Air Travel

Question:

> I’ve nearly given up on it–and Usenet in general–like so many others > who used to be here "back in the day"…

Yep.  Where is the "fire and music" of the Usenet days of yore…??? — Best Greg

Response:

> >There’s your first mistake. Go to > usaviation.com or flyertalk, or ANYWHERE > but this sorry collection of dimwitted misfits! > mga707 > You mean there are "other" dimwitted misfits on rta??  Thank you mga. > You’ve made my day!  BTW….I would like  to bring to the poster’s > attention that "you"  have been one of our longtime regulars so what > does that say about you?<g  

I’ve nearly given up on it–and Usenet in general–like so many others who used to be here "back in the day"…

Response:

> So maybe we should talk about why we need to start flying again.  Now is a great time to fly IMO.  

I am going to NYC by plane next month. >The prices are low,

agreed $193.00 DEN to LGA on Midwest planes less crowded, and some – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -> airline employees are even civil! Lets hope! > Support the economy and fly somewhere. > BTW, my travel is the same as it ever was.

Response:

>I’ve nearly given up on it–and Usenet in > general–like so many others who used to be > here "back in the day"…

Sorry to see you go Mga.  Usenet can be enjoyable as long as we keep our sense of humor.  I just would prefer if some would not crosspost so much.  If I don’t like a thread on rec.travel.europe, I am not going to like it any better on rta and it does make for numerous posts to scroll through when one does not have a computer.  You, at least, have the advantage of being able to killfile useless posts so why don’t you stay and just keep posts you are interested in.   BTW, as for the others "who used to be here" if they are the ones I miss, it was obvious they left because they must have gotten tired of being hounded and verbally abused and embarrassed by certain posters.  I don’t think they left because of OT posts.  That’s just my opinion from what I read when they were still posting on rta.  Too bad we can’t have a set of "rules to post by" for RTA to help keep posters in line.  I believe in following rules (when they have them). Mary

Response:

> So maybe we should talk about why we need to start flying again.  Now is a > great time to fly IMO.  The prices are low, planes less crowded, and some > airline employees are even civil!

Prices are VERY low compared to pre 9/11, but they were dropping even then.  In 1998, it was not unusual for me to pay $2400 USD for a round-trip from DEN-SFO with 1 week notice, $1200 USD for two-week notice, to a low of maybe $900 USD for 3 or more week’s notice.  Now, it’s around $300 USD no matter when I book travel. Hotels are lower, rental cars somewhat so.  I used to average around $1500 USD per week in personal expenses (hotel, rental car, meals), now it hovers around $1000 USD per week (not including airfare). I have not found planes to be less crowded.  On the contrary, there are just fewer flights, and very nearly every plane I have been on recently has been seriously overbooked.  Not just because of Spring Break. > Support the economy and fly somewhere.

How much more CAN I fly?  (grin) > BTW, my travel is the same as it ever was.

Mine, too.  Just longer delays in airports, fewer choices in carrier & flight times.  Oh yes, and more time wasted checking in and retrieving checked luggage. Best Regards, Bill Mattocks

Response:

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -> So maybe we should talk about why we need to start flying again.  Now is a > great time to fly IMO.  The prices are low, planes less crowded, and some > airline employees are even civil! > Prices are VERY low compared to pre 9/11, but they were dropping even > then.  In 1998, it was not unusual for me to pay $2400 USD for a > round-trip from DEN-SFO with 1 week notice, $1200 USD for two-week > notice, to a low of maybe $900 USD for 3 or more week’s notice.  Now, > it’s around $300 USD no matter when I book travel. > Hotels are lower, rental cars somewhat so.  I used to average around > $1500 USD per week in personal expenses (hotel, rental car, meals), > now it hovers around $1000 USD per week (not including airfare). > I have not found planes to be less crowded.  On the contrary, there > are just fewer flights, and very nearly every plane I have been on > recently has been seriously overbooked.  Not just because of Spring > Break. > Support the economy and fly somewhere. > How much more CAN I fly?  (grin) > BTW, my travel is the same as it ever was. > Mine, too.  Just longer delays in airports, fewer choices in carrier & > flight times.  Oh yes, and more time wasted checking in and retrieving > checked luggage.

And more time writing longer trip reports? Sjoerd

Response:

> > I turn to this forum to get info about the latest in Air travel and the > first 110 responses are about people’s opinion on the war. Can’t this > forum keep to the subject, we get enough of that stuff elsewhere. > Besides the Mattocks, who’s flying these days? > If we’re not flying, we’ve got no choice but to talk about > the reason why…?

So maybe we should talk about why we need to start flying again.  Now is a great time to fly IMO.  The prices are low, planes less crowded, and some airline employees are even civil! Support the economy and fly somewhere. BTW, my travel is the same as it ever was.

