Flying - a rant...

So...when you pay, say $2,000 for say, a hotel room for the night, you know that the service you get will be impeccable. People will genuflect and every whim of yours will be fulfilled.

Now say, you pay the same money for an airline ticket, what would you be expecting? I'm expecting nothing but grumpy people who think that the airline business is doing us a favor by flying us out and about and taking our money. Airlines have forgotten what it means to be hospitable and are the weakest link in the hospitality chain.

I rant because I flew today. The service wasn't bad but in Europe there is no service. No tea, coffee, breakfast, nothing if you fly monkey class. You just sit cramped and wait to land. No one even says hello to you unless your seat belt is unbuckled.

Today, as I walked through security, I kept my shoes on. I usually take them off, it's just not worth the hassel. But it's spring and I was wearing pretty open shoes without socks and didn't want to take them off. The thing beeped and interestingly enough, two men stood there feeling up women. I mean the guy touched my boob in an attempt to find a bomb. Now I know it was 8 a.m. but Copenhagen airport can't hire women to feel up women? I'm not a prude and I didn't kick up a fuss because I didn't want others to think I'm a prude, but seriously, some strange guy runs his gloved hands all over me...and doesn't even offer me a drink?

And wouldn't you know it, the damn security thing beeped every time someone walked throug it. I don't wear a belt. The only jewelry is my wedding ring and some ear rings.

I'm disappointed with the aviation industry. They don't care for their customers. They don't give a damn how we're treated. I was in the US in February and after getting through immigration which took two long hours, we were in another security line and this guy was yelling, "take your shoes off, take your shoes off." We were all tired after 10 hours on a plane and this guy was talking to us like we were cattle. How is this behavior okay?

Imagine going to your supermarket and they yell at you, do you go back? Would they do that and still stay in business?

I think the airline industry confuses itself with a homeland security type agency and that's the big problem. We're all terrorists and should be treated as such until the plane lands and we're out of their hair.

I'm sick and tired of this. I have decided to do something about it. From now on, I intend to call on every rude act performed toward me or anyone else I see during my travel. I should have said something today morning when two men were feeling up several women as their security gate beeped for absolutely nothing. Well, there's always next time I'm sure.

What do you hate about flying? Or do you love flying and why?