Yeah, yeah, I know you smell something burning… Sigh…
Warm, sunny Florida my dyin ass… Cold and rainy was more like it! It was warmer in DC than Florida! I saw one guy in Orlando with a PARKA on!
Rental car agencies SUCK! I don’t care which one you use, they all seem to ‘conveniently’ forget you actually took the fuel option when you are dropping off at a different airport than you picked up at… That way they can charge you the extra $50-100 and get away with it (they think)… I tied up one agent for a half hour before I finally got that cluster unscrewed (and three phone calls to the original airport)! Then they tried to pull the old, “I’m sorry but the contract is already closed” trick, so I told her to go find the manager- Mysteriously, she was able to fix it…
And if you fly a lot, pay the money and get the TSA Pre-check! Yesterday morning at 0630, the line at MCO was already 30 minutes long in the ‘regular’ and ‘elite’ lines!!! By using the Pre-check line I was through in 4 minutes (if I’d had to wait in the regular line, I’d have missed my flight)! Apparently they were NOT allowing people who were ‘late’ to jump the line, and were going strictly by position in line. Normally, if somebody is going to miss a flight, they will pull them up, but not yesterday (or at least not that I saw).
Made the flight with about 10 minutes to spare, chatting with the bus drivers, they indicated they were seeing anywhere from 10-30 minute delays due to ATC at various airports. Seems they are racking and stacking airplanes in holding and trying to ‘manage’ the flow into and out of the bigger airports. Luckily we snuck in during a gap in the major overseas and Western arrivals, so we pretty much had a straight in and actually made the gate on time. Go to Politico HERE for an update…
Interestingly, on arrival back at IAD I noticed quite a few Federal Police (read DHS) in Tac gear with Level 3 Armor on and pistols in thigh rigs; all of them in pairs patrolling the concourse and the arrivals area. When I went to take a picture of two of them, I was told, “NO pictures allowed due to security!!!” And as they walked off, one of them kept looking back at me to see if I was taking a picture of their backs…
Sheesh… I ‘thought’ this was still America, but I’m beginning to wonder???
And this story just warmed the cockles of my heart…
First the kid is arrested over his t-shirt (NRA of course)
No pictures? Huh. America is getting “hope and change alright”. The bad kind.
It’s good to hear that you got through all the connections on time, but the whole TSA/ATC/DHS thing is really starting to tick people off. Makes me wonder when there might be the first violent “push-back” … or if there will even be one. Too many sheeple, it seems.
I suspect the “adjustments” to federal airport staff is having the desired effect. It’s the Republicans you know . . . . 2014 will tell who the public truly holds accountable. Sadly, the Big O is looking pretty good through this.
As for the photos, T-Shirt, etc – are we “cresting the hill” on acceptible police control? I’d like to see the regs where they say you can’t take photos. Still, the threat of action on their part, the fear of missing flights and the hassle will keep folks in line until it’s just the “norm”. I find it troubling that so many officers are simply going along with these continued infringements. I can’t see this progression ending well.
Safe travels Jim.
As one who lives near MCO and is therefore required to fly with families (read “screaming kids”) of the Mouse both inbound and outbound, I can gather neither empathy nor sympathy for much of anything MCO related. I understand, but that’s as far as it goes. 🙂
MCO is a stinker any way you cut it. (there’s a pun in there if you dig a bit…)
The only way I enjoy flying these days is on a non-common carrier. You can leave when you want and there isn’t TSA wanting to look inside of your shoes or boxers.
I love flying personal craft… so I’m good to go… on my uncommon broom…
If the kid had worn a Che shirt he’d have been patted on the back.
If they had denied him a Che shirt, Holder’s (not ours anymore) DOJ would be there like stink on Obama.
I can smell your cockles burning. I’m not sure why some law enforcement think they can make up laws as they go along. Most times I’ve seen the use of intimidation to enforce their in the spot law making, ie you’ll be detained and inconvenienced at best even if you aren’t, so shut up and obey.
*aren’t arrested* sheesh
Opus- yeah… sigh
Rev- Good question, and I don’t have a clue.
Bill- Agreed, and I don’t think it will end well either…
BobF- Understood and agreed
LL- yep, but I don’t get ‘that’ option all that often anymore… dammit…
Brighid- Snerk… NO comment!!! 😀
Ed- Yep, you’re probably correct!
45er- If I’d had ”time” I would have been in the FSB’s office yesterday, but I had to go directly to work…
Better you than me.
Just left a DC-region airport and saw a number of the black-shirt tan-pants vest-wearing crowd standing around.
It’s strange to see here, but it reminds me much of travels in Germany and Israel years ago.
Colleague had a VERY bad back. Even used a stand-up desk. He would pay extra for a 1st Class upgrade.
We got a new CFO (or what ever the government calls ’em) who was going to “make a difference!.” Focused on “travel abuse.” Yup, guy with bad back was called on the carpet.
The hassle went on for almost a year. It wasn’t until the guy’s lawyer, armed with the American’s with Disabilities Act, showed up at the OGC’s office that the matter was “resolved.”
WSF- Oh ‘thank’ you…
WN- Yep… Getting there quickly!
Stretch- Yep, I feel his pain (literally)… And it’s NOT getting any better!
OldNFO, looks like I missed you in Orlando by one day. Just landed this afternoon (Wednesday). Drat!