Not-So-Friendly Skies

Above, my flight to Japan being readied at Los Angeles International Airport.   Photo by Armand Vaquer.

One of the biggest complaints travelers have these days are the way airlines are currently treating them.   Instead of bending over backwards in trying to provide excellent service to passengers, the airlines are seemingly treating passengers as cattle.

It was not too long ago that the airlines served meals on domestic flights.  They still do, but they are generally of the cold, brown-bag variety and, most importantly, passengers are charged extra for these meals.  It used to be that meals (hot ones at that) were served on flights and were included in the price of the flight ticket. Fortunately, airlines are still providing hot meals (included in the price of the ticket) on international flights.

With the hike in oil prices, the airlines are passing on the extra cost to passengers (along with taxes and other surcharges).  They are also charging for extra carry-on baggage.  Each airline has their own policy concerning extra carry-on baggage.   So check with the airline before purchasing your ticket.

A recent trend in air travel, one that endears them to the traveling public (that's sarcasm, by the way), is charging extra for traveling families wanting to sit together.  There's no guarantee that a family will be seated together.  Most airlines will try to accommodate a family trying to sit together without charging advance fees.  It is at the discretion of the airline as to whether a fee will be charged for seat locations or even specific seats on a plane (such as an aisle seat or window seat).  Again, check with the airline first before purchasing your ticket.

As flights from Los Angeles (LAX) to Tokyo's Narita Airport (NRT) is roughly eleven hours, I prefer an aisle seat so I can get up to use the restroom or just walk around (to prevent leg blood clots) without bothering anyone.  I also don't like middle or window seats on long flights for that "boxed in" feeling.  Aisle seats take care of that.

The best way to avoid those fee surcharge surprises is to shop around and familiarize yourself with each airline's policies.  Their websites should spell out those policies.

As in anything, airlines aren't created equal.  Some have better service than others.  Some have poorer records of losing luggage than others.  Some have better food.  Some still have better ticket prices than others.  Some have better on-time records than others.  It still pays to shop around.