Vacation From Hell?

**AmateurEmale** · August 31st, 2017, 08:02 PM

I recently traveled with my parents, who are in their 60s, to the West Coast for my father's military reunion. It was a chance for me to talk with veterans of the U.S. Army about everything military-related, even though I never served.

However, on the way back from Seattle, we missed a flight in Dallas-Fort Worth that was basically humanly impossible for us to reach in time. They gave us a connection of three minutes, when we were originally told that we were going to have a layover of at least two hours to get aboard the next plane for our hometown.

Long story short, the three of us (my parents and I) spent the night without any sleep and any necessary medications at the vastly overrated Dumbass-Fort Worthless airport. They were supposed to be a brand-new, state-of-the-art airport, but its floorplan is a monstrosity from the inside, and it is not even 24/7 operations! Its only saving graces were a Starbucks, a McDonalds, and (finally) assistance to one of my parents who has early Parkinson's. We survived and made it to Cincinnati at noon the next day, but it was an awful experience. As the hard rock band Nevada Beach once sang, "What are you trying to do, ruin my vacation?!"

So has anyone else out there had a godawful experience with air travel? Or did you go on a vacation only to find that the destination(s) were not that great?

I'm sure we've all had these things happen, so this could become a big thread.

**cginok** · August 31st, 2017, 08:32 PM

I know all major large city airports are big, but DFW, as airports go, is friggin' huge. IIRC, it's something like a mile, or maybe it's 5 miles, can't remember, from one end of the terminal to the other end. I know it's some unreal distance. From where I live, all flights going anywhere of any consequence, go through DFW. Some of the schedules I've seen have an unrealistic view of how long you're given to make your connecting flight. Either you sit and wait for 6 hours, or you run like hell to the other end of the terminal.

**Sir Honkers** · August 31st, 2017, 09:53 PM

One...perhaps the only benefit to being 65 is you have more disposable income. These days when we travel, my better half and I go business class and avail ourselves of VIP lounges at the airports. The last four overseas trips we've had have been issue free. Hopefully crowded departure lounges and sardine can flights are things of the past.

**charliels531** · August 31st, 2017, 10:09 PM

On the other hand, being over 65 we can remember a time when airlines were regulated. Since 1981 (Oh, thank you Ronald Reagan!) seats have gotten on average 5 inches narrower and seats are 6 inches closer together. The coach seats used to be the size that first class seats are now.

**risen** · August 31st, 2017, 10:34 PM

Which is why our regular trips to the Channel Islands are now on the slow ferry, with a cabin on the overnight return trip. The seat pitch on Aurigny and FlyMayBe is such that at 6' 4" I find a 60 minute flight excruciating. We use the extra nearly 65 years old disposable income that way as such short flights have no First or Business option. Last really bad flight experience I had was 2006 out of Queenstown NZ to Sydney which ended up Queenstown / Christchurch / Auckland / Sydney with a 6 hour hotel room in Auckland at Air NZ expense. Back in 1976 I took a flight from Bushehr to Shiraz on a 727 that had passengers standing in the aisle.

**Roubignol** · August 31st, 2017, 10:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AmateurEmale

Or did you go on a vacation only to find that the destination(s) were not that great?

Why 99% of the people are glad to come back home?
Because destinations are rarely that great.

I remember having met an American guy who was doing his world tour.
He was away since 6 monthes and projected to finish the rest of his travel during the next 6 monthes.

I was with a friend and he told us: "Finally, a church is a church, a museum is a museum, a restaurant is a restaurant, etc...."

**tamsmith** · August 31st, 2017, 10:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by xyzde69

Why 99% of the people are glad to come back home?
Because destinations are rarely that great.

I remember having met an American guy who was doing his world tour.
He was away since 6 monthes and projected to finish the rest of his travel during the next 6 monthes.

I was with a friend and he told us: "Finally, a church is a church, a museum is a museum, a restaurant is a restaurant, etc...."

14 days is about the limit. After that you are just doing the same thing as you do at home. Becoming bored. And paying a fortune for it.

**Roubignol** · August 31st, 2017, 11:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tamsmith

14 days is about the limit. After that you are just doing the same thing as you do at home. Becoming bored. And paying a fortune for it.

Yep... and even 14 days.

I prefer to spend my money to make one or two good fiestas at home with good friends instead to spend it in a travel that do not "kick my ass".

Travelling is quite expensive and if you pay attention, "cheap" travels are qualitatively speaking, the most expensive ones.

You often get more satisfaction to spend 500£ at home as to spend the same amount of money in a week in Spain or Portugal. (Nothing against these countries, if I was Spanish citizen, I'd say in Paris or London)

**cginok** · September 1st, 2017, 01:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by charliels531

On the other hand, being over 65 we can remember a time when airlines were regulated. Since 1981 (Oh, thank you Ronald Reagan!) seats have gotten on average 5 inches narrower and seats are 6 inches closer together. The coach seats used to be the size that first class seats are now.

