Huh? I'm a veteran, and not changing any of my flight plans, but I disagree with the war. I don't understand what you're trying to say, Mary.

I think what I'm trying to say is that we have a generation of people who are very concerned with keeping the status quo, with business as usual, who really don't want to see anything that would force them to have to give up anything or change anything in their lives. Disagreeing with A war is one thing. But I believe, and it is only my humble opinion as they say, that short of a full blown attack on our soil, most young americans today are not willing to fight for anything! Noone can stand to see anything unpleasant or painful, and unfortunately, the reality of life is that there is much all over the world that is terrible and idealism is not going to make it better. Protests don't make it better. I think at some point Americans have to be willing to fight for change and a good many of them are too busy fighting to not have to fight! (hope that made the sense it was meant to). Perhaps what I'm trying to say is that unfortunately, sometimes the end justifies the means.

I hardly think this is an American trait either. Qantas just lost a lot of bookings because of the SARS sacre, I read. When German tourists to Florida with rental cars were being targeted, Germans stopped visiting Florida. And didn't bookings to the US from all over fall in the wake of 9/11?

Some people find life fearful; some people don't. Little to do with heritage.

I wish that more people were like all of you on here. I am a Flight Attendant and the loads have dropped right off. My job is also dropping off, I'm getting laid off on April 1st due to how passengers have reacted to this war. Hopefully it will be short lived. I saw the same thing after 9/11 and it didn't seem to take all that long to bounce back. Keep Flying, it's the safest way to go!!!!!! http://www.flyertalk.com/travel/fttr...orum/smile.gif

I see a few reasons why people would consider cancelling trips

1- They were travelling to areas of unrest ( travel to some Muslim countries)

2- They are concerned about airlines cutting routes on them while they are abroad (look at the recent announcements by UA)

3- They're older and they don't like any kind of uncertainty.



[This message has been edited by Droneklax (edited 03-28-2003).]

4) check-in procedures for air travel to/from/in the U.S.A (and immigration to the USA) became even more time-consuming and is really nothing to enjoy anymore.

Most of them can't carry a tune.

If turning airports into military-style prison camps won't keep the international travelers away,
maybe showing the World our arrogance and contempt for diplomacy will?
That failed. The diplomacy part that is - the arrogance and contempt worked all too well.
But some people probably have to come here on business, so bush launches 'invades for crusades' to give an image of 'hate American products'; now, business will have knowone to trade and no travelers to come make trade. Of course, many corporations get profits from 3rd-World exploitation; after Iraq, it can be used as a model - to rise up against the U.S., and win.

Have $$$ to sell...cheap!

bushler has run our country into the ground in only 2 years, but it is going to take 50 years to repair the damage.

bushy times are hoovering over us.

The American Public has been filled with 'wimps' for some time. This 'wimps' or mindless masses have affected airline travel in many ways,

First:
The US has been filled with unrationally paranoid wimps for many years. All the 'Joe Vacationers' who are so afraid to fly that the government created the TSA to placate them.

Oh my we can't let you take that 2 inch pen knife on the plane but the 6 inch Mont Blanc fountain pen that can be driven through a board is perfectly alright. The mindless masses, however, are appeased.

The risk of a plane being flown into a building is not lessened by the TSA and the advanced (read "ridiculusly ineffective")security. It was lessened as soon as word got out that idiots were flying planes into buildings. Even the hijackers on 9/11 knew that. But 'Joe Vacation' stays scared. So now they want us to check in 2 hours in advance to ensure I get through their 'insecurity checks'.

Second:
Many companies have stopped most routine travel. Was this a response to terrorist threats? No, this was in response to an economic reality. The economy crashed in the last year of the "Clinton" administration not Bushleagues fault but he gets the blame anyway. Not really Teflon Willies fault either. This again can be blamed on the mindless masses who overbought in a panic for Y2K and Overbought internet stocks on fear of being left behind.

Other rants left out as I was getting mindless. http://www.flyertalk.com/travel/fttr...m/rolleyes.gif

Let's face it, the media only shows newsworthy (death and destruction) stuff, and so our perceptions are biased and are always raised to panic proportions. When I lived in England in the early '80's, a friend from Lebanon could not believe that anyone could live in L.A. with all the daily gang killings. He was seeing a bloodbath on T.V., when in fact most people go about their lives in statistical safety. Whenever there is an earthquake, viewers assume that the entire city lies in ruins because the same flattened apartment building is shown over and over.

I have two trips to Hawaii and one planned for Eastern Europe this year, no way am I cancelling.I am not wimping out! http://www.flyertalk.com/travel/fttr...orum/smile.gif

I refuse to stop living my life just because of some terrorist threat or because a part of the world is at war. I will not stop flying.

I'm betting that more of this lack of travel has more to do with a lack of money. For the airline indusrty, it is the perfect storm.

marysunshine and tcjack, you are right on.

This country is filled with wimps. The Greatest Generation that Mr. Brokaw wrote of must be seriously ashamed of us. They saved the world and our country for us, and we're doing our darnedest to piss it away.

I personally ascribe it to the hippies of the 60's. All the crap started then, and now it's their kids and grandkids who continue the legacy of failure and stupidity.

Having said that, it's still the greatest nation on earth. It just currently has much room for improvement.

Oh, and I haven't stopped flying. Ain't skeered. Not flying as much as last year, but that's only due to doing enough trips this year to keep silver...qualified for gold last year. I bought my next trip the day NW announced the 4,900 layoffs. I went to AMS a month before the war, heard exactly zero anti-American sentiments.

Since almost all of my travel is leisure, I have a few other things to pay off, like a car and a house, before I can truly travel as much as I want.

But the war won't stop me. I'm safer in a jet than my in my truck.

IMO I thought the point being made by Mary was that too many children were essentially raised in an environment where they were not given the tools to make viable decsisions.
I am a vet who became an anti-Vietnam War vet.
My father fought in ww2 and korea and also thought Vietnam was a bit crazy or over the top.
I lived in the Haight-Ashbury for awhile and was described by the media as a hippie.
My son joined me on peace marches.
Having raised my son to make his own decisions I support his decision to join the Army.
He is now serving in a mechanized infantry unit 2km from the dmz in korea and has been there for the last 17 months.
He is now trying to qualify for military language school and learn arabic. Although my sister would never ever consider herself to have been a hippie her daughter is a Captain in the Ohio National Guard who was called up a couple of months ago.

[This message has been edited by magic111 (edited 03-29-2003).]