I was reading a story today about United Airlines and also thinking about our Southwest flight we are taking in a month or so; and it reminded me about the difference in North American & South American airlines (of course I'm talking coach class here, I've never ridden first class in my life).
In North America we now have to pay for security taxes, fuel surcharge taxes, each bag we check, and sometimes even to print a paper ticket. For that money you get long lines, security checks where you have to take off your shoes and belts, tiny (sometimes claustrophobicly so) seats, a used airline magazine (or a movie - free if your lucky, Delta coming home charged for anything but sitcoms), a cup of something to drink and a sample size bag of crackers (or peanuts).
In South America you have to pay for flight taxes (when you leave a country) in cash at the airport (they kindly provide an ATM next to the line location), and you have to pay extra for your bag if it exceeds the weight limit (but none of ours ever did). For that money you get shorter lines (yes even the customs line in Miami was longer than in Guayaquil), easier security (no taking off shoes and a lot shorter lines), same size seats as in North America, magazines (or on LAN they had personal consoles that had free movies & free games - John & I played battleship & tetris), a cup of something to drink and a full size sandwich.
On our trip we flew from Salt Lake to Atlanta to Miami, Guayaquil to Quito, Quito back to Guyaquil, Guayaquil to Lima, Lima to Cuzco, Cuzco back to Lima, Lima back to Guyaquil, Guyaquil to Miami to Atlanta to Salt Lake. (yeah too bad we didn't fly the same airline or rack up any frequent flyer miles.) I just found it interesting that I found the trips in South America a lot more pleasant than those in U.S. (or those that I have taken in U.S. over the span of my lifetime).
Of course I'm glad that there are security precautions and that I can afford to fly, but I'm glad I don't have to very often. I also found it sad that the majority of the people who live in South America will probably never set foot on an airplane because they can barely afford clean water to drink. :S
Monday, February 23, 2009
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