Well, I knew Southwest came first, but I was not sure whether Southwest's success was the reason, or whether JetBlue's success. I believe Southwest has been around a long time, and it seemed like these low-cost carriers started springing up very soon after JetBlue. Perhaps JetBlue was just the first copycat to market.
Learn to read! I check my bag every time. I have never missed a flight. My bag always appears at the baggage claim. I have never once delayed a plane. I fly about 6 times a year. Considering my bag has never been removed from a plane, I think the labor costs associated with my activities are rather low.
What airline? Anything odd about your bag at all? Was this RECENT? Maybe things were bad a few years back?
90% of the time I fly out of EWR, "the fifth busiest international gateway." The other 10% I fly out of JFK, which is #12 worldwide for passenger volume. The only thing worth mentioning is that I generally fly to small airports (RSW, MSY, PDX), but I've flown to LAX, ATL, and through SFO. I don't get it -- I'm not a lucky person.
I have never delayed a plane once, and I board at last call every time. The fact that other, apparently including yourself, are not smart enough to handle this is really not my problem. Enjoy standing around an airport -- I'll enjoy my extra time at home.
My current laptop case fits under my seat actually. It's very uncomfortable to sit with something blocking some of the extremely small underseat area if you're 6'0" tall.
The other problem is that's generally not the only thing I have with me. I may also have a coat (I keep forgetting to check that -- next time it's going in my luggage unless it won't fit; anyone have any ideas how to most easily check something without a bag, should it not fit in my bag). Sometimes I have a bag of stuff I bought in the airport -- a couple of mugs or a newspaper and a couple of books or something. All a reasonable amount of stuff, smaller than one "standard" sized carry-on as none of it is rigid. I still don't want to cram it all into my seat with me. Flying is crammed enough.
I forgot that we have an asinine beverage ban now.:)
I sorta do too. Look how long we got on without it. The world may be "different" now, but I think if we could just learn to get along with foreign countries, maybe we could return to normal.
I think the better question is "why is this happening to everyone else and not to me?" Is it that I started flying regularly after everyone else stopped checking their baggage? Do I have better quality luggage? I literally have never had a problem in the history of my flying (other than Newark and JFK's interminable baggage claim wait). The closest it came is luggage that went to the QOS office (I don't know that the hell that stands for either) inexplicably. Never lost, never damaged.
Am I the only person flying consistently (once every two months, generally) who has never had a bag lost? I've only taken maybe 5 flights ever that connected, so that may be part of it, but honestly, where is the damn bag going to go on a one-leg flight? Is the very low chance of that happening worth the inconvenience to yourself (having to lug that shit around when someone could be doing it for you, for free) and to others (boxing someone out of space on the plane for an ACTUAL carryon)?
Agreed! This keeps me from getting fucked three times by people who bring too much shit on the plane (first they can't get their bag up there in a timely fashion, then there is no room in the overhead for my small carry-on items, then they take forever to get off the damn plane).
The problem I have with this idea (I realize you're being funny, but let's take it seriously for a moment) is that it really just moves the seating delay to the concourse instead of the plane, doesn't it?
How does it hurt if families board together? Isn't it a problem if people board out of order? If family members are seated together in the same row, it seems it should have no effect if they allow it (though I suppose a family of 4 with 3 on one side and one in the aisle seat on the other could be a problem).
Know what delays me? Finding there's no space for something as small as my jacket or my laptop bag anyplace near my seat because everyone around me brought a suitcase full of shit they aren't going to need until that evening onto the plane. Why? Because they're too important to wait for their checked luggage to arrive. I've had cases where there were 20 people ahead of me in a jetway line to board a 757 and they started checking things like laptop cases and backpacks. That's right, no room on the plane for shit that I wanted to actually USE while on board so that a lot of other people could carry everything they own on board. I think a lot of this comes from the whole "that's what any seasoned traveller/person in the know/anyone who's anyone does" mentality, all started by some loudmouth who tells everyone they know to do this. Drives me up the wall, and I take the train for distances under about 1500 miles.
I was actually HAPPY about the liquids ban; retarded as it is, it means I'll be able to bring a book on board without having it gate-checked.
