I wish I didn't know that flying (in this case, in the US) used to be much more tolerable.

Urgh, even at ADD and AUH I had to take my shoes off. I saw signs for "US pre-clearance" at the latter, but I was flying to CGK...

1. I am a chronically late person. TSA Precheck has saved me a significant amount of $$ on flights that I would have otherwise missed. I routinely show up right before the boarding door closes.

2. When the SO thinks I am answering emails, I am usually reading posts on FT :-)

3. I generally prefer not to talk to my seatmates. I often put in my earphones with no music playing to avoid conversation and get some R&R. I'm truly not an introvert, but usually I am either too exhausted or too tipsy to make meaningful conversation...I do it for the sake of my seatmate :-)

1. I find FT much less enlightening than it was 7-8 years ago. Not sure exactly what I attribute this to... probably I have learned enough that I am pretty savvy and also I think the large growth of members who grew up posting responses to blogs,news sites etc. so you have to sort through too many worthless posts to find nuggets.
2. Similar to bowdenj I read Flyertalk by looking at new posts only, however I always search for new posts first, then log in, so that the posts do not include Omni/OmniPR.

I love this. I thought I was the only one who did this... ;)

I learned it in India :-)

I take snacks out of the United Club. It was easier to do this when they (COPC) has bags of chips and peanuts.

Wow.. That's commitment.;)

I confess that I pretty much forget about price sensitivity at the airport. I will pay $30 to $50 to sit in a quiet bar and have a couple of beers and an appetizer. On the street in New York or London I would be outraged by the tab, but not at the airport in Cleveland or Dallas.

I confess that I find FT a much more sour, unenlightening environment than 7-10 years ago. I attribute it partly to community growth, partly to the shriveling of loyalty programs. When resources are abundant people are generous; when they are thought to be scarce, people are selfish.

I can't.
Ryanair and Easyjet fly to where my grandchildren live.

I have no earthly idea how the drink trays work in F/J. The ones that come out of the armrests. I don't sit up front much, but when I do (US domestic F, Airtran J) my lack of knowledge and fear of looking clownish shames me from even trying to figure it out.

I have never flown during the month of March!
I also have a habit of being one of the last to board the plane.

heehee Mr. LabCat trots this out whenever he hears me starting to get whiny about some minor first-world-problem thing when traveling.

Confession: I lie to immigration officers about MRs, claiming "it was free - I used points that were about to expire" when the officer scowls at me for spending more time in the air than at my destination.

I like simple or economy type meals. I can do without the fancy wines and meals!!

I confess I like strolling past the long economy line to the biz/first class check in counter and taking 2 minutes to check in!

Well, the boarding was more tolerable but the on-board experience has improved in many ways since the 70s and 80s. (and declined in many other ways that don't need me to repeat them of course)

E.g. airline food on long-hauls is much better, (short -hauls and LCCs are a different matter) interiors are upgraded or refurbished more frequently, in-flight entertainment is better than most people even had at home back then.

I guess I have a confession. I really should apply for Nexus, but I resort to going through painful security lines every time I enter into the airport. My entire family with two small kids in tow. We block lines for 5 minutes as we disembark every item onto the scanner belt. We use minimum 10 trays often with one item on each tray. Then we pack the stroller and put that on the belt as well.

It takes us a long time to gather our belongings. At the end of the journey, there are travellers gritting their teeth waiting for sweet ol us to finish. Planes are delayed, and people's schedule worsens, whoever chooses to be behind us in Security. Merry Christmas.:)