Still waiting to board our last flight to Billings, where we arrive at 6:30 pm. We will still have a two hour drive to Lewistown, MT after beginning our journey at 5 am that morning. Even with the hour loss we were still traveling a total of 16 hours. It seems to me that the cheaper one wants to travel the more time they spent doing it. We were only in the air about 4 hours so, most of that was either waiting for a flight or driving to and from the airport. I was beat by the time we made it to the house.
Our flight from Eugene, OR to San Francisco, CA was our first flight of the trip. The plane circled the tarmac for 30 minutes before landing due to fog delays. We were concerned because if out flight out of San Fran to Denver was delayed than we would most likely miss the Denver to Billings connection since we only had 50 minutes in between those two. It certainly puts a lot of pressure and stress on travelers who are already uptight wanting to make their connections or waiting for a flight thats been overbooked, hoping that a seat is available. I met a girl who had 22 more hours of traveling since she was heading to India for business. We also sat next to a couple that was coming back from Italy and their final flight arrived at midnight after traveling a full day.
We flew United over and Alaska/Horizon back. I remember when breakfast, lunch, and dinner were offered no questions asked. Now a free soda and the option of purchasing candy is available. The Horizon flights gave us pretzels and complimentary beer, a step up from United. It amazes me how much has changed in the last 10 years, from the new security measures we are subjected to, to the prices we pay for flights, and the lack of direct flights available. I know my blood pressure rises as soon as I get my boarding pass in hand and start heading through the numerous security steps. Thankfully both Eugene and Billings airports are smaller so the staff are not quite so rude and pushy.
So what is the traveling community? Does it include the many employees from the flight attendants to the bartenders as well as the thousands, millions of daily travelers. Who else could be incorporated within the term of traveling community. What about those people who are anxiously waiting for their friends, partners, sons/daughters, family members or business associates to make it home safely. I'm not really sure, but since I did have the opportunity to spend some time in four different airports I thought about my situation and compared it to those around me and wondered where they were going, how long it would take them, how much they paid, or if they used frequent flier miles. I questioned if they were eager to arrive or nervous about their trip.
Still waiting to board our last flight to Billings, where we arrive at 6:30 pm. We will still have a two hour drive to Lewistown, MT after beginning our journey at 5 am that morning. Even with the hour loss we were still traveling a total of 16 hours. It seems to me that the cheaper one wants to travel the more time they spent doing it. We were only in the air about 4 hours so, most of that was either waiting for a flight or driving to and from the airport. I was beat by the time we made it to the house. 
Our flight from Eugene, OR to San Francisco, CA was our first flight of the trip. The plane circled the tarmac for 30 minutes before landing due to fog delays. We were concerned because if out flight out of San Fran to Denver was delayed than we would most likely miss the Denver to Billings connection since we only had 50 minutes in between those two. It certainly puts a lot of pressure and stress on travelers who are already uptight wanting to make their connections or waiting for a flight thats been overbooked, hoping that a seat is available. I met a girl who had 22 more hours of traveling since she was heading to India for business. We also sat next to a couple that was coming back from Italy and their final flight arrived at midnight after traveling a full day. 
We flew United over and Alaska/Horizon back. I remember when breakfast, lunch, and dinner were offered no questions asked. Now a free soda and the option of purchasing candy is available. The Horizon flights gave us pretzels and complimentary beer, a step up from United. It amazes me how much has changed in the last 10 years, from the new security measures we are subjected to, to the prices we pay for flights, and the lack of direct flights available. I know my blood pressure rises as soon as I get my boarding pass in hand and start heading through the numerous security steps. Thankfully both Eugene and Billings airports are smaller so the staff are not quite so rude and pushy. 
So what is the traveling community? Does it include the many employees from the flight attendants to the bartenders as well as the thousands, millions of daily travelers. Who else could be incorporated within the term of traveling community. What about those people who are anxiously waiting for their friends, partners, sons/daughters, family members or business associates to make it home safely. I'm not really sure, but since I did have the opportunity to spend some time in four different airports I thought about my situation and compared it to those around me and wondered where they were going, how long it would take them, how much they paid, or if they used frequent flier miles. I questioned if they were eager to arrive or nervous about their trip. 
You named many of the reasons why I don't want to ever fly again! I'm at the point where I am content with the amount of air travel I have done in my life and my husband and I choose to road trip it from now on. The stress and anxiety of airports and airplanes are too unbearable! The traveling community is not exactly a happy or cohesive one...
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