Air travel is not so great any longer

I really love to fly. One of my fondest memories is flying with my dad in his aerobat – the plane was about the size of my little Pinto car with wings.

Once, while flying over the Pocono Mountains in Pennsylvania, he let me take the controls. I felt like I was in heaven! He also did some loops, which was just thrilling. Knowing my dad, I’m sure none of this was FAA approved. He died of cancer shortly after that. My love affair with flying has continued, but alas, only on commercial airliners.

I recently flew to New Hampshire for a meeting for the publishing company I work for as a national publicist. The company publishes mind, body and soul books and DVDs.

I left the morning of May 2. You may recall the straight-line storms of the night before, which caused a lot of damage to trees, homes and businesses. My flight was set for 11 a.m., but my husband left me at the airport at 8 a.m. because he had to take a conference call at 9 a.m. So I had a few hours to kill at KCI, which was OK, because I was the flying the airline where you “can sit anywhere.” Ha! 

As instructed when I purchased my ticket online, I could check in online and select my priority code – A, B, C – and rank in line, 1-60. This is OK, because you don’t have to stand in line according to your code and number. You can sit, relax and use the restrooms without fear of losing your standing-in-line number for boarding.

Well, this would be very nice, but my computer and their Web site weren’t talking. You have to check in exactly 24 hours before in order to get into the A group, which really allows you to “sit anywhere.”

I called customer service and waited less than two minutes for a real, live person, but she wasn’t able to help me. She said not to worry, if I got to the airport at least 45 minutes before the flight, I could still get into the A group. They always hold back some of the codes for airport check-in. OK, I said, I can do that, knowing I would have lots of time before my flight.

I used the curbside check in. The attendant checked my bags and gave me my boarding pass, which put me into the B group. I asked if any A group were available. He said it is random numbering and that’s what I got, B 13, to Chicago and B 43 to Manchester.

No A seating. Not quite what customer service led me to believe, so I guess I wasn’t going to get to “sit anywhere.” I really hate to sit in the back of the plane; it makes me nauseated. If I could sit anywhere, I think I would like to sit in the cockpit, where the action takes place.

I have learned to go “light” and pack everything else into my check-in baggage. I guess I don’t look much like a terrorist, because I wasn’t randomly pulled aside for an extra inspection. This has happened to me before. I guess the days of just getting on the plane are long gone.

Due to the storm, the flight was delayed for more than an hour. The airline kept updating us about the storm hitting Chicago and moving east. I was glad they didn’t board us and keep us on the runway for that time period. The lunch kiosk did a brisk business, and I was lucky to get the last yogurt with granola. 

Finally, we were able to go stand in line, according to letter and number. I was pleasantly surprised to find a window seat behind the wing – not quite “sit anywhere” but not too bad either. My flight from Chicago got me an aisle seat, but in the back of the plane. Luckily, I wasn’t nauseated. Both flights were a little bumpy, but nothing to write about.

All in all, the airplane “where you can sit anywhere” had smiling, courteous attendants and, most of all, safe landings.

After my business meeting, I will stay until Mother’s Day and visit with my family. It will be wonderful to be with my sons and their wives and especially with my grandson, Alex, age 11, who is the “prince.”