must make sure to get to Connections before they close!
OK, I'm going to try this carry-on only nonsense again. I need a new rolly bag anyhow, so I'll just make sure to get one that meets Delta's standards. And I must make sure to get to Connections before they close!
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greyhoundmom
- Posts: 978
- Joined: Mon Jul 30, 2007 3:06 pm
- Location: Columbia South Carolina
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Sweet Christine and I did knapsacks for years. But, sharing a single carryon rolling bag is easier to get around and it lets us carryon our snorkel bag as well.
We've never shipped things ahead. Buying sunscreen, bug spray, etc. at Chelsea Drugs works fine for us.
Cheers, RickG
We've never shipped things ahead. Buying sunscreen, bug spray, etc. at Chelsea Drugs works fine for us.
Cheers, RickG
S/V Echoes - Coral Bay - St. John, VI