airplane rides...

As previously mentioned, I vacationed in San Francisco and San Diego. If there’s anything I like about my family it is that we all have this understanding that we can’t stand being around each other for more than a couple of hours. Therefore, driving from San Francisco to San Diego was no an option. So we took a $49 flight out of Oakland Airport (Southwest didn’t start flying out of SFO until last Friday) to San Diego. But we flew to San Francisco on American Airlines bright and early at 7 a.m.

I’d have to say it was pretty good flight, except for the kids onboard. As you’ve probably figured out, I’m not a fan of kids at all – especially kids who scream, run and are just overall rude. Luckily on this flight there were no kids sitting really close to me. But there were some sitting about 5 rows up (we’re on an M80) that managed to even disturb me. I remember seeing the two kids when they boarded the flight. They looked well mannered, which has never really fooled me. The little boy, who was probably about 8, was dressed in khakis and a polo shirt. I remember the little girl, who was probably about 6, vividly. What drew me to her was the fact that she was had on a red and white polk-a-dot dress with a matching bowtie in her head. She looked like Minnie Mouse. I felt bad for the little girl because I was sure it was the mother (in a blue sheath dress) who picked out her clothes.

Nevertheless I knew something was wrong when the parents sat 4 rows ahead of the kids. When a parent doesn’t want to even sit with his/her kids during a plane ride, you just know these kids have to be bad – and they were! They made so much noise and kept pressing the button for the flight attendant to come. It was ridiculous. And I tell you I wasn’t so mad at the children as I was with the parents. Don’t have kids if you don’t want to take care of them properly. If they couldn’t get four seats together, one parent should have sat with one child while the other parent sat with the other. They were a family of four.

Then there was the plane ride on Southwest Airlines to San Diego. I am a huge fan of Southwest Airlines. I’ve traveled the airline for years as well as American. But I have to say, there is a vast difference between to two. Despite all of American’s perks, if I had to pick out of two I’d pick Southwest Airlines hands down. But getting anywhere non-stop out Dallas is almost impossible on Southwest, which limits us Dallas-sites.

I’ve gotten used to all the noises Southwest Airlines planes make, from the lift off to the flaps expanding. I’ve gotten so comfortable, that I find myself freaking out when I don’t hear anything during lift off. Then I remember I’m flying American Airlines.

Anyways, the flight to San Diego on Southwest was an adventure. As soon as we finished climbing to altitude, there was all of this turbulence. It was odd because it was such a beautiful day. No clouds in sight. This wasn’t a little turbulence. It was pretty bad. I’m a good flyer. I don’t get spooked easily, but for a second I didn’t think we would make it. Mother was freaking out. She’s not that great of a flyer. Well, 20 minutes later the pilot announces that the turbulence was from another plane. Apparently we were 10 miles right behind another plane (in the air). All I could think about was that story on Dateline, run about three months ago, about the air traffic controller’s messing up and planes barely missing each other in the air – and that was at D/FW International Airport. Way to go. I give the pilot credit for telling us that. I’m not so sure I would’ve done the same.

Then there was flight on American back home. Kids – again! There was a little girl about 6 years old who was constantly stood in her seat, screaming and banging on the seat. All her dad kept doing was apologizing to the guy behind him. (I was across the aisle.) How about he pins that little girl down in her seat and put her seat belt on. I would think at that age, you should start training you child to shut up and sit in the seat during a flight.

Overall, I’d say the flying was pretty good. It could have been worse – delays. Out of the three flights I caught only one was delayed and it was only by an hour.