Going backwards with air travel today - Man, what a dump !

[JSACKS 0]

I just returned to the U.S. from a business trip to Italy via Germany. Mixture of Coach and Business Class on UNITED, Lufthansa, and Air One. Forget the flying--that was easy (and even exciting at times), as it always is--but read this: In Frankfurt, Milan, Rome, and Munich, we were bussed to and from our aircraft because no jetways were available at any airports for my flights. Plus of course on return to KIAD we had the wretched "people mover" to U.S. Immigration.It felt like flying used to be in 1958....I don't get it. Travel has just become one huge big international lie. It's uncomfortable, stressful, competitive, and exhausting--in any class.Munich was a horrible surprise. A fantastic, modern, white, brilliant airport. The taxiways still look unused. We land, taxi to our stand and then disembark onto...a stupid bus! With 130 people on board our oversized "airbus", we drive 2 kilometers to the terminal and then I walk another 1 to 2 kilometers to the UNITED gate inside the terminal that has no escalator or internal people mover. Takes almost half an hour to do. Unbelievable!How can we the travelling public allow airlines and airports, as well as security authorities, to treat us as nothing more than organic baggage? We get little to no respect, service, or attention; and if we complain, we are under threat of arrest or worse. And we're burdened and tired with luggage, roll-ons, business papers, 16 to 18 hour workdays, family separation, competing every inch of the way for space, food, toilets, taxis, cash, porters: Please, dear good Lord, gimme a break! I just wanna be outta here ! I'd like to say that I'm pretty close to having it with global travel but with the life I've led for the past 40 years, I'm unlikely to escape further stress, exhaustion, and humiliation--in any class--till the age of 90 (if I survive that long).Anybody out there feel similarly? Or am I just going overboard because I had food poisoning during the return trip this time round?!Post away!JS

[Guest amtran752]

eH, since that is how flying has always been, like you say, whats the big deal?What did you expect?If you don't want to deal with that stuff buy a Global Express or a G-IV.You also pay near next to nothing for your tickets, and fly on Bankrupt airlines.Kind of obvious that you wouldn't be receiving any special treatment, besides the fact you're an American in Europe.

[Guest oyvindhansen]

Been to Munich myself, and i have to agree that it isn't working very well. Try Copenhagen for a people-friendly airport.-

[Mats_J 2]

amtran752,Care to elaborate on the below?"Kind of obvious that you wouldn't be receiving any special treatment, besides the fact you're an American in Europe."Best regards,

[bic 44]

I remember going through the old LGAV airport several times with the bus routine. I believe a lot of the airports you went through were built on land during or before World War II. Furthermore, they were not designed to handle the millions of people per year that go through them. Perhaps even there's a law from WWII that prevents from improving it?In the US we see how expensive it is to build a new airport like Denver. The costs to add or enhance can be overwhelming. I don't know if Europe has a passenger facility charge, pfc, like the US does, but maybe that would help improve things.

[JSACKS 0]

I paid $3,500 for this ticket. Is that "nothing"?I am merely trying to point out that there has been little or no progress in 40 years. It's going backwards--and they still charge an arm and a leg. And they say they're giving their all or their best.What a crock!JS

[Guest amtran752]

>amtran752,>>Care to elaborate on the below?>>"Kind of obvious that you wouldn't be receiving any special>treatment, besides the fact you're an American in Europe."What is there to elaborate on, it's self explanatory I think, unless you've been hiding under a rock.http://www.uni-muenster.de/PeaCon/global-t...tes/osama71.htm

[JSACKS 0]

That's not Osama,...it's Bob Marley !JS

[Mats_J 2]

>>amtran752,>>>>Care to elaborate on the below?>>>>"Kind of obvious that you wouldn't be receiving any special>>treatment, besides the fact you're an American in Europe.">>What is there to elaborate on, it's self explanatory I think,>unless you've been hiding under a rock.>>http://www.uni-muenster.de/PeaCon/global-t...tes/osama71.htmSir, no disrespect, but your link does not elaborate on your statement what-so-ever. It's allegedly a picture of a 14 year old Usama Bin Laden i a Swedish city with his family taken in 1971. Correct me if I'm wrong but the saudi Bin Laden family has some friends high up in the US government as well...My question still stands unanswered.

[Guest amtran752]

My family also has friends high up in the U.S. government (speaker of the house, etc) so I guess I have something in common with the Bin Ladens. I also have relatives who are criminals, on the felony level. I'm a lot like the bin ladens. I also have a relative who is a billionaire in the oil industry. Shoot, I am like a white Bin Laden Ok, just so you don't keep accusing me of not answering your question, when I did mention that you must have been living under a rock I went to google.com and typed in anti-american protest europeThe following are from the first page of about 110,000http://www.jrnyquist.com/lamprecht_2003_0413.htmhttp://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article2230.htmhttp://www.getcustoms.com/2004GTC/Articles...2002-02-13.htmlhttp://www.akdart.com/warpage3.htmlhttp://www.eubusiness.com/imported/2003/05/110975/http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/3606898.stmhttp://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/528012.stmhttp://www.cnn.com/WORLD/europe/9911/19/greece.clinton.02/ The top two links from Toronto now http://www.calgarysun.com/cgi-bin/niveau2....=72497.html&a=1http://www.wsws.org/articles/2003/feb2003/toro-f17.shtml

[Tom Allensworth 1,532]

I just responded to an earlier message of yours. This type of message is unacceptable. If I read one more post in these forums with that "tone" and "attitude", you're history here.

[Mats_J 2]

Having read your earlier posts on AVSIM I'll refrain from commenting any more on this except three closing statements. My guess is that you will strike yourself out pretty soon anyways. - You can prove anything with old internet links.- When news media reports about anti-american protests they usually mean protests, taking place outside of the USA, that are aimed towards some politics of the US government. - Opposite of what you think the majority of people treat other people well. No matter what race, creed or religion. Then again.... You get treated as you treat others...

[Guest Matt Johnson]

Give that he hasn't had the compunction to fill out his full name when registering, as our Terms of Use require, I'm making him history.Be warned. There are several of us on the AVSIM Staff who are getting VERY fed up with the behaviour of some of the forums at the moment. Do not be surprised if we do something about this if the situation does not change IMMEDIATELY.

[Guest AMT752]

K, I made a new one with my whole first and last names.

[Guest recnahne]

Last summer I went on a flight from EDDN to EKCH via EDDM. I didn't have any problems, difficulties or whatever at EDDM. But maybe it's just because I understand those people's accent... ;-)Anyway, I think EDDM is much more passenger-friendly than for example EDDF or EHAM, but that's just my personal opinion.Cheers,Holger