Thoughts On Air Travel

So my wife and I recently took a trip to Michigan to visit our Grand kids. I thought I would notate a few observations regarding air travel.

My first observation has to do with luggage. It is absolutely amazing to me to see how many people carry on these huge bags that can barely be stuffed in the overhead compartments. I understand, in my flight's case, saving the $15.00 fee for a piece of luggage and how that would motivate someone to move there house in a carry on. I guess it's another case of how things these days are "all about me" in so many people's view. So I would expect with these multitude of overstuffed bags being herded on the plane that my wife and I would be alone at the luggage pick-up carousel. I would expect it, but I would be wrong. There are as many people as ever jockeying for position to be the very first to grab their luggage as it careens off the conveyor belt. If these mammothed sized bags being rolled into the cabin weren't large enough the one's coming off the carousel could be a 2 or 3 bedroom apartment. So people and their luggage habits puzzle me a bit.

About that guy who always shows up just as the door hatch is to be locked; they always seem to look the same and act as if the plane had no business leaving without them. The other interesting thing is they have the largest carry on of anyone which always is a hassle as the luggage compartments in the overhead bins already have no vacancy and the next challenge is to make a 3x3 ft piece of luggage fill a 2x2 ft space. I just know someones potato chips are now just fragments of their original selves.

Why is the flight attendant that gives the mundane safety lecture, that no one listens to and obviously tries to ignore, the only one that can not speak something that closely resembles English? I thought I was being retroed back to a famous Cheech & Chong skit at a fast food drive thru. God help us if we ever had an actual in-flight emergency. And what is it about these oxygen masks that look like a plastic specimen cup with a rubber band threaded through? Does anyone actually believe that this device really even works at all with the exception of being perhaps an effective sling shot? It has always concerned me that what looks like the cheapest piece of junk on the plane is what could keep me alive should a sudden decompressive event befall me. Let's not even discuss how the seat would be my floatation device!

I remember when I was young(er) how airports were such an exciting place to visit. You could walk all the way to the gate with your party and see them off and watch their plane disappear. That was a very exciting thing for a kid. It's now a distant memory. These days you stop at the curb and hastily push off your flying friend or relative with a very abrupt goodbye so as to not be towed away to oblivion.

One thing about the Detroit Metro Airport; if you have any question as to whether or not to ride the tram....do it! Any airport that offers a tram....do it! I'm sure I'll have more thoughts about my trip but as for now I need to rest my weary self.