I am intentionally the "late guy" in most cases, though not late enough to delay the plane. I live 15 mins by bus from EWR. I shoot for arriving at the airport about 10-15 mins tops before the boarding time (which is the latest you can get baggage onto the plane, or 30 mins, whichever is larger -- if I'm not mistaken). I then stroll over to a breakfast/lunch/whatever place and order myself something to eat on the plane (since the airline no longer is willing to). I generally board next to last, at around the final call, no matter what row I'm in. I walk to the plane, put my carry-on (a real carry-on, not my exactly-as-large-as-possible-luggage) into the overhead and sit, without standing around in a jetway line like an asshole.
Why? I don't like having my time wasted. I don't go for this 2 hours before your flight bullshit. For online ticketing bag drop, the ticketing line flies. The security at that airport is not that bad if you are flying at off times (which I always am). I can generally get from my apartment to past security in 30 mins. There is a lot of officious bullshit inserted into the flying process by the TSA and the airlines, etc., and I personally am not playing along. As a side note, I bet the reason there are so many odd delays at airlines is that there is rhyme or reason to when people arrive at the airport. Generally the people who are in front of me in the security line when I'm taking 7:00a flights are people with flights that depart after 8:30a. I think if they said "sorry, no getting through security before X time" and put all of the retail inside the regular terminal, we'd be doing a lot better. Another side note: my girlfriend recently returned from a trip to Europe, and I forget what country this was in but she said that there was security at the gate in one of the airports. I thought that was interesting.
I'm pretty sure they are NOT the only profitable airline.
I'm also never flying an airline where I don't pick my seat; I'm going to be in that seat without the ability to move for hours -- no thanks on the cattle call.
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Well, I knew Southwest came first, but I was not sure whether Southwest's success was the reason, or whether JetBlue's success. I believe Southwest has been around a long time, and it seemed like these low-cost carriers started springing up very soon after JetBlue. Perhaps JetBlue was just the first copycat to market.
Learn to read! I check my bag every time. I have never missed a flight. My bag always appears at the baggage claim. I have never once delayed a plane. I fly about 6 times a year. Considering my bag has never been removed from a plane, I think the labor costs associated with my activities are rather low.
What airline? Anything odd about your bag at all? Was this RECENT? Maybe things were bad a few years back?
90% of the time I fly out of EWR, "the fifth busiest international gateway." The other 10% I fly out of JFK, which is #12 worldwide for passenger volume. The only thing worth mentioning is that I generally fly to small airports (RSW, MSY, PDX), but I've flown to LAX, ATL, and through SFO. I don't get it -- I'm not a lucky person.
I have never delayed a plane once, and I board at last call every time. The fact that other, apparently including yourself, are not smart enough to handle this is really not my problem. Enjoy standing around an airport -- I'll enjoy my extra time at home.
My current laptop case fits under my seat actually. It's very uncomfortable to sit with something blocking some of the extremely small underseat area if you're 6'0" tall.
The other problem is that's generally not the only thing I have with me. I may also have a coat (I keep forgetting to check that -- next time it's going in my luggage unless it won't fit; anyone have any ideas how to most easily check something without a bag, should it not fit in my bag). Sometimes I have a bag of stuff I bought in the airport -- a couple of mugs or a newspaper and a couple of books or something. All a reasonable amount of stuff, smaller than one "standard" sized carry-on as none of it is rigid. I still don't want to cram it all into my seat with me. Flying is crammed enough.
Guilty until proven innocent. Dead until proven living. A little backwards these days, aren't we?
I forgot that we have an asinine beverage ban now. :)
I sorta do too. Look how long we got on without it. The world may be "different" now, but I think if we could just learn to get along with foreign countries, maybe we could return to normal.
I think the better question is "why is this happening to everyone else and not to me?" Is it that I started flying regularly after everyone else stopped checking their baggage? Do I have better quality luggage? I literally have never had a problem in the history of my flying (other than Newark and JFK's interminable baggage claim wait). The closest it came is luggage that went to the QOS office (I don't know that the hell that stands for either) inexplicably. Never lost, never damaged.
Who am I delaying by getting on the plane last, 10 mins before they close the door, and sitting in my seat without standing in line?
