Dobrindts dot com...again

Passenger Bill of Rights

I was listening to NPR this morning on my way to the airport, and I caught the end of a piece about airline passenger bill of rights. The commentator was jokingly bringing up his own list just for business travelers, like seats should not recline and the airline should call your boss if your flight is delayed and you get home at 3 in the morning.

Here is my own list.

Of course, this comes after basics that most airlines list, like being courteous to passengers, giving priority to disables passengers, being honest about ticket prices and restrictions, right to get off the plane if delays are long, given a refund for cancelled flights and the right to get paid for lost luggage . Mine are most specific.

1. If someone is not sitting within 3 rows of their bag, it goes in the hold.

I drive me nuts to get...

1. If someone is not sitting within 3 rows of their bag, it goes in the hold.

I drive me nuts to get on and all the overhead spaces are taken by people who are sitting nowhere near their seats. This sounds conceited, but if I am in first class and someone who is way in the back of the plane puts there bags there in case the overhead compartments are taken back there, well, it should not be allowed. I would even suggest that each seat has a designated overhead spot and only a bag from your seat can go there unless you don’t need it.

2. If you push ahead and leave before the row in front of you, death.

There is a certain unwritten etiquette about traveling. One is that people deplane row by row. Every now and then I get someone who never flies, or who has never flown, and they push ahead while others are getting their stuff together. They are probably the same people who cut into long turn lanes to avoid waiting, but on a plane it is very visible. The one exception to this rule is if a passenger has a tight connection and the flight attendant asks people to wait in their seats.

3. Priority for getting of the plane should be the same for getting on the plane.

If the airlines board based on how often you fly, the price of your ticket and if you have little kids in your group, then why not getting off. There should be a queue to get off based on your status for getting on. Why not? It might cause a mess and actually take longer to get everyone off, but it works for me.

4. Seats in front should not recline.

I hate, HATE, when someone in front reclines. I know they have every right to do so, but it starts a chain reaction where nobody benefits. I am not a small person, and I have trouble doing anything other than reading a paperback book when the seat is reclined.

5. If the flight is going to be delayed, the airline MUST let you know.

Every airline should be required to install a system that allows the passenger to input a phone number or email account and receive a message if their flight is delayed. Most airlines allow you to do this now, but it should be easier to sign up, and offered when you book.

6. If the flight is cancelled, you get a special number to call to rebook.

We have all seen this. Bad weather, mechanical problems, whatever, a flight is suddenly cancelled and you have hundreds of people calling what is already a strapped public 800 number. When your flight is cancelled, the airline should give you a special number where you don’t have to wait on hold for 40 minutes – yes, I am talking about you US Air – to rebook.

7. If the flight is in air, and is going to be delayed, you can use your cell phone.

Your own cell phone or a free phone provided by the airline. I know the airlines don’t have anything to do with ATC delays or weather problems, but they could offer this up to passengers. Not sure if technically it would work with cell phones, but let’s give it whirl.

8. Loosen restrictions on rebooking your flight.

If I paid 500 dollars a ticket to fly my wife and I out to Park City Utah on United, and we want to come back earlier in the day, and there are open seats on a flight, why should we pay a 150 dollar change fee plus the difference in air fare. And this is because we were not allowed to go standby. Why should I have to pay for that. Its crazy. Just crazy.

9. At security, If you know you have a ton of crap to take out of your bag, out of your pockets and clothing that has to come off, and there is a guy behind you with just one briefcase and his laptop is in his hand, shoes already off, LET HIM GO FIRST.

This is a security and airport thing, but let me vent. I am swift, really swift, when it comes through security. I often travel with juts a briefcase and nothing else. Even when I have an overnight bag, I am ready to go through security way before I get there. But, and this always happens, there is some idiot who has been living under a rock for 10 years and has no idea you can’t take metal through the screening, you have to take your shoes off, you have to have your crap in a ziplock bag, sometimes your belt has to come off, etc. So while they raced to get in front of me for some prize they will earn in heaven, I have to stand there with my laptop in hand, my shoes already off, my sports coat already in a bin, and wait for them to go through their freakin process to get all of their crap out. Ugh.

10. You get a number to board the plane by zone of course.

Here is the deal with this one. I often get to the airport early. So I wait and wait, read the paper, make some calls, do some work, and then stand there getting ready to board by zone. Then all of a sudden someone walks up right as they are about to call for boarding and cuts in front of my because the line was not defined like in kindergarten, and off we go, him then me. Its annoying. You should get a number like at a deli counter so that you can board based on when you get to the airport. Is that too much to ask for?

11. Plugs on airplanes.

Simple. Amtrak has plugs for laptops. Airlines, all airlines, should have the same. I know they have power on the planes because there are lights and an intercom, so extend it to me for my laptop.

