Tag: airport

travel

Airport Havoc

Becca

Philadelphia (and also Newark it seems) airport have gone to the dogs– as in raining cats and dogs. Weather has caused a certain someone I was supossed to pick up at the airport at 6:30pm to be stuck at the Philly airport until 9pm, so that he will arrive at LAX at 2 :30AM. After waiting on the runway for SIX hours, the plane had to turn around and go back to the gate to refuel, adding a couple more hours onto the wait time.

 And this is after a 9 hour flight from Europe.

Airports and flying are becoming one of the most frustrating vortexes in the world. I used to love traveling– the excitement of the airport, the friendly staff, and even the food. These days, after you take off your shoes, throw away your waters and expensive face cream just to make it through security, and then cram into your tiny seat only to receive water on a cross-country flight, well, all the magic is pretty much gone.

Now, add to that ridiculous delays and the grummbling that airlines are cutting the amount of fuel in the planes, and the experience becomes as much fun as your last dentist appointment.

Something’s gotta change. Or maybe it’s everything that’s gotta change– the economy, gas prices– everything.

travel

Expert Traveler? Heck yes!

Becca

I’ve always dreamt of a world where efficient people like myself were given their own lines. Too often, I am stuck behind the slow, older woman at the grocery store counting out 77 plastic gift bags, and then paying with a check. Or the guy paying in pennies. Or, in the line of all lines, the airport, those strange individuals who seem to have never been to an airport before. They leave their belts on, they leave their shoes on, and they do not remove their laptops from their backpacks. You see, I am a generally efficient person. I don’t have kids, I carry one bag, and I follow rules. I’ve always thought that should be rewarded.

Thank you very much, LAX. Today, on my way to New Mexico to do some reporting, I discovered a new, glamorous invention called the “Expert Traveler” line. It is heaven on earth. No kids. No slow. No penny counting.

I tried to hold onto this amazing experience, because I am sure in no time the inefficient people of the world will discover this treasure (which only uses the honor system to qualify you as an “expert”) and it will become just as snail-like as the rest of the lines.

But for today, I thank LAX for its validation of my lifestyle.