I disagree with those who approve of or commend AA (and its cop-wannabe flight attendant):while it's true, today, that commercial flying is every kind of bad it can be (people getting trashed-drunk on board;people who've ignored personal cleanliness and hygiene for days, if not weeks; squalling, yowling kids; storage-bin hogs), we have way more than our share of cops roaming the country, more often than not being arbitrary at minimum, and more often, simply abusive and racist. "Flight attendants" have now become tubularized cops. Then, as with ground-based cops, the question becomes: who sets the standards ("offensive" is kind of elastic and essentially meaningless)? Are they definitively published, somewhere? Is what's offensive to a Idaho-based flight attendant "offensive" to someone who flies out of Queens or The Bronx? Does some cockpit-enthralled "flight attendant" have any answerability? And, can she/he (?) decide that, even though the element of "offensiveness" was removed or

(Written on 08/07/2020)(Permalink)

I don't think it's so much about "loving your neighbor" (Mr. Lampman, below) as it is about being just basically, simply smart: Americans these days, as a group, are (1) know-it-alls, (b) smarter than science, they think (but in reality, way, way dumber) and (c) confrontational and mean-spirited, just for the hell of it. How else could a country have a boor/boob for a president?

(Written on 07/31/2020)(Permalink)

Let me make sure I understand: I walk in to a high-end car shop (shoppe?), put down $150,000.00, in cash, for a Bentley (used, of course); and arrange to return the following day after it's been "detailed" (whatever the hell that means) to pick it up. Next day, the oily and unctuous and scammy car salesman says:" I'm so, so sorry, but we had a break-in/fire/earthquake/invasion by Mongols last night, and your car was stolen." "Damn!," says I. "I really wanted the car. Well, what the hell. Then, just go ahead and return my money. Says the Bernie Madoff of the car world:"Nope. Can't. Won't. We've already booked it is profit, and we can't afford to bring our numbers down. Our bank'll pull our line of credit." Is there any industry more scammy and grabby and cheaty than BigAir, these days?

(Written on 04/10/2020)(Permalink)

The majors - - all of them - - who're now looking for handouts are the same who (a) did more, as a class/group, to spread the virus around the globe to begin with, (b) won't ever, ever miss an opportunity to gouge passengers down to the last nickel and penny, from peanuts to "preferred seating" (c) encourage their crew, both flight- and cabin, to be more and more aggressive cop wannabes, and (d) make up their own (un-regulated) rules as they go along with an eye toward stealing, and keeping, more and more passengers' money, as often as they can. Help them? Let them ask for it in a Chapter 11 Petition - - and tell them, in court: "No. Not a chance."

(Written on 03/20/2020)(Permalink)

Taking gaminess and scamminess and attention-getting to new highs (or, lows), the woman, who calls herself "Ventiko," and says she's a "performance artist" (whatever that is, these days) claimed that she needed the peacock for "emotional support," huh? What she really needs is psychotherapy and reality-training: a peacock (messy; really, really noisy)can no more give "emotional support" to anything or anybody (except maybe other peacocks)than a 172 can give anyone a 1st-class travel experience across the Atlantic. It's a damn bird! Why do you think there's a derogatory connotation to the word(s), "bird-brain?" In this case, it's clearly a matter of another usually-critical saying or adage: "Birds of a feather . . ." F*****g airhead!

(Written on 02/02/2018)(Permalink)

You don't belong here: (1) this is a place for aviators, aviation enthusiasts, and industry personnel, all of whom share a common interest. Obviously, you're not one. (2) This is a place where people with aviation-specific knowledge exchange ideas and at times offer (helpful) suggestions or observations. You are just so, so not one of them. (3)This is not a place for mean-spirited people with political agendas to inject their biases and neuroses into an otherwise sane and moderate conversation. Those people belong at pig troughs or at gang-banging hangouts. Go (back) to where you belong.

(Written on 09/05/2014)(Permalink)

Get off the air, dork!

(Written on 09/06/2013)(Permalink)

Only? Not something closer to terminal?

(Written on 02/08/2013)(Permalink)

Dork.

(Written on 12/14/2012)(Permalink)

Boeing can do all of the modifications,retros, and re-dos it wants (and, good for them, I suppose), but it's not going to keep Big Air (and its little-brother- and -cousin-wannabes)from gouging and sucking dry the people who, for whatever the reason, have to fly with/on them, whether frequently (for business) or at will, for fun/pleasure. A hundred bucks to put a bag in a bin? Screw 'em. Boycott 'em. Form pools and buy (private) airplanes, if you can.

(Written on 05/04/2012)(Permalink)