What Are Your Top Pre-Flight Air Travel Pet Peeves? The 2016 Edition
May 19, 2016, 6:51 pm
#1
Moderator: Hilton Honors forums
Original Poster
Join Date: Dec 2002
Location: Marietta, Georgia, United States
Posts: 24,996
What Are Your Top Pre-Flight Air Travel Pet Peeves? The 2016 Edition
Please click here for the article and poll results. <--The link to the poll results will be added here when it is available.
_______________________________
In many ways, preparing for a trip — and then taking it — is not as easy or as glamorous as it was in the past.
First, you have to either try to find the lowest price yourself — unless you want to bang your head in frustration in attempting to use your frequent flier loyalty program miles — and despite trying to find the flight which best fits your schedule, the only seats which are available happen to be in the rear of the aircraft on the 2:30 flight.
No, not 2:30 in the afternoon — 2:30 in the morning.
You would think that the airport would be empty at that hour; but there are crowds of clueless people blocking your way. Meanwhile, people behind you shove their way past you screaming “Do you know who I am? Do you know who I am?!?” before cutting in front of everyone at the front of the line at the airport security checkpoint.
The person in front of you is asked “How are you doing?” before being waved on past the airport security checkpoint. You, on the other hand, are pulled off to the side and selected for random secondary screening, which consumes approximately 82 minutes of your time.
Desperately needing a drink, you are fortunate to have access to the lounge to await boarding your flight — only to find that you need a crowbar to squeeze yourself inside. You then go to the toilet at the airport, which is completely disgusting and stinks worse than overflowing sewage. You finally approach the gate, where you find out that your flight has been cancelled and the next one with an available seat is not due out until the following Monday — and no hotels within the vicinity of the airport have any vacancy.
I can go on and on; but I believe you get the idea — and you have not even reached the aircraft yet.
This poll is the 2016 Pre-Flight Air Travel Pet Peeves Poll, which will be active through July 15, 2016.
This poll is the latest on FlyerTalk — the largest Internet travel community in the world with a rich base of travel knowledge — in collaboration with Frequent Business Traveler magazine and ExpertFlyer as part of a continuous series of polls pertaining to “pet peeves” of air travel, restaurants, hotels and technology. Frequent Business Traveler will provide the poll; FlyerTalk members — yes, you in particular — will provide the opinions.
The primary purpose of this particular discussion is for you to opine, elaborate on your thoughts and relate your experiences as an airline passenger prior to boarding for your flight.
Results of this poll will be announced both on-line in the magazine and here on FlyerTalk.
Here is the 2015 — and first — version of this poll if you would like to gauge the opinions and results from last year.
So — what are your “pet peeves” of air travel prior to the flight? Please vote today and let everyone know!
_______________________________
In many ways, preparing for a trip — and then taking it — is not as easy or as glamorous as it was in the past.
First, you have to either try to find the lowest price yourself — unless you want to bang your head in frustration in attempting to use your frequent flier loyalty program miles — and despite trying to find the flight which best fits your schedule, the only seats which are available happen to be in the rear of the aircraft on the 2:30 flight.
No, not 2:30 in the afternoon — 2:30 in the morning.
You would think that the airport would be empty at that hour; but there are crowds of clueless people blocking your way. Meanwhile, people behind you shove their way past you screaming “Do you know who I am? Do you know who I am?!?” before cutting in front of everyone at the front of the line at the airport security checkpoint.
The person in front of you is asked “How are you doing?” before being waved on past the airport security checkpoint. You, on the other hand, are pulled off to the side and selected for random secondary screening, which consumes approximately 82 minutes of your time.
Desperately needing a drink, you are fortunate to have access to the lounge to await boarding your flight — only to find that you need a crowbar to squeeze yourself inside. You then go to the toilet at the airport, which is completely disgusting and stinks worse than overflowing sewage. You finally approach the gate, where you find out that your flight has been cancelled and the next one with an available seat is not due out until the following Monday — and no hotels within the vicinity of the airport have any vacancy.
I can go on and on; but I believe you get the idea — and you have not even reached the aircraft yet.
This poll is the 2016 Pre-Flight Air Travel Pet Peeves Poll, which will be active through July 15, 2016.
This poll is the latest on FlyerTalk — the largest Internet travel community in the world with a rich base of travel knowledge — in collaboration with Frequent Business Traveler magazine and ExpertFlyer as part of a continuous series of polls pertaining to “pet peeves” of air travel, restaurants, hotels and technology. Frequent Business Traveler will provide the poll; FlyerTalk members — yes, you in particular — will provide the opinions.
The primary purpose of this particular discussion is for you to opine, elaborate on your thoughts and relate your experiences as an airline passenger prior to boarding for your flight.
