The Things You Learn in an Airport
I just returned from a business trip to Las Vegas, which explains the brief hiatus from posting to this blog. Of course, the heat out there was miserable, but not nearly as miserable as the travel itself. I remember a time when flying was fun, especially on Southwest Air, which used to boast friendly flight personnel with a perky sense of humor. But those days are gone. Long gone.
Here are 10 observations I made while wasting way too much time at the airports awaiting my flights…
- How incredibly overweight Americans have become.
- How loud and inane the average cell phone conversation can be.
- That few people actually look where they are walking anymore.
- How outdated typical airport design has become, considering modern security needs.
- Just how close on your heels other travelers like to stand when invading your personal space in line.
- How truly rude other passengers can get once they finally board a plane.
- That as rude as those other passengers can get, the airline personnel can still top them.
- Given the level of airline disorganization, it’s a modern miracle that so many planes actually get off the ground anywhere close to their scheduled time.
- Given the level of airline disorganization, it’s an even greater miracle that so many planes actually get off the ground, period.
- That, despite all the advisory signs, and the long lines winding their way through the X-Rays, a disproportionately large number of travelers (especially women — sorry, ladies, it’s true) seem to prefer waiting until the last possible second before hanging up their cell phones and removing their shoes, keys, laptops, liquids, lotions and other sundry items from their persons and bags for screening.
