No desire to fly

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Tom

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Having a couple of doggies, we haven't been able to fly the last 7 or more years. I previously spent a career flying internationally and domestically, and really have no desire to get on another plane. We drive our coach, with our Suburban in tow, to our lot in WY. We stay a few weeks, then drive the Burb to our town home in OH, near two families of kids and grandkids, stay a month or two, then drive back to WY. We stay the rest of the season in WY, and drive the combo back home to CA.

Reading/listening to the latest flying restrictions, I shake my head. Why would a hidden incendiary device in a laptop be less of a threat in checked baggage than in carry-on? I traveled with all kinds of electronics (way more than computers) for many years. I'm so glad we no longer fly!
 
Because the superior minds at the FAA have decreed so. After all, they have to be seen doing something. ::) Maybe the reasoning is that an explosive device in the hold could not be manually activated but there are certainly ways around that.
 
I don't think it's the FAA. I think it's Homeland Security. Right now the no laptops etc in carry on is just in Europe. The FAA doesn't have any say in what goes on over there.
 
Alaskansnowbirds said:
I don't think it's the FAA. I think it's Homeland Security. Right now the no laptops etc in carry on is just in Europe. The FAA doesn't have any say in what goes on over there.

We just flew in from the UK, no restriction on laptops in your carry on there currently, but I found the post below interesting.  They must have found a device or have intel to be doing this surely.  It will be a nightmare for people. 

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2017/may/15/talks-due-on-us-flight-laptop-ban-amid-eu-travel-chaos-concerns
 
Tom said:
Reading/listening to the latest flying restrictions, I shake my head...  I'm so glad we no longer fly!

+2:  DHS budget has increased from $35B a few years ago to about $70B now so the restrictions will probably skyrocket even tighter, kinda like computers versus hackers... so the reasons not to fly just get better and better... that is, if you have a choice.

Plus, airlines dump 0.5 lb of hot CO2 for every passenger-mile into the atmosphere so multiply that by the billions of passenger-miles flown every few days.  Atmospheric CO2 just went over 410 ppm.  Go figure.
 
I have to fly at the end of the month. It will be the first time in about 12-14 years, and I am not excited about it. The trip itself will be great, but I would much rather drive if I didn't need to be there quickly.
 
Tom said:
Having a couple of doggies, we haven't been able to fly the last 7 or more years. I previously spent a career flying internationally and domestically, and really have no desire to get on another plane. We drive our coach, with our Suburban in tow, to our lot in WY. We stay a few weeks, then drive the Burb to our town home in OH, near two families of kids and grandkids, stay a month or two, then drive back to WY. We stay the rest of the season in WY, and drive the combo back home to CA.

Reading/listening to the latest flying restrictions, I shake my head. Why would a hidden incendiary device in a laptop be less of a threat in checked baggage than in carry-on? I traveled with all kinds of electronics (way more than computers) for many years. I'm so glad we no longer fly!

I am with you all the way Tom!

When I was in the work force I had to do a lot of flying and after years of it, it got old real quick..

Now when I read constantly about all the problems, I hope I never have to fly again

Jack L

Edit: Fixed quote.
 
X3 - Stopped flying on retirement plus once since. Ironically,  I received my permanent AA Gold Card (a million miles) just after my last business flight. I am gradually using up all those miles flying family members around.

Ernie
 
I used to fly a lot. I loved being in the air watching the world go by down below.
The wife, on the other hand, always hated it, and since mid-nineties, has refused to go anywhere we can't drive to.

I have arrived at a place where if I never get on another commercial flight, I will be fine.
 
I?m with you Tom?. Been there? Done that? Enough.

Ever see the move, ?The Cooler?? I do for an airplane what William H. Macy does for a craps table....  ;)
 
The air transport safety people have been demanding that laptops (etc) be demonstrated to work, e.g. boot up, for many years, presumably to prevent somebody from gutting one and packing with explosives. But only for carry-on. I guess they now believe one could demonstrate a working computer and still pack it with enough explosives to be a disaster.  Since a transport cop probably isn't going to recognize anything more sophisticated than a boot-up screen, it's pretty easy to fake.  That's an assessment I agree with, but there are probably  thousands of items that could do the same thing, most any electric/electronic device for sure. Even somebody's electric toothbrush.  At some point there is simply no way to defend against the possibility of a bomb, especially if the bomber is suicidal.