Results of this poll will be announced both on-line in the magazine and here on FlyerTalk.
Here is the 2015 — and first — version of this poll if you would like to gauge the opinions and results from last year.
So — what are your “pet peeves” of air travel prior to the flight? Please vote today and let everyone know!
May 19, 2016, 9:26 pm
#2
Join Date: Nov 2014
Location: Aspen, CO
Posts: 792
I'm sort of young (21) and the majority of my flights for intl. work are booked into either J or F. Every time I line up for the pre-boarding queue, I am targeted and asked to show my boarding pass, and if not, during the ticket scanning phase, I am told again by GA "BUSINESS ONLY!" It's very annoying and embarrassing!
May 19, 2016, 9:46 pm
#3
Suspended
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: Atherton, CA
Programs: UA 1K, AA EXP; Owner, Green Bay Packers
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I'm sort of young (21) and the majority of my flights for intl. work are booked into either J or F. Every time I line up for the pre-boarding queue, I am targeted and asked to show my boarding pass, and if not, during the ticket scanning phase, I am told again by GA "BUSINESS ONLY!" It's very annoying and embarrassing!
Then ignore them. If they are airline personnel and they persist, ask for their name so you can report them.
May 19, 2016, 10:22 pm
#4
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Apr 2000
Location: FLL -> Where The Boyars Are
Programs: AA EXP 1.7 M, Hilton Gold, Hertz 5*, AARP Sophomore, 14-time Croix de Candlestick
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I picked the "clueless othet travelers". I think this leads to other more specicic items on the list.
From groups walking in a horizontal fashion so as to block aisleways, standing next to each other on moving sidewalks, waiting until at the threshold of the screening machine to put away cellphones, why do pepole live in little bubbles, ignoring that they are in a shared public space?
From groups walking in a horizontal fashion so as to block aisleways, standing next to each other on moving sidewalks, waiting until at the threshold of the screening machine to put away cellphones, why do pepole live in little bubbles, ignoring that they are in a shared public space?
May 19, 2016, 10:41 pm
#5
Join Date: Aug 2014
Location: Kirkland, WA, USA
Programs: Marriott Gold; LEGO VIP, Amex Platinum, HHonors Gold
Posts: 563
I'm sort of young (21) and the majority of my flights for intl. work are booked into either J or F. Every time I line up for the pre-boarding queue, I am targeted and asked to show my boarding pass, and if not, during the ticket scanning phase, I am told again by GA "BUSINESS ONLY!" It's very annoying and embarrassing!
So, be polite, show your pass, and sit in your comfy seat drinking bubbly and fine scotch (which the people who checked you pass aren't doing, because they're still at work in an airport)
May 19, 2016, 11:28 pm
#6
Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: KSUX
Posts: 906
I'm sort of young (21) and the majority of my flights for intl. work are booked into either J or F. Every time I line up for the pre-boarding queue, I am targeted and asked to show my boarding pass, and if not, during the ticket scanning phase, I am told again by GA "BUSINESS ONLY!" It's very annoying and embarrassing!
May 20, 2016, 2:31 am
#7
Join Date: Nov 2014
Location: Aspen, CO
Posts: 792
Rule #8, always be polite to people who are likely to be having a worse day than you.
So, be polite, show your pass, and sit in your comfy seat drinking bubbly and fine scotch (which the people who checked you pass aren't doing, because they're still at work in an airport)
So, be polite, show your pass, and sit in your comfy seat drinking bubbly and fine scotch (which the people who checked you pass aren't doing, because they're still at work in an airport)
May 20, 2016, 2:42 am
#8
Join Date: May 2016
Programs: EK Gold, TK Elite, Marriott Rewards, Global Entry, MileagePlus
Posts: 264
One big pet peeve that wasn't listed is temporal airline pricing schemes. When booking personal travel I hate playing the price optimization game. The only way to really win is to monitor the price over time and user other services that do so for you as well. It's bad enough for a regular return trip but try a multi-destination booking and this becomes hell.
I know this helps airlines maximize revenue and segment the market, but I hate it!
I know this helps airlines maximize revenue and segment the market, but I hate it!
May 20, 2016, 4:16 am
#9
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: AGH
Posts: 5,961
Nothing is more annoying than "Discourteous and uninformed staff" for me.
Especially the uninformed part. I can live with people which have a bad day or are in general grumpy but if someone tells me I cannot book e.g. a SK and LH flight on one itinerary, check my back all the way to the final destination one two or more airlines belonging to the same alliance )even worse on out of alliance interlining) or deny boarding since they have their own way of reading and (not) understanding the TIMATIC information... then suddenly the whole traveling part of my job plainly sucks.
