My flight as a pack mule
A trip to see the grandparents in England. At first it didn’t seem like that big a deal, but soon reality hit: the summer crowds, the long lines at the airport, some extreme weather — and a little boy fast approaching 2 years of age. Suddenly the flight to England seemed like a major undertaking. James Wysong tells how he survived.
Labor Day air travel: how to survive
The end-of-summer travel season sits on the horizon, wiping the last sweaty drips of frustration from its brow. It’s the time of year that airline workers hope will pass quickly. Indeed, they look forward to Labor Day almost as much as beach-weary parents look forward to the first day of school. James Wysong reprises some tips for surviving the busy travel weekend.
Why are U.S. airlines so bad?
People say U.S. airlines are among the worst in the airline industry. Stack them up against their international competitors and they fail the tests of customer service, amenities and overall friendliness. Why is that? Why can’t American carriers compete? James Wysong has some ideas.
10 things to do when you’re dead at the airport
Dead time. It’s the time wasted at the airport. You know, the time you spend sitting at the departure gate, staring at the runway, because your airline insisted you get there three hours before your flight. It’s also the time you kill between connecting flights, during delays or waiting for the weather to give you a break. If you fly often, you have been dead many times at the airport. James Wysong takes a look at some airport offerings and tells how to liven things up.
10 ways to avoid a weather delay
With all of the hurricanes, floods, tornados and the Weather Channel striking unrelenting fear into many viewers, it is getting more and more evident that we are all just pawns when it comes to extreme weather events. This is especially true when it comes to air travel. Here are 10 ways to stay on Mother Nature’s good side when you fly.
My worst flight ever
Trips from hell — everyone has a horror story about a bad flight on an airplane. James Wysong has worked as a flight attendant for 18 years, and he’s had some doozies. In this column, James tells about his worst flight ever and invites readers to write in with theirs.
10 ways to keep cool while flying
It wasn’t that long ago that we were complaining about the brutally cold winter that caused endless delays and cancellations. Now we find ourselves in the grip of the hot stale air of summer. The airports are packed with vacationing tourists, and things are literally heating up. James Wysong reprises some tips for keeping cool at the airport.
Who’s to blame for this airline mess?
James Wysong has been thinking a lot about the airline industry recently. Everywhere he looks he sees dissatisfaction. Customers are unhappy, stockholders are nervous, management is desperate and union workers are furious. Was it ever any different? Is somebody to blame? After much thought, James has finally figured something out. Yes, there is someone to blame, he says. And that someone is you.
A smelly situation in the skies
It’s the sweatiest season of the year, and you don’t need a thermometer to prove it. Just step aboard an airplane and take a deep breath. Peeee-yew! After a couple of hours, you’re ready to rip the nose off your face. James Wysong has some advice for dealing with BO, bad breath, smelly feet and other odors in the sky.
A bad case of bad attitude
Nasty flight attendants, sullen gate agents, ticket agents who never once crack a smile — what’s going on here? Bad attitudes at the airport, that’s what. And no wonder: Airline employees have been kicked around a lot in recent years, and their morale is pretty much bankrupt. What’s the average traveler to do?