As for the cargo hold, just about anything can be stowed there anyway, so a laptop disguise is largely superfluous in my opinion.

Like many here, I logged a million plus miles of air travel during my working years, but haven't flown since about 1996. And very glad of it!
 
I'm surprised we've made it this long without another "event". As a retired pilot I've had ample experience with airport security and the unfortunate reality is that a determined bad guy who's willing to go down with the ship is nearly impossible to stop. A laptop in checked baggage could be set off by a modified cell phone carried by said bad guy. It's only going to get worse
 
I am gradually using up all those miles flying family members around.

Aye, been there done that, Ernie. I used to tell the kids that they had no idea how many miles/hours I sat in airplanes for them to get their free trips.

Other than weddings and funerals back in the olde country, I haven't been on a plane since the mid/late 90's. The last time we flew voluntarily (a wedding in late 2000's), I swore I couldn't get on another plane; The whole experience is now just too much of a hassle. Regrettably, I skipped the funeral of a family member because I had no desire to fly. We have another wedding coming up in the UK next year, and are seriously considering sending a gift along with our best wishes.

Getting on my first long-haul in the 70's (my younger days) was 'exciting', but the excitement wore off after a few of those flights, and later flying the Pacific route really took it out on my bod. Flying domestic was 'tolerable' when we lived 20 minutes from the San Jose airport in the 80's, and catching a plane was not much different than catching a bus. Similarly, with the Oakland airport in the 90's. But that all changed; Now it's a hassle just to park at the airports.
 
As a retired pilot I've had ample experience with airport security...

Scott, I've often wondered what goes through the minds of pilots and flight crew when they get aboard in today's world.
 
I also traveled a lot for business, and I would prefer never being in an airplane or a hotel room again in my life. Neither desire is very practical, but I try to minimize both. Like the others, I have used up almost all the frequent flyer miles for he kids, and the last few will be to get my SIL to a family Thanksgiving this year (he has a complicated work schedule and will have to book late). People look at us like we are crazy for cross crossing the country with our truck and trailer, but we much prefer it to flying.
 
  I traveled for 33 years by air,, allways with a laptop or other electronic gear,, never had an incident or problem, or concern on MY OWN AIRCRAFT.>>>Dan
 
I'm another who hasn't been in an airliner for many years; sometime in the late '90s was my last time. Aside from the hassle, I'm concerned that my temper might get the better of me. And I've always got a pocket knife, and often a Leatherman, with me, too. DW isn't pleased that I refuse to take an airliner (as opposed to light plane flying, which I love), but avoiding the hassle (possible temper problem, too) and enjoying the countryside from up close make the RV a fine way to travel.
 
We're in the no flying camp. DH used to absolutely love it, but not any more. You're shuttled like cattle with many waits and delays and then packed in like
sardines on the plane. A lot of the people are rude and inconsiderate, as well. There are trips we would love to take that require flying, so we just won't go. It doesn't help that a friend we've made is a retired pilot. He will not set foot on a commercial flight. He's very unimpressed with today's pilot training, etc.
 
The last time I flew was coming home from Granddaughter's graduation in Florida. It was the day Delta's computer system went haywire, and I ended up stuck overnight in Atlanta, abandoned (Along with several thousand of my closest friends) by the airline.

Several friends and family member have traveled by air recently and all returned with horror stories.
It seems that these days that if you actually get to your destination within a day of your scheduled arrival, you are doing good.
It reminds me of travelling in South America in the mid sixties.

The advantage of air travel was that you could get from one end of the country to the other fairly quickly and hassle free. Those were the days.
 
It's all for your safety folks.  God forbid DHS and TSA don't keep up a front to keep the populace under an illusion that they are competent. ::)

Hadn't flown in a decade before 9-11.  Have zero interest in doing it since.
 

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