COME FLY WITH ME

One would think that today with the economic struggles of the world and now with the Swine Flu "panddemic" that everyone would be on their good behaviour to keep the pulic happy purchasing their products and traveling on their planes (especially with Mr Biden's advice not to).

Unfortunately....this is not the case.


Flying to Ecuador from our area of Florida there are several choices (another reason to be nice to people). You can fly from Orlando to Miami and then Quito, the captiol. Or you can fly from Jacksonville or Daytona to Atlanta and then on to Ecuador directly. There are choices of several airlines.

We chose the Daytona route as the airport is wonderful and small and friendly and everything is easy to accomplish. Also because the airline where I have the most miles flies out of Daytona Beach Airport. It also helps that I am a member of their elite flyer club so that gives mee an occasional upgrade to the front of the plane. When I checked in on line I had gotten my upgrade. I looked at the seat map and at 11PM the night before we left there were 7 empty seats up front.
So I called Delta and askeed if they would also upgrade my husband given that we were a few hours from departure. The agent promptly informed me that I would have to ask at the airport.

So after our flight to Atlanta from Daytona....I asked the agent in the Crown Room who promptly told me to ask at the gate. The agent at the gate said "NO"....no reason given. I boarded and took my seat in business and Larry in the back in Coach. There were still 7 empty seats! I asked the lead flight attendant and she said she would ask the captain "but I understand we are full" (the standard answer). When she came back she told me that the captain had said No.

When they closed the door there were several seats still available and in particular the one next to me. I begged...I cajolled.....I almost got down on my knees and pleaded....all to little avail.

Then I got mad....stating that being a Medallion Flyer meant that I spend a lot of money with the airline and why had they boarded people with "buddy passes" (standby passengers that are usually friends of Delta employees)and who now sat in some of those business class seats. However this Medallion almost "million miler" with their airline...a paying client... could not even have my husband sit next to me in a seat that was going to go empty.

She explained tha they didn't have a meal for him (so what...give him peanuts or a coach meal)..that they couldn't serve him drinks.....(he offered to pay for his drinks like they do in coach). All I wanted was him to enjoy the seat next to mine.

Then she closed the curtain between Coach and Business and we were off for Ecuador.

When the seat belt light went off....she came back to me and whispered that she was going to move him up as she agreed with me and didn't know why the airline had this policy. She apologized to us both and then asked us to remember that there were still nice employees with the Delta.

In the end...there was a meal for him and drinks and we arrived in Ecuador ready for our adventure. But righ now there is a general hate for the airline industry among the traveling public. You have to pay for your bags...you have to pay for headsets....and you have to pay for your own meals. And best of all you have to deal with nasty crews who are threatened to follow the rules or be fired!

I can't blame the employees who just want to keep their jobs....but when are the pencil pushers who run the airlines going to remember that it is we the people who are the reason that they have jobs. It is the paying passengers who make it possible for the employees and retirees of the airlines to have 10 Buddy Passes per year to give to their friends...free of charge. Please rememer Delta and all you other airline management people that it is the paying passengers that make all of this possible for you.

So give us a break and some slack and when there are empty seats up front ....let someone sit there. Give a free drink if we have to sit on the runway too long. Lets get back to the times when traveling was fun. Come Fly wih me an enjoy it.....don't make me hate you