12. Offer up reduced ticket prices for middle seats.

No one likes sitting in middle seats. So when you book, the airline should offer up 3% discount for those seats. Someone will take the discount, trust me, and leave the aisle seats to those hefty passengers like me or some dreamer who likes to stare at the clouds all day.

13. Consistent messages from the pilots.

Some pilots are great, they get on their little speakers and update the passengers on what’s going on. Some even have a sense of humor. But others, and I think they are in the majority, get on once, mumble something about flight time and thanks for flying us, and then nothing until the flight is over. I know its hard to institute a consistent procedure for pilots to talk to the passengers, but a better attempt could be made.

14. Ability to listen to air traffic controllers.

I was on a flight once a long time ago and could listen to the air traffic controllers and the pilots. It was really cool. This should be standard. There might be a security risk, so this needs more research.

15. There is a restriction on the type of food to bring on a plane.

Since airlines don’t give out anything anymore, more passenger are bringing food on. There has to be a restriction on smelly food. Or greasy food. I sat next to this slob once who had fried, greasy smelling food and I thought I was going to throw up.

16. Too much perfume or after shave, you sit in the toilet.

For the ladies who like perfume or the guys who need to drown in cologne, keep it down. We are all in a small metal tube with recirculated air and no ability to open a window. I enjoy a nice smell as much as the next guy, but lighten up.

17. If someone uses airline language who is NOT IN THE BUSINESS, we get to make fun of you.

I come across some nitwit who tries to strike up a conversation with the pilot or flight attendant by using airline jargon. When someone who has spent their life in the business, like for example my father, uses it, it sounds natural and free flowing. Using words like aircraft type or bird are fine, but leave out galley, as in “can I throw this in the galley”. Also, don’t call the flight attendants stewardesses.

18. Flight attendants who are having a bad day must stay at the airport.

For the most part, flight attendants are nice. But too often they are mean and nasty, and for no reason. Passengers should not get angry with flight attendants, but the FAs should try to remain civil. Look, we are all trying to get from point A to point B in a cramped unnatural method of travel, and if you are having a bad day, take it out on your spouse, not the people who pay to keep your company in business.

19. Male passengers must help female passengers.

If I see a guy standing there while a female passenger struggles to get her bag up or down from the overhead, I am going to punch him. I don’t care about women’s lib or offending some NOW militant feminist, help the lady with her bag.

20. Open seating, you must give up your seat when appropriate.

I travel on the Delta Shuttle almost weekly, often two or three times a week. There are no seat assignments so you stand in line and board when they open the door. Since I am usually the first in line, I get one of the first seats on the cabin. So if, after most people have boarded, airport workers are helping some old guy hobble on the plane or someone comes on a wheelchair, I get up out of my seat, offer it up, and find some other seat. One time the women behind me quickly moved her stuff so I could sit next to her, and she said she thought it was nice. But too often I see guys tilt their heads up from a newspaper, glance at the person shuffling on the plane, and ignore them. Drives me nuts.

21. Finally, be nice to the ticket counter staff and gate agents.

Like office building security and executive admins, these people can make your experience a world better. As long as they are not being a-holes, be extra nice to them, make a joke, pay a compliment, stay cool when things don’t go right, and try to get them to remember your name. I know all of the gate agents at the Delta Shuttle in NY and not because I fly a lot, but because I am nice and talk to them.

So there it is, my bill of rights. Funny enough, there are some things about traveling that never bothered me. Other people complain about having to wait to get off the plane if, for example, there is another airplane at the gate. Or bumpy flights, which are not the fault of the airline, or even the pilot although they will fly to a new altitude of it gets bad. I don’t even mind the prices of tickets since we all know the airlines are not making a ton of money. I guess it’s the little things that bug me about flying and while I don’t usually complain to anyone during the flight, I am good about writing it in this silly blog.

Posted by David at 12:55 PM | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (0)

A couple of weeks ago Patti called me during the day and said

“Someone broke into the house and ate a loaf of sour dough bread.”

Ready to get a gun to protect my family and our bread, she explained that while she was out, a squirrel broke through the screen in the kitchen window, jumped on to the counter, ripped open a loaf of bread, ran around the first floor leaving squirrel s**t everywhere, then broke through the screen in a different window to get out. She cleaned the place and called a friend of ours who works for the animal shelter. Apparently this time of year the mother squirrels force their young to get food on their own. Being teenage squirrels, they look for the path of least resistance and raid garbage cans, steal food left out from barbeques and in our case, break into homes.

We had recently started to leave our two cats in the basement when we are not home so I am kind of glad because I have no idea what two cats and a squirrel would have looked liked after a fight. Knowing our two cats, the squirrel would have walked away the victor.

