Monday, February 23, 2009

Lucky to have the time...


I am fortunate to have the time to essentially "recover" from the torture of being shoved into a metal cigar holder with 171 other 'cigars' being shipped across the country. One of them coughed for five hours next to me and it's forcing me to use all my Reiki skills to realign my cells so that I don't let those germs attach to me.

Does anyone remember when you could get a full course meal in the air between Los Angeles and New York and it was truly palatable? Above you will see a re-creation of a Chicken Salad with celery and toasted almonds over a bed of lettuce with fresh apple slices that PanAm (formerly Pan American Airways) once offered. And what amazes me is that while we now have microwave technology, the now defunct Northeast Airlines, Eastern Airlines and Trans-World Airlines (TWA) provided fresh (!!) coffee, brewed on board. Those were the days when the airlines really tried to sell the populace on the benefits of flying. Like the drug dealers of today, once they got people hooked, they cut the quality of what they delivered.

People still think that the airlines today 'should' provide better service to their patrons. I listened to complaints while we waited to board. People: wake up! You are freight! You are paying to be shipped and if you pay more, you get a wider compartment for better comfort for your butt, but you are still subject to the same delays, B*S and quality of food (if it can be called that) as the peons in the back. Ever notice the 'manifest' for the trip? It's basically a list of the freight 'items' being transported. No different than if you were a UPS or FedEx package. You have a number, you have a place on the plane, you are strapped into place and kept track of from the time you arrive at the airport until you reach the destination. You are a commercial entity, NOT an individual and so expecting to be treated as more than baggage is part of the continuing frustration for everyone. Accept it... you are not really a living breathing man or woman in the commercial world.

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