Fly the Friendly Skies? Yeah, Right.

Or, Hell-to-the-No, I Will Not Get on a Plane, and Neither Should You. Here's Why.

(Do you like my alternate title? I like it.)

Okay, so I hate flying. Like really, really loathe it with the white hot intensity of a thousand suns. It's not my thing. And, it's not because I've never been on a plane, so don't go getting any crazy ideas. I've flown, many times. That's how I know I hate it. 

Why I Hate Flying (Do You See Any of Your Own Reasons on This List?)

Things about flying that make me despise it:

• High ticket prices for short trips
• That feeling of being irradiated by the sun once you get up above the clouds. It's why I always shut my window blind.
• The possibility of getting stuck in a window or middle seat. I need aisle. The plane is a bit too confined of an environment for my tastes, so at least give me the illusion of space with an aisle seat.
• The possibility of having to sit anywhere but in the very back of the plane. There's probably nothing scientific to base this on, but I just feel it's safer back there if the plane were to crash.
• That "Oh, crap, we're off the ground!" feeling upon takeoff.
• That "Oh crap, we're going to crash" feeling upon approaching the runway for landing.
• Invasive searches at airport security.
• Bad attitudes of airport security people. One of those gestapo dudes actually threatened to call the police on my husband once when he complained about US Airway's customer service and said he hoped they went out of business. He didn't even say it to the security dude. The guy just heard him say it, and got all, "We will not be questioned!" on him
• Always having to get wanded down because I have two titanium knees (I've had both knees replaced).
• My knees swelling up every single damn time I fly, which causes me to limp off the plane.
• Boarding and take-off delays.
• Crowded airports.
• Overpriced overnight airport parking ($90 one time, in Manchester, NH, seriously).
• Dirty planes that clearly haven't been cleaned or serviced in ages.
• Tiny bathrooms.
• Turbulence.
• The high and mighty attitude of the airlines in general, as if they think they are my only choice of transportation.

And, that's just a list of the highlights of reasons I hate flying.

The good news is that I haven't been on a plane since 2005. And, if I have it my way, I won't get on one again. Now, I actually DO love to travel. But planes? No way.

On the other hand, I LOVE, ADORE train travel. It's the best way to get anywhere, as far as I'm concerned. I don't care that it takes longer. The train ride is part of the fun of the journey. And for going overseas? Ships, baby.

Despite my PERSONAL reasons for not wanting to get on a plane, there are a few practical reasons why NO ONE should. The airlines need a national boycott. Not just one company. The entire industry. 

Do you want to know why? Believe me, the reasons for NOT flying benefit us all. Read on, and learn why flying is the worst form of travel for anyone.

Three Good Reasons to Never Fly

1. The Airlines are Arrogant and Abusive to Their Customers

You've read the stories of horribly abusive practices by the airlines toward their customers. They're all bad, but a few of them are truly horrific. And, I know there are two sides to every story, but some of these stories just have no justification for the airline doing what it did to a paying customer, regardless of anything else.

It seems like we're reading more of these stories all the time. And, these are just the ones that make it into the news. Imagine all the hundreds, thousands, or more that don't.

Why do they do it? Because millions of people have decided to let them. All the people who get on an airplane after hearing how badly it treated one or more of its customers are telling that airline it is okay for them to keep doing it. They will keep doing it, as long as they believe you would rather put up with their nonsense than take an alternative form of travel.

The only way to get them to stop, take stock of their policies, and change them to be more customer-friendly is if we all collectively say, "No more," and refuse to get on another plane on any carrier until things change industry-wide.

Of course, it's not just airline personnel who are assholes to their customers. It is the people who work at the airports, too. The security agents at the checkpoints are basically elementary school dropouts on power trips, and airport police are thugs in uniforms who think they have more authority than they do. 

It's going to take a lot of lawsuits by abused customers to bring about the governmental oversight and reform the industry needs. It's going to take a boycott that gives them a noticeable hit in the wallet for them to change of their own accord. 

If we keep buying those tickets and getting on the planes, we're telling them their abusive practices are okay, and that we will put up with it. I, for one, will not. And, I urge everyone who reads this to do the same. Show them you won't take their crap anymore and make them respect you as the paying (and presumably non-violent, non-criminal) customer you are.

2. Flying is Actually Physically Not Good for You

Most everyone knows that flying carries a risk of deep vein thrombosis (DVT), which is caused from sitting in cramped conditions for long periods of time. It can be fatal if not caught and treated quickly. More than one seemingly healthy young person has died because of this while on a flight. Getting up and walking around the plane as much as possible, and drinking lots of water while in the air to avoid dehydration, can reduce the risk. However, it is not always possible to do these things while flying, or at least not as much as you should.

It goes beyond that, though. You get insane radiation exposure when you fly. Those who fly frequently, like business travelers and flight attendants, get more radiation exposure than people who work at nuclear power plants.

Then, there's jet lag. If you cross time zones, even just one, you can be subject to it, and it is so not good for you. According to Newsweek, jet lag can cause fatigue and gastrointestinal issues. However, it can do more. If you experience frequent jet lag, you can age faster, get a damaged immune system, develop an increased risk for heart attack or stroke, and develop some cognitive impairments, such as memory loss and poor concentration abilities.

Do you really want to take that kind of chance with your health just to fly the unfriendly skies?

3. Air Travel is Bad for the Environment

There is no such thing as an environmentally friendly flight. It simply doesn't exist with our current technology. Maybe one day in a far distant, utopian future, but definitely not now. If an airline says they're green, they're lying.

Planes use fossil fuels to fly. That's bad enough, and something we should have moved away from long ago. We've had alternative energy sources for decades, people. So, every time you get on a plane, you're supporting the fossil fuel industry and the destruction of the environment.

Sure, you could say the same thing about cars, and you would be right. However, planes are bigger offenders. They use more fuel than cars, they don't come in electric or hybrid versions as some cars do, and they travel longer distances, often needing to land and re-fuel on long trips.

But, fossil fuels aren't air travel's biggest environmental problem. It's greenhouse emissions. Planes are huge offenders in this area. According to The Guardian, planes account for about 15% of the UK's total greenhouse emissions, and those emissions are produced by a small number of people who frequently fly. It's probably worse in the USA, and comparable in other developed nations.

Then, there's the waste dumping from a plane's bathrooms. The earth weeps at this constant assault (I would imagine....it's not like we're on a first-name basis with each other or anything).

Bottom Line--Airplanes and the Airline Industry are Not Your Friends, or the Planet's

I'm not saying don't travel. In fact, as I said above, I love to travel. But, really, think twice before getting on a plane. Not only are you putting your health and the planet at risk when you do, you're also supporting an industry that has no problems abusing its fellow humans for the sake of raking in additional profits. We can make them stop, if we band together. Change can happen. We ALL just have to want it.

And, there are nicer forms of travel. Have you ever taken an overnight trip on a train with your own room and dining car service? You should. It's a delightful experience, and you're treated like gold. Train personnel are excellent examples of good customer service. 

You can also drive, or take a bus. Either way, do yourself and the rest of humanity a favor, and try to avoid those planes. Join me on my personal boycott of any and all airlines. You know you want to. ;)

As for me, you'll find me riding the friendly rails on my next vacation.

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