Plane Truths About Flying -- Washington Post

[RatherBeFlying]

When it comes to air travel, the thrill is gone. Flying just isn't fun anymore. But that's more than a morale problem for the nation's airlines -- it's a money problem. The dreadful, humorless state of the aviation industry is keeping them from a recovery...

See

<a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A26139-2002Feb17.html" target="_blank">rest of article</a>

[Avman]

A very simple yet very accurate article. It expresses my sentiments exactly which is why, as I expressed in another thread, I'm avoiding flying around the USA until they get there act together. Fortunately it's not as bad this side of the ocean. I certainly hope it stays like that.

[slim_slag]

Fortunately it's not as bad this side of the ocean. I certainly hope it stays like that.

What isn't as bad?

Despite what the Low Cost Carriers and even the press in Europe would have you believe, Southwest is an airline with no equivalent in Europe (or America). Southwest is a model for all, but nobody can pull it off - and it's all down to attitude of the employees from top down (and also sensible fare structures for the businessman, on time record, frequency of flights, reward scheme etc).

Security in the US is still of a lower standard and less intrusive than it was before 9/11 in Europe, IMO.! Flying in Europe is extremely frustrating compared to the US.

The article was about how despite the problems one airline is doing well, not that the whole system is broken, and it's all due to employee attitude. Even Southwests ticker symbol sums it up.

[Lucifer]

At least European security people are friendly and don't unnecessarily wield power, since they actually are able to figure out that people get frustrated by having to wait. Europe is by comparison efficient and more practical. US security was and still is a shambles, and personally post-11/9 I believe is more intrusive without achieving anything since those screening still have no intellect and rarely are able to communicate in English (which I would expect in an English-speaking nation).

Israel really in not relevant here IMHO.

[Avman]

I don't know how often you fly in Europe Slim_Slag, but I do quite a bit. Of course, I grant you that it may depend on which airports you're using. However, I can assure you that all the airports I use don't require 2 hour check-in, and the security aspects are completed plesantly with the minimum of delay. A very good example is Dusseldorf where BA pax are required to go through two seperate sets of security procedures, one with a mandatory body search. It's all done politely and efficiently in a matter of minutes, even at busy times. I have no problems with security when it's conducted in this way. You may of course be refering to Europe-USA flights where there is additional "profiling" security checks. Again, I have no problem with the additional 5-10 mins this may take. What I was refering to is the need to check-in 2 hours before dep for a simple domestic sector in the U.S. That's what's driving the public away.

[slim_slag]

I don't know how often you fly in the USA Avman, but I do quite a bit <img src="smile.gif" border="0"> .......and Europe too when there isn't a decent surface alternate.

Well, obviously you don't fly at all in the US . . [quote]I'm avoiding flying around the USA until they get there act together<hr></blockquote>. .for some reason which I don't understand.

I've found that queues at security are now shorter in the US since 9/11. I do as I always did, put all my metal objects in my coat pocket which I send through the X-ray machine and I have no problems whatsoever with security. Those infrequent fliers who haven't got a clue and walk through the metal detector with a pocket full of change are those that get pulled over. I see that a lot in Europe, people don't fly enough, drives me crazy <img src="smile.gif" border="0"> .

However I agree with you it depends on the airport and also the time of day. As for two hour checkins, I haven't seen that ever over here except when dealing with some European carriers. I'm flying PHX-&gt;NYC tommorrow departing 7:50am, I plan to get there around 7 -&gt; 7:15 with carry on only and don't expect a problem. I will probably be sitting around bored.

Anyway looks like Southwest are doing well, another thread suggests they are going to hire another 4000 staff. Wasn't that what the article was about? Decent customer service means more business. Ryanair and Easyjet are not even close to the levels set by WN. Point to Point, miss your flight because the airline screws up and you have to buy another ticket. hahahahahahaha. Even America West wouldn't treat you that bad! :)

[Avman]

Well, er, yes you are of course right Slim_Slag in that I haven't had any first hand experience in the USA since September - put off by the many horrid stories here in PPRuNe and other aviation forums. Your own experience paints a different story, but there again, perhaps you use the "right" airports <img src="wink.gif" border="0"> . I'm very pro Southwest and use them regularly, as I do another great (new) favourite of mine, JetBlue. I agree with you that RYR and EZY don't quite mirror the great Southwest, but that's another story!