In Harm's Way

[digitaldiscipline]

No update yesterday because, frankly, after a nine-plus hour travel ordeal (four hour layover in BWI, followed by the absolute worst Screaming Children From Hell flight to NOLA ("Who's the asshole who says this flight stops in Birmingham? It sure the fuck didn't on the way up."), we were fucking beat.

I think it's high time someone opened either a "Child/Family-Friendly" airline that caters to travelling nuclear units (larger bathrooms to allow for changing diapers, padded seatbacks to obviate seat-kicking disturbances, maybe even seatback screens with family-oriented programming to help ossify the youngsters), or, said another way, a child-averse airline (or schedule of flights) catering to business travellers and those of us who really, really, really don't want to be sonically abused for hours on end when a dozen under-fives feel like having a synchronized tantrum.

The only satisfaction we got yesterday was from the fact that the seat-kicker behind us was probably eight or nine, and looked appropriately alarmed when K & I popped up, turned around, and growled "Knock it off," (I would have added "before I feed you your fucking legs" if I'd had to do it a second time).

Not too beat to discover the hidden bunny, but still. Priorities. *grin*

Okay, enough recap - I need to recover several parcels from the FedEx depot, get cat litter, and pay rent before resuming with the packing and hardware resucitation. It was good to see family, but it's also damn good to be home, if only for two days before hauling ass to Gothopia.

Comments

[rachellll.livejournal.com]

I would SO pay extra for a child-free flight. I am all about that.

[micahra.livejournal.com]

Tim and I were talking about how it would be brilliant if we had the money to open up a theatre that's 21+ like they have in Ybor city. It would be a guaranteed success.

[trystbat.livejournal.com]

Be thankful it wasn't an international flight!

Even when T&I considered having kids, we were adamant about not taking it on a plane until age 6, & even then, only if the hypothetical child was very quiet & polite or we had sedatives for it. Then we decided we couldn't stand not traveling for 7 years, so we opted out of the kid plan entirely ;-)

[ashbet]

And, speaking as a parent, I love your idea of a child-FRIENDLY airline . . . particularly when Kira was younger!! It sucks *ass* that you have to pay full adult fare to get a toddler their own seat, so you're either stuck holding them in your lap or paying an extra $300* for the second seat . . . and then you've got basically no child-friendly amenities, noplace for them to be able to work off any energy, etc. . . . hee, as long as I'm fantasizing, I want the plane to have an internal Moon Bounce, so that, when the seatbelt signs are off, you can seal the kids in and let 'em bounce off the walls, but they're safe in case of turbulence ;)

-- A (who, when flying alone, wouldn't mind that childFREE airline one little bit, either!)

*It's hard as hell to get to La Crosse, WI cheaply, and that's where I was most frequently flying -- I couldn't rent a car at the time and drive from Chicago or Minneapolis 'cos I was under 25 :P

[smaugchow.livejournal.com]

I will have to do that evil deed next winter - the family vacation is coming up and Drew will be about 14 months old. Hell, I don't even want to be on a damn plane from Chicago to Mexico city, so I know he will be unhappy about it. At least we are bright enough to take care of his ears - bottle on the way up and down. That's gonna suck. Although he is generally very good in public, so ya never know.

Honestly, though - there is NOTHING happy or good or relaxing about flying. It's a shitty way to travel. You can't be comfortable, you can't eat real food, you can't have a whole can of soda, you can't have sex, you can't have a calm environment, you can't have space, you can't have a pocket knife (I ALWAYS carry a pocket knife) - you can't do anything! So just grin and bear it and it will be over soon enough.

And Rafe, your proposed airline exists - it's called "first class."

[geekers.livejournal.com]

... or take the train. ;D