The next day when I got home, I got some supplies from the wonderful Curry Hardware in Quincy and replaced the screens. Patti had cleaned and scrubbed the first floor and replaced the bread. The next question was what to do about the squirrels. I was told to leave moth balls around the window to keep them away. Bad idea. It turns out the noxious mothball smell will make humans living in the house just as turned-off as the scavengers those humans are trying to keep away. So I placed the mothballs in strategic entry points to the roof of our three season porch that the squirrels use to get into our house.

Well, we had another attack today. There was a hole in the kitchen window screen but it turns out a bottle of Advil left on the window sill fell when the little bastard tried to get in and scared him away. Maybe her away. Or, and I like to believe this version more, the cats in the basement sent a message that if the squirrel came into the house, he would get a beating he would never forget.

I need to replace the screen in the kitchen and figure out how to keep those squirrels away for good. I think a pellet gun is in my future.

Posted by David at 08:07 PM | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (0)

Last weekend we went to Park City, Utah, for my friend’s wedding. The wedding was on Saturday night so we decided to make it a four day weekend, without the kids, for a little vacation. It was freakin great. No joke, GREAT. No kids, 4 days of hanging out in a 4 star resort that was pretty cheap because its their off season, in a cottage, long runs in the morning, mountain biking down a 9,400 foot mountain, bob sledding, swimming and of course the wedding. Couple of things about the trip.

- Park City Utah is a ski resort community, but...

- Park City Utah is a ski resort community, but it has great summer activities. But since the majority of the money is made during the winter, the town is pretty reasonable when it comes to prices during the summer months. We had a cottage with 3 fire places, a jacuzzi, kitchen, washer dryer, 2 flat screen TVs and all of the other stuff for much less than a crappy room in NY City. And really only slightly more expensive than a decent hotel in any city, where we stayed at the high end of places there.

- The Sundance Film festival takes place in Park City so it has a funky kind of feel to it.

- Everyone is really into outdoor, fitness type stuff. And they are not arrogant about it. Patti and I rented mountain bikes and went down one of the largest ski resorts in the area, which took two ski lifts to get to the top, and never once felt out of place. Of course my goal was to get to the bottom as fast as possible, forget safety, and Patti’s goal was to not go to the hospital.

- I thought that after running out there in the thin air, I would be in better shape when I ran back here. But dealing with thin air but no humidity is easier than sea level air with crazy humidity. I still found it stifling to run with New England humidity.

- I made jokes about going to Utah, like that Patti would have to wear a burka, but there was nothing unusual about it. I read Under the Banner of Heaven and know that while there are crazy Mormons, that 99% of them are normal people who have a different religion, no different than being a Catholic or Lutheran. You can buy beer, wine and liquor from a store and there is no issue with buying drinks at a bar. A lot of places have private clubs you pay to join, but that is just a unique aspect of Utah, not something that has anything to do with religion. And the clubs are usually a room above the general restaurant and only cost a few bucks to join. It might be different in Salt Lake, but Park City is no different than Quincy or Queens.

- There are still remnants of the 2002 Olympics, where some of the outdoor events were held in Park City. For example, the running trail we used had really cool Olympic statues and information plaques along the way.

- Some of the scenes from Dumb and Dumber were shot there. Not sure where, but I found this out somehow.

- When we were there, Salt Lake had record breaking heat. But Park City, about 35 miles east of SLC, was in the upper 80s with no humidity. Locals were complaining about the heat but to Patti and me it felt much cooler since there was no humidity. Apparently no one has air conditioners since it very rarely gets above the upper 70s.

- One of the more popular ski mountains has all this crap for families. Two things we did were a bobsled ride down the mountain, once on something that ran on a track and another time on a sled that ran down a chute type thing. Both good times.

Overall it was a great trip and we would definitely go back. It’s got a ton of things to do, has plenty of options for eating and going out for drinks, is easy to get to from Salt Lake, and is breathtakingly beautiful. Next time we might bring the kids, or at least some of them. Maybe.

Posted by David at 04:32 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Number 7 BABY!! NUMBER 7!!!

CNN article on best places to live in America.

http://money.cnn.com/galleries/2007/moneymag/0707/gallery.BPTL_top_100.moneymag/7.html

Posted by David at 01:05 PM | Permalink | Comments (2) | TrackBacks (0)

I was in Raleigh, North Carolina a couple of weeks ago for work. I kind of dreaded the trip but it turned out to be a very good time. I spent most of my time in the famed Research Triangle Park, including a surprisingly nice Hilton hotel.