Response:

> I turn to this forum to get info about the latest in Air travel

There’s your first mistake.  Go to usaviation.com or flyertalk, or ANYWHERE but this sorry collection of dimwitted misfits!

Response:

>There’s your first mistake. Go to > usaviation.com or flyertalk, or ANYWHERE > but this sorry collection of dimwitted misfits!

mga707 You mean there are "other" dimwitted misfits on rta??  Thank you mga. You’ve made my day!  BTW….I would like  to bring to the poster’s attention that "you"  have been one of our longtime regulars so what does that say about you?<g  As an aside to the poster:  She is right about "flyertalk".  It’s a great site and I don’t post on it regularly "yet" but now with mga’s "thumbs up" of the site, I just might post there too.<g   Happy Wednesday! Mary

Response:

> >I turn to this forum to get info about the latest > in Air travel and the first 110 responses are > about people’s opinion on the war. Can’t this > forum keep to the subject, we get enough of > that stuff elsewhere. > I think you will find that most non-moderated discussion groups end up > discussing the most heated topic on their minds or the world scene no > matter what type of group you check out.  Most of these groups right now > seem to be "rec.hate.usa"  groups

There is more rec.hate.europe than rec.hate.usa on these newsgroups. Many posts are critical of the US war against Iraq, but very few are negative or critical of the American people in general. However, I have seen lots of real hate posts from Americans directed at (mainly) the French. Not the French government, but the French people in general. Sjoerd

Response:

You are very correct, as the 2  other areas of interest besides air travel I check are similar in that they are talking mostly about the war.  Even technical meteorology groups. – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – > I think you will find that most non-moderated discussion groups end up > discussing the most heated topic on their minds or the world scene no > matter what type of group you check out.  Most of these groups right now > seem to be "rec.hate.usa"  groups and RTA is more controlled than many I > have checked out.  Unless you are fortified you sure don’t want to try > rec.travel.europe.  "Used" to be one of my favorite groups but how much > "hate" can we take in one day and they make sure they cross post their > hate to my other favorite groups.  Can’t win and have to be patient > until this War is over, I guess. > If you have an air travel question, please stick it in.  Sooner or later > someone will see it and you could get some good answers and help.  If > you really want them to notice you "post in CAPS".  That will get their > attention.<g  (Just be prepared for a lot of "not so nice" responses.) > Mary

Response:

> I turn to this forum to get info about the latest in Air travel and the > first 110 responses are about people’s opinion on the war. Can’t this > forum keep to the subject, we get enough of that stuff elsewhere.

Besides the Mattocks, who’s flying these days? If we’re not flying, we’ve got no choice but to talk about the reason why…?

Response:

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -> >I turn to this forum to get info about the latest > > in Air travel and the first 110 responses are > > about people’s opinion on the war. Can’t this > > forum keep to the subject, we get enough of > > that stuff elsewhere. > I think you will find that most non-moderated discussion groups end up > discussing the most heated topic on their minds or the world scene no > matter what type of group you check out.  Most of these groups right now > seem to be "rec.hate.usa"  groups >There is more rec.hate.europe than rec.hate.usa on these newsgroups. >Many posts are critical of the US war against Iraq, but very few are >negative or critical of the American people in general. However, I have seen >lots of real hate posts from Americans directed at (mainly) the French. Not >the French government, but the French people in general. >Sjoerd

Sjoerd, you got it backwards.  In almost every thread there is America bashing.  It is far worse than just criticism of the Bush administration.  The french in r.t.e are very anti-american.

Response:

I turn to this forum to get info about the latest in Air travel and the first 110 responses are about people’s opinion on the war. Can’t this forum keep to the subject, we get enough of that stuff elsewhere.

Response:

>I turn to this forum to get info about the latest > in Air travel and the first 110 responses are > about people’s opinion on the war. Can’t this > forum keep to the subject, we get enough of > that stuff elsewhere.

I think you will find that most non-moderated discussion groups end up discussing the most heated topic on their minds or the world scene no matter what type of group you check out.  Most of these groups right now seem to be "rec.hate.usa"  groups and RTA is more controlled than many I have checked out.  Unless you are fortified you sure don’t want to try rec.travel.europe.  "Used" to be one of my favorite groups but how much "hate" can we take in one day and they make sure they cross post their hate to my other favorite groups.  Can’t win and have to be patient until this War is over, I guess.   If you have an air travel question, please stick it in.  Sooner or later someone will see it and you could get some good answers and help.  If you really want them to notice you "post in CAPS".  That will get their attention.<g  (Just be prepared for a lot of "not so nice" responses.)   Mary

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