Those "Friendly Skies" Aren't as Friendly as They Once Were
Remember when flying used to be FUN ?
You'd get there an hour before a flight, check-in with ease, have your friends and family walk you to the departure gate, and then leave the earth on your way to a vacation location...having complimentary soft drinks and a meal while you "enjoyed" the ride.
Now that certainly has changed, especially since 9/11.
Now on most airlines, it's an allowance of one 50 pound bag (unless you're willing to pay extra money to take an additional one), and a carry-on....not to exceed a certain weight limit and that fits under the seat or the overhead bin, extra cost for an aisle seat, legroom that would have cramped Billy Barty, and extra for meals....if they can be called meals.
Yes indeed, flying today is like going to eat at a smorgasbord. Everything costs extra, and unlike the days of yesteryear...it ain't fun no more !
So, now that we know flying is a tedious effort, let's look at some ways to "beat the bird."
Cruising has become the great American pastime for seniors, and the cost of going on one is obviously higher when you add the airfare.
But....what if you can avoid the airfare ?
Going on a cruise that departs out of Los Angeles, San Diego, or San Francisco?
Don't fly...drive !
Think about this for a moment. You get up at the crack of dawn; take a cab or trouble your neighbor for a lift to McCarran Airport; hopefully arrive there in one piece despite the Florida driver crossing 3 lanes going 15 mph; and wind through the traffic until you get to the airport gate.
Jumping out of the car, while dodging the cabs and SUV's the size of a bus parked in every lane, you slither to the next line where you go through a check-in area where they weigh your luggage, examine everything about you including the color of your underwear, and after all is said and done, they tell you that your shampoo bottle is a terrorist threat while your shoes are being removed for fear of it being an explosive device.
Now you've completed the FAA "checklist", and you run to the gate only to find out your flight has been delayed or possibly canceled.
It finally leaves, gets to LA or San Diego in less than an hour, and then you get off the plane; pray no one has stolen your luggage; and now you board yet another bus or cattle truck to get you to the cruise dock while you watch the driver mangle your baggage amongst the other luggage...actually feeling a sigh of relief when you see your bag at the conclusion of the ride...no matter what condition it is in !
Time involved from the moment you leave home until you get there: 6-7 hours. Cost of the "fun" for two people is somewhere around $500-$600 for this luxury.
Now here's how to do it right !
Call a car rental place and get a price for a "one way drop". A midsize car shouldn't cost you more than $150-$175 FOR BOTH OF YOU...and that includes gasing up "Betsy" when you drop the car off at the rental company location.
Here are the detailed steps:
1. Get the car late in the afternoon the day before you leave, and pack it up that evening. You can have all the bags your little auto can carry, and there is no additional charge. Shampoo bottles, deodorant, and mouthwash in addition to normal toothpaste are not considered a terrorist threat, and are welcomed in any spacious rented vehicle.
2. Get up the next morning as you normally would each day, and enter the vehicle in the same manner in which you would travel to any casino. Take your time, no need to hurry, the car leaves when you do.
3. Drive to LA or San Diego in 5-6 hours stopping on the way to enjoy a reasonably priced wholesome lunch, the seclusion of an automobile that offers a retractable seat, air conditioning, a radio station to sing along with to 50s tunes; and best of all, no fat guy sitting next to you or in front of you, and absolutely free of charge, not a single crying baby to interfere with your singing the songs !
4. Drop off the auto at the car rental location which should be very close to the cruise dock, and obtain free shuttle delivery of you, your fellow passenger, and all the luggage there in one piece.
Time of travel: 5-6 hours.
Savings: $300-$400
Time Savings: Usually an hour if not longer
Peace of Mind Savings: Unimaginable
If you have to fly, try using Air Miles, those wonderful credit card "extras" that will get you to Phoenix by way of San Francisco, Chicago, Kansas City, Birmingham, and with luck, avoiding some small airfield in New Mexico, before arriving at your final destination.
Seriously, USE AIR MILES wisely, and wisely means planning ahead, and getting the most out of those miles....for international travel, not a hop,skip, and jump to Reno.
Going to Europe or Australia within the next year? USE the AIR MILES and book your flight NOW. The good seats will be gone before you know it.
Worried about having to cancel the trip? Not a big problem, and only presents a modest price penalty if cancellation takes place within a short timeframe of your trip.
...and if the travel plans are flexible (as in retirement ages), examine the various options a few days before and extending the trip a few days after the original itinerary. Just how many times in your life will you travel to a foreign land ?
So enjoy it...the kids will somehow manage receiving a few thousand bucks less than what they thought they'd get !
Finally, lets get to a few websites you might want to bookmark.
Can't use air miles ? Have to get there the old fashioned way ?
If that be the case, then do it right.
How many times can you check a flight and price changes by the minute?
What a waste of time.
Try PinTrips.
Sign up, and list the flight you want. Then let Pintrips keep tabs on the price. Once it's where you want it, book it ! It's that easy.
Now that you have your flight, it's time to choose your seat.
...but what's a good seat and what's a bad one ?
We've got the answer for that one too.
It's Seat Guru.
I love this site. You can look up just about any flight, get a peak at the layout of the seating on the aircraft, and THEY will tell you the PLUSES and MINUSES of that particular seat.
It's free, and it's priceless when you consider that fat guy in front of, behind you, or next to you !
So now, we have a flight, a seat, and perhaps someone getting ready to pick you up from the airport. A laptop is a pretty good tool to have on the flight, because you might have to know....
When is it going to get there?
We have an answer to that one too.
It's Flight Aware.
Another similar site is...
Flight Stats
This one even offers you a free satellite view !
Simply input the flight data, and there you go, you know where that plane is, and when it is expected to land.
Have some others you'd like to pass on to our readers?
We'd love to know about them.
Our last topic...Staying Safe on that fabulous trip.
Stay tuned.
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