Travel Notes 10/22/02
Rules of the Air
Southwest made me purchase a second ticket. I can get it refunded if the fight does not get oversold. This is the last indignity that I needed. I heard about this on the radio. I will have to check this out for my fight home for New Years. I feel like raising hell with Southwest about this. I can see the point, but it is the risk I run. I have had plenty of flight where I have had to sit next to someone. I will have to cause some dust when I call them for a refund.
The guy at the counter was falling over himself not to offend me. It took him almost a full minute to tell me the problem. I would rather he be more matter of the fact about it. I could see how he would hurt some people's feelings more my trying to be too sensitive. I would rather he be bold about the idea. I would have some respect for that.
Rules of the Ground
Southwest has retired the colored boarding cards. I think I read about it before getting here today, but I did not realize what it meant. I did not have to stand in line to get a boarding pass. I got the boarding pass when I checked in at the airport. I think this is a lot better. It makes it easier for people like me that like to get the the airport really early. I did not have to wait around to get my ticket. It gives me more free time at the airport to do thinks like use my laptop.
TSA
The security at the San Jose Airport is not being run by the new Transportation Security Agency. It went very smoothly, but it did not seem very efficient. There seemed to be a lot of people just standing around. Three people doing the job of one person. I guess that is what happens when the government takes over.
I do not like the TSA uniforms. They look like rent-a-cop, mall security guard uniforms. They do not say "I am a security expert." They are more like, "I work at and airport and everyone here have epaulets." I would like something that says something stronger. I am not sure I want them to look like thugs, but I want to think people cannot get things past them.
Since the TSA is a new government agency, I wonder if it should have a Latin slogan or not. I think they should not. I know that Latin is a dead language, but not it is a really dead language. I am not sure how many public schools still teach it. I think the slogan should only be in english.
De-planing
I hate the term deplaining. It sounds like a made up word. There has to be a better word to use. It is not like getting off an airplane is so specific task that it needs its own word. It is just talking apart the language.
Seeing the difference
I am trying to look around the airport and see if I can see any differences in the landscape since September 11. I have to say that there are not all that much. The last time I flew to San Diego, Thanksgiving '99, there was a guy here with his son. they were just watching the airplanes takeoff and land. The kid must have been about 4 or 5. I am not going to see people like that around here. I am also not going to see lovers waiting for each other at the airport, a child seeing their grandmother for the first time, or the embrace of two friends who have truly waited too long to see each other again. These are all things I have seen in the past.
Top Five Airplane Songs
Neutral Milk Hotel - In the Areoplane Over the Sea
Wilco - Dash 7
Peter, Paul, & Mary - Leaving on a Jet Plane
Seven Seconds - 99 Red Balloons
Pavement - Plane Down
Rules of the Air
Southwest made me purchase a second ticket. I can get it refunded if the fight does not get oversold. This is the last indignity that I needed. I heard about this on the radio. I will have to check this out for my fight home for New Years. I feel like raising hell with Southwest about this. I can see the point, but it is the risk I run. I have had plenty of flight where I have had to sit next to someone. I will have to cause some dust when I call them for a refund.
The guy at the counter was falling over himself not to offend me. It took him almost a full minute to tell me the problem. I would rather he be more matter of the fact about it. I could see how he would hurt some people's feelings more my trying to be too sensitive. I would rather he be bold about the idea. I would have some respect for that.
Rules of the Ground
Southwest has retired the colored boarding cards. I think I read about it before getting here today, but I did not realize what it meant. I did not have to stand in line to get a boarding pass. I got the boarding pass when I checked in at the airport. I think this is a lot better. It makes it easier for people like me that like to get the the airport really early. I did not have to wait around to get my ticket. It gives me more free time at the airport to do thinks like use my laptop.
TSA
The security at the San Jose Airport is not being run by the new Transportation Security Agency. It went very smoothly, but it did not seem very efficient. There seemed to be a lot of people just standing around. Three people doing the job of one person. I guess that is what happens when the government takes over.
I do not like the TSA uniforms. They look like rent-a-cop, mall security guard uniforms. They do not say "I am a security expert." They are more like, "I work at and airport and everyone here have epaulets." I would like something that says something stronger. I am not sure I want them to look like thugs, but I want to think people cannot get things past them.
Since the TSA is a new government agency, I wonder if it should have a Latin slogan or not. I think they should not. I know that Latin is a dead language, but not it is a really dead language. I am not sure how many public schools still teach it. I think the slogan should only be in english.
De-planing
I hate the term deplaining. It sounds like a made up word. There has to be a better word to use. It is not like getting off an airplane is so specific task that it needs its own word. It is just talking apart the language.
Seeing the difference
I am trying to look around the airport and see if I can see any differences in the landscape since September 11. I have to say that there are not all that much. The last time I flew to San Diego, Thanksgiving '99, there was a guy here with his son. they were just watching the airplanes takeoff and land. The kid must have been about 4 or 5. I am not going to see people like that around here. I am also not going to see lovers waiting for each other at the airport, a child seeing their grandmother for the first time, or the embrace of two friends who have truly waited too long to see each other again. These are all things I have seen in the past.
Top Five Airplane Songs
Neutral Milk Hotel - In the Areoplane Over the Sea
Wilco - Dash 7
Peter, Paul, & Mary - Leaving on a Jet Plane
Seven Seconds - 99 Red Balloons
Pavement - Plane Down
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