What a shameful national embarrassment, since air travel began as such a classy way to go. Unless you pay thrice the amount for upper class tickets, or you travel on a foreign airline, you might have some complications. Many American metropolitan airports and American air carriers need improvement, while many foreign airlines continue to do a splendid job. The public-paid American government "harasses" its public with inconveniences that they don't impose upon private plane travelers or for diplomatic pouches (how most illegal activity travels).
As an air traveler, you either use the "glorious" airport parking lot or a car service/taxi. Unlike for trains, you must arrive a few hours ahead of departure time--even longer for an international flight.
To be admitted to the plane, you must empty your pockets, remove all metal items from your "outfit"… and take off your shoes. Your dirty shoes, that stepped on dog poop and filthy sidewalks are put in plastic boxes (that are rarely cleaned), right next to your sunglasses and jacket and cell phone. The 2009 George Clooney film, "Up in the Air" pokes fun at the process… and gives tips.
(Since writing this, I've flown to 3 cities in Communist China, as well as to Italy, France, Spain and Switzerland… and never had to take off my shoes like they make you do in America "the land of the free"). And the customer service can be so rude. I've heard them talk to paying passengers like cattle. What a welcome for visitors!
You must have your luggage inspected. Once, a guy at JFK confiscated my expensive mostly-full bottle of cologne because the bottle size was one ounce too large. I quietly commented that the visible ounces of liquid in the clear bottle were under the requirement, but to no avail. (Imagine how much stuff airport employees improperly take home!).
Throughout your wait, you mostly sit in typically lackluster airport "waiting areas". Are there enough seats? How often do you think they clean them?
Food? Instead of restaurants like they have in other countries, American airports have mostly Fast-food joints. Luxury retail "airport stores", yes, but 3rd-class food. Lucky travelers retire to "Empire lounges".
A recent TV commercial showed masses of delayed air passengers crouched along the airport floors, in order to charge their mobile devices in the only available electric outlets--at floor level. How thoughtfully considerate.
This is the second millennium! Accommodations for travelers should have been considered long ago. Airports (considering their sizes and traffic schedules) should use more conveniently located e-charging stations.
IF the airlines are running as scheduled--without delays blamed unresponsively on "Acts of God" or by the fact that many airport control towers are as inefficient/antiquated as La Guardia's--you're then summoned to "line up and wait" for "pre-boarding". A 2007 article in The Daily New stated, "Air traffic controllers at La Guardia tower have long worked in cramped quarters with outdated equipment, beneath roofs that leaked in inclement weather." The tower was erected in 1964, and of course, the great city of NY and its notorious Port Authority couldn't afford to update it during the previous 43 years. Sure.
Next, sluggishly go with the line of people onto the plane, awaiting some incompetent passengers to ever-so-slowly stow away their carry-on luggage. Then you await take-off (hopefully that by THAT time, you're still able to leave on time). If the plane isn't delayed by traffic ahead of it, or by malfunctions, you rise into the sky. But...
According to 2001 New York Magazine, at La Guardia, planes that are landing and taking off have had documented "near-miss collisions" (by a 100 feet or 20 feet!) three times in 1998, and twice during the year of the article. It's indisputable that La Guardia is the world's busiest small airport. Since 1996, the quantity of controller errors has jumped by 61%. Yet, it hasn't gotten improvements. And, it looks it. You know how some people improve only the façade? Well, they didn't even do that.
American Vice President Joe Biden went on television to say NYC's La Guardia Airport "resembles a third world country!"
(It sort of harkens to the turn-of-the-century days when Vanderbilt ignored the deaths caused by his trains at the outdated Grand Central Depot, despite all the media & public outrage. He only built Grand Central Terminal to compete against Pennsylvania Station).
One 757 pilot anonymously complained to the Aviation Safety Reporting System, "After 34 years flying through La Guardia, I feel it has become a dangerous airport. Tower and controllers are stressed to the max. They're trying to stuff too many aircraft into too small an airport." New technology could help. Per that New York Magazine article, La Guardia still uses a black rotary-dial telephone to link with the air-traffic command center in Washington. In 2000, the tower finally got new computer screens, but not the new software that goes with them (that was expected by 2008).