Especially the uninformed part. I can live with people which have a bad day or are in general grumpy but if someone tells me I cannot book e.g. a SK and LH flight on one itinerary, check my back all the way to the final destination one two or more airlines belonging to the same alliance )even worse on out of alliance interlining) or deny boarding since they have their own way of reading and (not) understanding the TIMATIC information... then suddenly the whole traveling part of my job plainly sucks.
May 20, 2016, 5:04 am
#10
Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: London
Programs: US Gold
Posts: 627
I think poorly designed booking systems are the biggest problem for me - it's particularly noticeable if you want to book a multi-city or open jaws itinerary and you *do* have some flexibility in your dates, because these systems all assume that multi-city = fixed dates. So you can't compare prices between days as easily as you can with straight round-trip fares.
The other thing that really bugs me increasingly - and it's *not* on the poll at all - is poorly designed lounges. What I want is: a desk/chair with a power point, a place to put my roller bag, a view of the departure screen, and sufficient space for a laptop, a plate, and a beverage receptacle that is in a reasonably quiet area. I'm seeing lounges where there is no desk space for people with their own computers (BA, YYZ), where there are power points only next to lounge chairs (LHR T4) but not near desks or tables where you could actually work, where there are *no* departure screens (I forget where that was - probably YYZ or MIA - but I hated it - "We think it's more relaxing this way" said the receptionist, loud mobile phone talkers, etc.
They also don't mention the food in the lounges, which is far more substantial in European airline lounges than American ones.
wg
The other thing that really bugs me increasingly - and it's *not* on the poll at all - is poorly designed lounges. What I want is: a desk/chair with a power point, a place to put my roller bag, a view of the departure screen, and sufficient space for a laptop, a plate, and a beverage receptacle that is in a reasonably quiet area. I'm seeing lounges where there is no desk space for people with their own computers (BA, YYZ), where there are power points only next to lounge chairs (LHR T4) but not near desks or tables where you could actually work, where there are *no* departure screens (I forget where that was - probably YYZ or MIA - but I hated it - "We think it's more relaxing this way" said the receptionist, loud mobile phone talkers, etc.
They also don't mention the food in the lounges, which is far more substantial in European airline lounges than American ones.
wg
May 20, 2016, 5:37 am
#11
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: AGH
Posts: 5,961
I think poorly designed booking systems are the biggest problem for me - it's particularly noticeable if you want to book a multi-city or open jaws itinerary and you *do* have some flexibility in your dates, because these systems all assume that multi-city = fixed dates. So you can't compare prices between days as easily as you can with straight round-trip fares.
1 would be okay and I would speak with nice and educated agents
May 20, 2016, 10:25 am
#12
Join Date: May 2016
Location: IST, LHR
Programs: TK E+, AA PLAT
Posts: 481
I picked the "clueless othet travelers". I think this leads to other more specicic items on the list.
From groups walking in a horizontal fashion so as to block aisleways, standing next to each other on moving sidewalks, waiting until at the threshold of the screening machine to put away cellphones, why do pepole live in little bubbles, ignoring that they are in a shared public space?
From groups walking in a horizontal fashion so as to block aisleways, standing next to each other on moving sidewalks, waiting until at the threshold of the screening machine to put away cellphones, why do pepole live in little bubbles, ignoring that they are in a shared public space?
I cannot understand why it can come as a surprise to people that they have to remove their laptop and liquids before security?!? Not the norm in all parts of the world and they might not be frequent travelers but unless they are deaf and blind there is no excuse
May 20, 2016, 10:47 am
#13
Join Date: May 2012
Posts: 240
I'm sort of young (21) and the majority of my flights for intl. work are booked into either J or F. Every time I line up for the pre-boarding queue, I am targeted and asked to show my boarding pass, and if not, during the ticket scanning phase, I am told again by GA "BUSINESS ONLY!" It's very annoying and embarrassing!
May 20, 2016, 11:00 am
#14
Suspended
Join Date: Nov 2015
Posts: 1,808
Clueless pax, aka KETTLES, are my biggest pet peeve. Always has been, always will be.
It covers such a wide range of things, but generally it comes down to losing all common sense in moving within a crowd: Congregating at the top of escilators, standing confused at the jetway exit on arrival, standing and chatting in the aisle during boarding, gate licing, confusing gate number with seat number, and failing to book seats ahead of time then expecting others to swap for a worse one just so they can sit next to their adult companions.
It covers such a wide range of things, but generally it comes down to losing all common sense in moving within a crowd: Congregating at the top of escilators, standing confused at the jetway exit on arrival, standing and chatting in the aisle during boarding, gate licing, confusing gate number with seat number, and failing to book seats ahead of time then expecting others to swap for a worse one just so they can sit next to their adult companions.
May 20, 2016, 11:00 am
#15
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: Land of ORD
Programs: AA Plat UA Premier
Posts: 9,152
