Bob‘s Corner
Fear of Flying
From our weekly issue dated February 10, 2010
Have had to do some flying lately, although sometimes having to take commercial air flights means earlier than lately.
For example, if you“re going to take a “red-eye“ early morning flight out of Medford, it“s easier to spend the night there than have to get up at 3 a.m. By staying in Medford, you can get up maybe 90 minutes later than if you had stayed home.
Of course, if you stayed home, you“d still be in bed and miss your flight.
Airports have become more of an obstacle of late, what with the increased “security“ provided by TSA. Most of that agency“s employees are nice people. It“s the “rules“ that cause the problems. I know, I know — we must prevent tourism “ er, I mean, we must prevent terrorism.
What I really want to mention here is the fact that gift shops, restaurants and other food sites at airports have such high prices. I guess it“s because: 1. We“re a captive audience, and 2. Their rents are so high that they probably have to charge higher-than-usual fees. That is, higher-than-usual fees than those found in comparable stores outside airports.
So you want to buy a bottle of water“ Try anywhere from $1.75 to $2.50. Who ever would have thought years back that we“d be paying big bucks for water“ Same situation with coffee stands. Why, I“m so old that I recall all-you-could drink coffee for 5-cents a cup. Wow, that was like in the Distant Past.
Bought a turkey sandwich on a whole wheat bagel at SeaTac the other day. Cost me like nine bucks. And it was no big super sandwich. But hey, ya“ gotta“ eat, right“
Besides these views, I“m so old that I remember when there was minimal (almost nonexistent) security at airports. Except maybe for a few guards here and there. But there were no metal detectors, let alone passengers having to contend with removing shoes, belts, jackets and other stuff; and having their luggage X-rayed. And sometimes being “patted down.“
In the Olden Days you just showed your ticket to an agent at the boarding gate (there were no jet-ways) and walked onto the tarmac to the airplane. No big deal. And friends and family could walk right out with you. No big deal. Now, once you enter the Security Area, friends and family are barred.
Well, that“s what we have, so we live with it. Now excuse me, I“m going to fix myself a sandwich to carry aboard my next flight. Hope there aren“t any hungry TSA agents around.
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