JFK International Airport isn't much better. In 1988, the FAA unveiled Terminal Doppler Weather Radar. By 2001, it had been installed at 46 airports across America, but not yet at JFK. Articles claim that the delay resulted from notorious NY Senator Alfonse D'Amato who wanted to use products made by Unisys Corporation (which his brother was chummy with, resulting in a conviction for fraud).
Also keep in mind that the American commerical-airline industry is the second-largest lobby in Washington DC, next to Big Tobacco. Then, consider how the problems for American taxpaying and ticket-buying travelers (and airline/airport employees) linger. A friend of mine is a longtime pilot for American Airlines and described how planes dive, swerve and soar to jockey for space there. Friends who are flight attendants on varying airlines attest that La Guardia causes the most delays of all flights throughout the country! When planes can't land, they back up further flights leaving from other airports, like a "domino-effect". None of that insulting Customer Service has made an impact towards improvement. Funny, huh, that there's such "security" against passengers who are boarding planes, yet such negligence for probable accidents!
On board, you're told that you cannot use your cellphones/electronic devices. The food is underwhelming and undersized. Announcements about reoccurring turbulence interrupt the in-flight movies/music... or your sleep. You expect to see your "checked" luggage upon destination. And how nicely do the luggage handlers treat your possessions?
Try to fly "direct". Otherwise, you need "connecting flights" (often with hours of waiting time in between), and you hope to "make" the connecting flight before it leaves.
Some airport operators have no consideration for how far the traveler has to journey, from one terminal gate to the next (when going between connecting flights).
Other countries' airports conveniently have shuttle buses and rail trams to take you from one end to the other.
Don't despair, though. Many companies like Singapore Airlines, Emirates, British Airways, Turkish Airlines, Lufthansa, Swiss Air, Virgin Australia, Air Canada, Virgin Atlantic, and Cathay Pacific Airways do a splendid job. Yet, out of a list of 100, the first American air carrier (of our world-power country) to make the list was at 49… far down from #1 (which was Cathay). (FYI: I had friends who were Vice Presidents at Air France and Lufthansa). Also consider that when analysts praise American carriers for profits (in the hundreds of millions), it is due to them outsourcing their maintenance, going to court to rewrite labor contracts, and reducing their retiree obligations. Yet, they still underperform to carriers from other first-world countries.
Instead of all that, I'd rather pack my bags, arrive at the train station (often conveniently by subway),
and hop onto the train's "Quiet Car".
There, I can stretch my legs and begin using my mobile devices right away. I'd prefer to enjoy a real meal from the dining car (and/or drink from the club car) without having to adjust my trays or seat belts.
I'll always be "roam about the cabin"--without turbulence.
Sex in the bathrooms--as compared to the Mile High Club--is less cramped, too!
There are also bigger windows and more descriptive scenery.
Even more impressive are some of the train stations! Bright, sometimes open-air piazzas for shopping and dining.
Some, like Grand Central Terminal, have Food Markets...
It's a shame that other countries all around the world--where crossing several international boundaries in an hour is possible--have speedy Bullet Trains… but America doesn't.
The USA is one of the most vast countries, yet its rail travel hasn't improved in speed since 1947. America prides itself on luxurious service-level experiences, but fails with its lackadaisical expectations of "travel". Other countries don't.
That is something which requires a change in American priorities, from bailing out faltering financial institutions to working on infrastructure. Consider that the fastest trains in the world are found in China, and US is in tremendous debt.
With its vast tax base and federated train system, the efficiency/speed of American trains has still fallen dismally behind the rest of the modern world (like our average school grades). I would love to crisscross our great nation in comfy "speed trains", direct to the hearts of each location, instead of from huge airport to huge airport--far outside the destinations.
Still, when it takes you where you need to go, rail travel is more comfy, convenient and cost-effective for the consumer/traveller.