Now I kinda thought that happened to copy JetBlue's success, not Southwest (though I suppose the former could have been copying Southwest).
Why would anyone want to obscure the truth? That'd be un-American... wait, nevermind. :-\
First come, first served. There. That's actually English. :)
Am I the only person flying consistently (once every two months, generally) who has never had a bag lost? I've only taken maybe 5 flights ever that connected, so that may be part of it, but honestly, where is the damn bag going to go on a one-leg flight? Is the very low chance of that happening worth the inconvenience to yourself (having to lug that shit around when someone could be doing it for you, for free) and to others (boxing someone out of space on the plane for an ACTUAL carryon)?
Agreed! This keeps me from getting fucked three times by people who bring too much shit on the plane (first they can't get their bag up there in a timely fashion, then there is no room in the overhead for my small carry-on items, then they take forever to get off the damn plane).
I think it is. At least first class is not in your way.
The problem I have with this idea (I realize you're being funny, but let's take it seriously for a moment) is that it really just moves the seating delay to the concourse instead of the plane, doesn't it?
How does it hurt if families board together? Isn't it a problem if people board out of order? If family members are seated together in the same row, it seems it should have no effect if they allow it (though I suppose a family of 4 with 3 on one side and one in the aisle seat on the other could be a problem).
Not the case on the 737, most popular jet ever sold, is part of the problem.
Same here.
Know what delays me? Finding there's no space for something as small as my jacket or my laptop bag anyplace near my seat because everyone around me brought a suitcase full of shit they aren't going to need until that evening onto the plane. Why? Because they're too important to wait for their checked luggage to arrive. I've had cases where there were 20 people ahead of me in a jetway line to board a 757 and they started checking things like laptop cases and backpacks. That's right, no room on the plane for shit that I wanted to actually USE while on board so that a lot of other people could carry everything they own on board. I think a lot of this comes from the whole "that's what any seasoned traveller/person in the know/anyone who's anyone does" mentality, all started by some loudmouth who tells everyone they know to do this. Drives me up the wall, and I take the train for distances under about 1500 miles.
I was actually HAPPY about the liquids ban; retarded as it is, it means I'll be able to bring a book on board without having it gate-checked.
Why should I sit around in the airport when I could be at home sleeping for the extra half hour?
Check your bag please so that I can put my laptop or my coat in an overhead bin, please? KThnx.
I'm pretty sure that's me, not him.
I am intentionally the "late guy" in most cases, though not late enough to delay the plane. I live 15 mins by bus from EWR. I shoot for arriving at the airport about 10-15 mins tops before the boarding time (which is the latest you can get baggage onto the plane, or 30 mins, whichever is larger -- if I'm not mistaken). I then stroll over to a breakfast/lunch/whatever place and order myself something to eat on the plane (since the airline no longer is willing to). I generally board next to last, at around the final call, no matter what row I'm in. I walk to the plane, put my carry-on (a real carry-on, not my exactly-as-large-as-possible-luggage) into the overhead and sit, without standing around in a jetway line like an asshole.
Why? I don't like having my time wasted. I don't go for this 2 hours before your flight bullshit. For online ticketing bag drop, the ticketing line flies. The security at that airport is not that bad if you are flying at off times (which I always am). I can generally get from my apartment to past security in 30 mins. There is a lot of officious bullshit inserted into the flying process by the TSA and the airlines, etc., and I personally am not playing along. As a side note, I bet the reason there are so many odd delays at airlines is that there is rhyme or reason to when people arrive at the airport. Generally the people who are in front of me in the security line when I'm taking 7:00a flights are people with flights that depart after 8:30a. I think if they said "sorry, no getting through security before X time" and put all of the retail inside the regular terminal, we'd be doing a lot better. Another side note: my girlfriend recently returned from a trip to Europe, and I forget what country this was in but she said that there was security at the gate in one of the airports. I thought that was interesting.
I'm pretty sure they are NOT the only profitable airline.
I'm also never flying an airline where I don't pick my seat; I'm going to be in that seat without the ability to move for hours -- no thanks on the cattle call.
Yeah, RFTA/WTFV, Jackson.