Flying the Skies

I don’t do a lot of flying too many places though I hope so in the future. I find it interesting that takeoff and landings seem to take longer than the flight itself though I know it isn’t true at all. My flight to St. Louis was almost four hours long. It was a direct flight so did not have to catch another plane. So many flights these days are not direct especially to St. Louis. It is a large airport but many of the gates are not being used anymore. It is no longer a major hub like it used to be. There are only a few direct flights to St. Louis so I had to check between only a few flights. I don’t have a problem with non-direct flights though you have to be sure the schedule gives you time to get to the next plane. I find it interesting and frustrating at the same time where those in the front of the plane take so much time to get their luggage down and off the plane. It is like we are in a traffic jam which we really are. I and my mother sat in about the middle of the plane. The closer seats to the front were already sold when I got the tickets and that was at least three months in advance. I am sure those who have to catch another flight especially quickly feel the stress that is for sure. This doesn’t matter how long you have to wait for your next flight.

Our flight to St. Louis was midday from Seattle. I had to look to see what people were doing during the flight. I could see some were business people who were looking and answering e-mails along with other business related activities. They don’t all sit in first class. Other people were watching videos or doing other things on their computers or smartphones. Those like me when not observing others were reading books or magazines. If they were not doing any of these things they were sleeping. Of course that doesn’t count the ones who had small children on board with them.

The return flight to Seattle was an evening flight not so many were doing business activities like the afternoon flight. A good majority were doing some sleeping like I tried to do as well. I don’t generally sleep very well on planes. I saw some watching videos and other reading books as well. It is not like it used to be where you had only two choices in either reading or sleeping unless there was a good movie to watch. Neither these flights had a movie to watch unless you purchased a video. Things have changed for sure on flights. Meals used to be the norm as well. Now you have to purchase a meal. Looking at it from the airline perspective it makes sense. For one thing not everyone wants to eat anyway so they don’t have to have as many meals on board. They still give snacks and drinks as part of the deal.  

What I like to is the wheelchair assistance that my mother got on both flights. Those who pushed her were courteous and enjoyed taking care of her. At her age of ninety-six she does a pretty good job of walking if she has to only go a short ways but as you can imagine long distances would ware her out. She does a wonderful job of walking as soon as she gets her balance. I am sure even some of us much younger than her have balance issues as well. She is in a good mind to so she was able to enjoy the wedding at the fullest. It was great seeing family even though it was only for a couple of days. It is so nice that the airlines made it a wonderful experience to fly.