It's not Reagan's fault that Americans asses are twice as big as they used to be.

**diamelsx** · September 1st, 2017, 09:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by charliels531

On the other hand, being over 65 we can remember a time when airlines were regulated. Since 1981 (Oh, thank you Ronald Reagan!) seats have gotten on average 5 inches narrower and seats are 6 inches closer together. The coach seats used to be the size that first class seats are now.

Actually it was the peanut farmer who is responsible for that

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wikipedia

The Airline Deregulation Act is a 1978 United States federal law that deregulated the airline industry in the United States, removing U.S. Federal Government control over such areas as fares, routes and market entry of new airlines, introducing a free market in the commercial airline industry and leading to a great increase in the number of flights, a decrease in fares, and an increase in the number of passengers and miles flown. The Civil Aeronautics Board's powers of regulation were phased out, but the Act did not diminish the regulatory powers of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) over all aspects of aviation safety.

source

Quote:

Originally Posted by cginok

It's not Reagan's fault that Americans asses are twice as big as they used to be.

You mean taking the teeth out the FDA thus letting the food industry have free reign did not have a hand in it?

August 31st, 2017, 08:02 PM	#1
AmateurEmale Vintage Member Join Date: Apr 2012 Location: The 513 Posts: 1,825 Thanks: 16,644 Thanked 15,795 Times in 1,755 Posts	Vacation From Hell? I recently traveled with my parents, who are in their 60s, to the West Coast for my father's military reunion. It was a chance for me to talk with veterans of the U.S. Army about everything military-related, even though I never served. However, on the way back from Seattle, we missed a flight in Dallas-Fort Worth that was basically humanly impossible for us to reach in time. They gave us a connection of three minutes, when we were originally told that we were going to have a layover of at least two hours to get aboard the next plane for our hometown. Long story short, the three of us (my parents and I) spent the night without any sleep and any necessary medications at the vastly overrated Dumbass-Fort Worthless airport. They were supposed to be a brand-new, state-of-the-art airport, but its floorplan is a monstrosity from the inside, and it is not even 24/7 operations! Its only saving graces were a Starbucks, a McDonalds, and (finally) assistance to one of my parents who has early Parkinson's. We survived and made it to Cincinnati at noon the next day, but it was an awful experience. As the hard rock band Nevada Beach once sang, "What are you trying to do, ruin my vacation?!" So has anyone else out there had a godawful experience with air travel? Or did you go on a vacation only to find that the destination(s) were not that great? I'm sure we've all had these things happen, so this could become a big thread. Last edited by AmateurEmale; September 1st, 2017 at 05:10 PM.. Reason: typo

August 31st, 2017, 10:34 PM	#5
risen Veteran Member Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Stuck in the middle Posts: 1,100 Thanks: 68,798 Thanked 15,539 Times in 1,092 Posts	Which is why our regular trips to the Channel Islands are now on the slow ferry, with a cabin on the overnight return trip. The seat pitch on Aurigny and FlyMayBe is such that at 6' 4" I find a 60 minute flight excruciating. We use the extra nearly 65 years old disposable income that way as such short flights have no First or Business option. Last really bad flight experience I had was 2006 out of Queenstown NZ to Sydney which ended up Queenstown / Christchurch / Auckland / Sydney with a 6 hour hotel room in Auckland at Air NZ expense. Back in 1976 I took a flight from Bushehr to Shiraz on a 727 that had passengers standing in the aisle. Last edited by risen; September 1st, 2017 at 05:09 PM..

August 31st, 2017, 08:32 PM	#2
cginok Vintage Member Join Date: Jul 2010 Posts: 603 Thanks: 61 Thanked 5,414 Times in 594 Posts	I know all major large city airports are big, but DFW, as airports go, is friggin' huge. IIRC, it's something like a mile, or maybe it's 5 miles, can't remember, from one end of the terminal to the other end. I know it's some unreal distance. From where I live, all flights going anywhere of any consequence, go through DFW. Some of the schedules I've seen have an unrealistic view of how long you're given to make your connecting flight. Either you sit and wait for 6 hours, or you run like hell to the other end of the terminal.

August 31st, 2017, 09:53 PM	#3
Sir Honkers Veteran Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Land Of Glorious Leader Posts: 30,367 Thanks: 287,009 Thanked 386,495 Times in 30,323 Posts	One...perhaps the only benefit to being 65 is you have more disposable income. These days when we travel, my better half and I go business class and avail ourselves of VIP lounges at the airports. The last four overseas trips we've had have been issue free. Hopefully crowded departure lounges and sardine can flights are things of the past.

August 31st, 2017, 10:09 PM	#4
charliels531 Vintage Member Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Seattle Posts: 4,909 Thanks: 42,425 Thanked 62,694 Times in 4,879 Posts	On the other hand, being over 65 we can remember a time when airlines were regulated. Since 1981 (Oh, thank you Ronald Reagan!) seats have gotten on average 5 inches narrower and seats are 6 inches closer together. The coach seats used to be the size that first class seats are now.