I flew down on Tuesday night and my flight was delayed because of bad weather. The entire week was really warm and humid, with thunderstorms and stuff, on the east coast, so the entire flight schedule along the eastern seaboard was backed up.

I was supposed to leave on Thursday night but my 6:15PM flight was cancelled at 7 in the morning by US Air. A little strange, but my interaction with USAir turned out to be a nightmare. First, I logged on in the morning to find out what time my flight was, and that is how I found out it was cancelled. Not a word from USAir. I tried to call and could not get through. Finally, I saw something I love - an online chat option at the US Air website. So I initiated a chat and here is the transcript. I did not change a singe thing other than to delete private data. I might have been a little bit of a jerk, but why offer online chat if they can't do anything.

Thanks for using our online chat service. An agent will be with you in just a moment.
You have been connected to Janeen G.
David Dobrindt: hello janeen
Janeen G: Hello. Welcome to US Airways online customer support. I have received your message. I will be with you in a moment.
David Dobrindt: k
Janeen G: Do you have a confirmation code?
David Dobrindt: all I have is my airline res number
David Dobrindt: (I typed my conf code)
Janeen G: That flight was cxl due to weather.
David Dobrindt: (after a really long delay) hello?
David Dobrindt: right. I saw that
Janeen G: let me check on your options
David Dobrindt: so what now? is USAir going to get me out tonight?
David Dobrindt: or can you refund my ticket and I'll figure something else out?
Janeen G: when a flight is cancelled due to weather we will reaccomodate on next available flight
David Dobrindt: ok. good. so I will go to the airport and get out tonight I assume
David Dobrindt: please tell me what my new itinerary is
Janeen G: you will need to call reservations dept for your options
David Dobrindt: and I am impressed with US Air. no one notified me of the cancellation and I had to find out myself.
Janeen G: 1-800-428-4322
David Dobrindt: I did call res dept but was told the wait time was 40 minutes
David Dobrindt: I cannot leave my meeting to sit on hold for 40 minutes.
David Dobrindt: please rebook me and call back with the details. xxx-xxx-xxxx
Janeen G: we are an in bound call center
David Dobrindt: this is terrible. so USAir cancelled at 6:15PM flight by 9AM. then I had to find out on my own. now online help cannot actually help. and I have to call and wait on hold for 40 minutes. and USAir won't put me up overnight AND won't refund my flight
David Dobrindt: doing a great job
Janeen G: The cancellation was due to weather.
David Dobrindt: right. you said that
Janeen G: Yes, beyond our control.
David Dobrindt: so while the weatherman can't be accurate, USAir can predict weather 8 hours in advance.
David Dobrindt: so there is nothing you can do to help me at this point
David Dobrindt: you cannot rebook me. or give me options?
Janeen G: you will need to call
Janeen G: I can look for tomorrow
Janeen G: Just one moment please
David Dobrindt: great. and wait on hold for 40 minutes. will do. thanks for telling me the flight was cancelled. no, if I have to wait for tomorrow, I will fly another airline and eat the cost of this ticket. I am platinum on another airline and was forced to fly US Air because of scheduling.
Janeen G: I have a 530 am departure tomorrow
David Dobrindt: but you can't rebook me?
Janeen G: would you like the 530 am?
David Dobrindt: no. I want to get out tonight
Janeen G: I do not have anything tonight
David Dobrindt: wonderful. and USAir won't refund my ticket?
Janeen G: not when the CXL is due to weather
David Dobrindt: what time does the 530 get in to BOS?
Janeen G: 859 am thru PHL
David Dobrindt: no thanks. I'll go with Delta. I'll call my travel dept and let them argue with USAir.
Janeen G: on weather CXL we rebook on next available flight
David Dobrindt: and hotel expense is up to the passenger, correct
Janeen G: I am sorry there was not more I could do for you.

US Air refunded my flight and I flew on Delta the next morning at 6.

Posted by David at 01:32 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Hey, it's been almost a month since I posted anything. I would like to say that I've been busy on holiday in Europe, but the truth is my site has been down. I want to blame my blog software, my hosting company and spammers, but the truth is the fault lies with my own lack of programming skills. Either way, I am back. I missed out on some great news stories to comment on, plus I need to catch up on a great trip to Park City, Utah, but for now I have the site up and running.

Oh, I lost my history of posts. I have them in HTML form but it takes a lot of work to put them back into a format that can be used in this blog. Huge pain in the backside, but life goes on.

So just wanted to say hello and to put your backpack on, I'm about to take you for a ride. Ok, that statement was kind of korny and misplaced, but I have a great Utah story, wanted to comment on Paris Hilton, need to talk about Scudder Libby and other nonsense.

Dave

Posted by David at 03:04 PM | Permalink | Comments (2) | TrackBacks (0)