Too old to travel?
Jun 29, 2020, 5:53 am
#76
Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: Florida
Posts: 2,872
Age and, to a reasonable extent, physical condition should not be factor if the siren song of travel is still calling to you. I've probably seen more exotic locales in the past ten years than I did in the first 60 plus years of my life. And I'd be out there traveling today if it weren't for this pandemic. Sure I need a wheelchair in large sprawling airports, and long hikes are definitely out of the question, but I don't see why that should stop me from visiting the places I want to visit.
Jun 30, 2020, 8:27 pm
#79
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: May 2002
Location: Pittsburgh
Programs: MR/SPG LT Titanium, AA LT PLT, UA SLV, Avis PreferredPlus
Posts: 31,005
I'm very curious (two years later) how someone can "literally starve" on a flight. (starve - "suffer severely or die from hunger")
That's one long flight.
Fwiw, my grandmother flew to my uncle's house for the holidays well into her 90's.
That's one long flight.
Fwiw, my grandmother flew to my uncle's house for the holidays well into her 90's.
Jul 7, 2020, 11:32 am
#81
Join Date: Feb 2005
Posts: 825
That's definitely a good reason to do your bucket list international trips earlier in life before travel insurance gets prohibitively expensive (or is just plain unavailable at any price). Medicare's good anywhere in the US, but it's useless outside of it. Fortunately there are many places in the Us that are well worth visiting, so an 80+ year old traveler who can't afford travel medical still has plenty of great options to choose from!
Sep 22, 2021, 10:53 am
#82
Join Date: Dec 2014
Programs: OZ Diamond, QR Gold, HH Gold, IHG Plat, Accor Plat
Posts: 669
Whilst I applaud assisting seniors and making the screening process easier on them, the whole idea of screening is it is supposed to be unpredictable.
There should not be a pattern to anything. Indeed ICAO even demands Contracting States to the Chicago Convention (of which the US is one) incorporate randomness into screening operations.
If seniors are allowed to pass through checkpoints without sometimes having to remove shoes, it is pretty obvious to someone with ill intent that at an airport with just archway metal detectors for scanning persons, a non-metallic prohibited article can be transported into the airport's restricted area simply by placing it in a senior's shoe!
Far better to screen all people equally but perhaps offer a chair to any elderly passengers.
Sep 23, 2021, 8:22 am
#83
Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: Florida
Posts: 2,872
I hope from a security perspective that is not TSA's policy.
Whilst I applaud assisting seniors and making the screening process easier on them, the whole idea of screening is it is supposed to be unpredictable.
There should not be a pattern to anything. Indeed ICAO even demands Contracting States to the Chicago Convention (of which the US is one) incorporate randomness into screening operations.
If seniors are allowed to pass through checkpoints without sometimes having to remove shoes, it is pretty obvious to someone with ill intent that at an airport with just archway metal detectors for scanning persons, a non-metallic prohibited article can be transported into the airport's restricted area simply by placing it in a senior's shoe!
Far better to screen all people equally but perhaps offer a chair to any elderly passengers.
Whilst I applaud assisting seniors and making the screening process easier on them, the whole idea of screening is it is supposed to be unpredictable.
There should not be a pattern to anything. Indeed ICAO even demands Contracting States to the Chicago Convention (of which the US is one) incorporate randomness into screening operations.
If seniors are allowed to pass through checkpoints without sometimes having to remove shoes, it is pretty obvious to someone with ill intent that at an airport with just archway metal detectors for scanning persons, a non-metallic prohibited article can be transported into the airport's restricted area simply by placing it in a senior's shoe!
Far better to screen all people equally but perhaps offer a chair to any elderly passengers.
I don't know if any statistics on this have been kept, but I strongly doubt that many (if any) would-be terrorists, hijackers or smugglers are over the age of 75. There might be some, I concede, but I haven't heard of any making the news. We're more likely to die of natural causes on an airplane than hijack it.
Sep 29, 2021, 2:54 pm
#84
Join Date: Oct 2012
Location: NW Iowa
Programs: Hilton Gold, Marriott Gold Elite, Hyatt Explorist, IHG Platinum Elite, Delta Silver Medallion
Posts: 378
I have a great aunt and uncle who still travel and he's 91 and she's 88. Both are in decent health albeit have knee/hip replacements. They no longer rent a car when they travel to a new city and primarily rely on Uber as well as prearranged transportation. They strictly fly on paid business class as the extra comfort and room is no longer just a luxury but almost a necessity. They stay in 4+ star hotels that have a concierge that can arrange tours or activities for them.
Travel should never be restricted to age...as one gets older you simply have to change your ways a bit in how you execute travel plans.
Travel should never be restricted to age...as one gets older you simply have to change your ways a bit in how you execute travel plans.
Feb 26, 2022, 8:08 pm
#86
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2010
Programs: AA
Posts: 14,733
On a cruise with my mom right now. This is the last cruise together. Possibly the last flights. I cherish the memories that we’ve made together but we’ve reached the point where this is too stressful for both of us. We will search for vacations close to home in the future.