Flying in the post 9/11 era

For years I've flown on business. Been one of those Platinum Elite people, lots o' miles. Looking at my statistics the other day I discovered that with one airline alone I've logged over 1.2 million actual flight miles in 9 years...I knew I was gone a lot!
All of this is to say, I've done my share of time in airports, on planes, per and post 9/11 and I have to say these are the things that stand out the strongest.

We're all a lot more polite to the security and airline people post 9/11. No more screaming and yelling at the gate or ticket agents when your flight is cancelled, luggage lost, tickets or reservations screwed up....we're all appropriately afraid of incurring the wrath of the Homeland Security types and winding up with our name on that heretofore mystery list of people who routinely get pulled over for extra security checks...or worse are refused the "right" to fly commercial airline flights at all! I use the word "right" loosely here - it's not a privilege, more like a trial these days.

Prices up, flights overbooked, airlines losing money hand over fist - OK, I admit I understand the problems, but really - how is this possible?

Americans as a people are getting heavier every year - yet airlines keep making the seats in coach (and yes in first too!) smaller and closer together.....you figure it out - they truly don't give a flying $%^& about customer satisfaction or comfort anymore - that is clear. Oh, and am I the only one, but have the frequent flyers out there noticed that some airlines (based in Newark & Houston - starts with a C - just a hint) have started cutting the number of seats in first to the ridiculous. I've been flying the same 2 flights on a nearly monthly basis in and out of a major city in the US for the last 5 years - in that time the plane size stayed the same but the number of seats in first has shrunk from 14 to 6 - yes I said 6!

Airline "alliances" you know - Sky Team, Star Alliance - what a load of horse hockey. What this means is yes you can use your accumulated miles on more airlines - but so can all those other smucks with 90 gadzillion miles saved up - result - no one can get the flights they want. And, sorry, but being platinum used to mean you were guaranteed an upgrade into first - no questions - not anymore, because now you're competing for that handfull of seats with platinums from 7 other airlines!

Security checks - I'm not going to get into this in print - I don't want to wind up on that "list"!

Time spent in airports in lines - has increased exponentially in the last 4 years.....I figure I've spent the equivalent of an EXTRA 7 days a year in airport lines now than I did in pre 9/11 days.

So why do I do it?

Good question!

I think it has something to do with a paycheck and a lifestyle.....or maybe it's just that I refuse to crumble and give in...