What's wrong with these airlines ?

[HAL 9000 96]

I miss Eastern.

I always flew for free with them...

I think there needs to be more talk about the safety aspect of governmental inspections. The news are talking about it a bit.

The airlines are voluntarily/involuntarily being proactive based on years of allowances by overly lax inspections.

How did you manage to fly for free ? I want your connections.

Ay... my abuelita would be my hookup... It also helped that grandpa was in the FAA! But we're talkin 1980s here...

[panamania79 2]

That's an inspiring story. I have a similar one involving, would you believe, a loud-mouthed Australian. Although it was an American lady who told him to STFU, to much snickering.

That is the exception. Australians are by no means the type of people to stand at a counter shouting at people. Not in or culture.

That's a joke, right?

I think the Australia you often describe exists only in your mind.

I'm sure you're aware that Americans and Australians (particularly males), according to stereotypes prevalent in Europe and the UK, share many characteristics: Loud, brash, unsophisticated, want to tell you all about [u.S. or Australia] and how they do things there, how much better it is than [whatever country they're visiting and/or describing].

I see the point you are making, Big Agnes!. I don't think any culture is innocent nor can say "we'd never act like that!". I've seen people from many different cultures and from many different countries be quite obnoxious. No one is exempt.

Thank you !

[SnowyTater 0]

Can't pretend to know much about the business side of all this stuff but I'm stressing that I booked my next flight with United instead of the usual Continental. Not too much neg. publicity with United so far, but I haven't heard a word against Continental. I hope it's all straightened out in a month.

I don't get stressed out at airports and I don't typically mind flights being delayed - never had one canceled. But I've also never HAD to be somewhere or already paid for a hotel room that I'll be missing, or anything like that. In my experience the customer service has always been pretty decent in accomodating people when things are delayed or you miss a flight. I think a lot of it can't be helped. I guess weather conditions and traffic backup really is to be expected. Really I'm surprised when a plane leaves on time.

Had one several-hour delay last year where something was broke on the plane and the engineers were out there, plus there was no crew so they had to fly some poor guys in kind of 'emergency' from a different airport. They got it all together for us though it took like five or six hours I think. Actually I remember people being pretty subdued and quiet about all this, nobody really b|tching about it. When we finally got to board people were more just like "And you're sure everything's fixed...you know you can take extra time " and casting kind of sympathetic grateful eyes at the crew that'd come in for us. I thought it was very civil.

I don't know what the differences are but I wish we could get crazy cheap short flights like Europe does. We need an EasyJet They make you pay for your drinks and food and extra bags and stuff like that which I'm absolutely fine with because I usually don't want any of that anyway. Maybe that'd be a better way to pull in more money while keeping ticket prices down.

I saw on the news a few months ago a company's being launched that will hopefully be cheap; the funding is going to come from the fact that everything in the plane, walls, cushions, tabletray, etc., will be covered in advertisements. That's absolutely fine with me

[Empress of Groovy 373]

That's an inspiring story. I have a similar one involving, would you believe, a loud-mouthed Australian. Although it was an American lady who told him to STFU, to much snickering.

That is the exception. Australians are by no means the type of people to stand at a counter shouting at people. Not in or culture.

That's a joke, right?

I think the Australia you often describe exists only in your mind.

I'm sure you're aware that Americans and Australians (particularly males), according to stereotypes prevalent in Europe and the UK, share many characteristics: Loud, brash, unsophisticated, want to tell you all about [u.S. or Australia] and how they do things there, how much better it is than [whatever country they're visiting and/or describing].

I see the point you are making, Big Agnes!. I don't think any culture is innocent nor can say "we'd never act like that!". I've seen people from many different cultures and from many different countries be quite obnoxious. No one is exempt.

That's certainly true. Although I'd never assert that obnoxiousness isn't part of American culture.

When I was in Holland a few years ago, a guy with an excellent Southern drawl was staying in the same hotel. He wanted a snack in the bar, and a few minutes after chatting with the bartender, a plate full of bitterbollen emerged. The guy shouted, "Fritters! All right!" The "right" was dragged out for about four seconds. It was really funny--although not really obnoxious. It was as if the guy thought that he'd be served snake innards or something and was surprised that a familiar-looking food emerged from the kitchen.

[Cassie 8]

I'm travelling on American and United next week, am interested to see how it goes!

[Leafgal 3]

My mother is flying from Baltimore to Buffalo on Southwest next weekend. Will let you know how that turns out.

[HAL 9000 96]

I think we can all agree there are Americans that completely damage, tarnish, and disgust most people while outside the US... just like there are plenty of people from elsewhere that do the same when here. How that gets skewed to be a cultural stereotype is a bit stretchy, but visible many a times in places where tourism is a big draw for economies. A sense of entitlement to service is hampering to what would be considered a cross-cultural, parallel, exchange, and many a times Americans are guilty of being the arrogant party abroad.

[panamania79 2]

I miss Eastern.

I always flew for free with them...

I think there needs to be more talk about the safety aspect of governmental inspections. The news are talking about it a bit.

The airlines are voluntarily/involuntarily being proactive based on years of allowances by overly lax inspections.

How did you manage to fly for free ? I want your connections.

Ay... my abuelita would be my hookup... It also helped that grandpa was in the FAA! But we're talkin 1980s here...

Ay,parcero,the 80's,a happier,simpler time......................lol.

That's an inspiring story. I have a similar one involving, would you believe, a loud-mouthed Australian. Although it was an American lady who told him to STFU, to much snickering.

That is the exception. Australians are by no means the type of people to stand at a counter shouting at people. Not in or culture.

That's a joke, right?

I think the Australia you often describe exists only in your mind.

I'm sure you're aware that Americans and Australians (particularly males), according to stereotypes prevalent in Europe and the UK, share many characteristics: Loud, brash, unsophisticated, want to tell you all about [u.S. or Australia] and how they do things there, how much better it is than [whatever country they're visiting and/or describing].

I see the point you are making, Big Agnes!. I don't think any culture is innocent nor can say "we'd never act like that!". I've seen people from many different cultures and from many different countries be quite obnoxious. No one is exempt.

That's certainly true. Although I'd never assert that obnoxiousness isn't part of American culture.

When I was in Holland a few years ago, a guy with an excellent Southern drawl was staying in the same hotel. He wanted a snack in the bar, and a few minutes after chatting with the bartender, a plate full of bitterbollen emerged. The guy shouted, "Fritters! All right!" The "right" was dragged out for about four seconds. It was really funny--although not really obnoxious. It was as if the guy thought that he'd be served snake innards or something and was surprised that a familiar-looking food emerged from the kitchen.

What's bitterbollen,doughboys ?

[SnowyTater 0]

What's a doughboy, or a fritter? o_O I know what apple fritters are....mmm. Don't think about that

I think American tourists are very touristy just within the US, it's not just a culture clash thing, it's just a...hey I'm in tourist mode thing. Tourists are a bit annoying but really I overall am always amused by them. I love how any of them, Americans, Asian (probably Chinese or Japanese but not assuming), always just walk really slow and they're wearing their blatantly tourist shirts and then they just STOP in the middle of the danged sidewalk and you almost fall over them. All the time doing that. I just got back from the store a few minutes ago and had to dodge several thousands of these guys just to get there.

Meh...if it's about fun nation bashing the French are annoying as heck They came to Charleston like a week ago for this fashion show. All in their black outfits and smoking in people's faces, generally giving everyone and everything a discerning condescending kind of look, talking loudly on cellphones, etc.

But I like when a tourist admits they're a tourist and just kind of bumbles around and doesn't try to pretend that he's otherwise It's sweet I think.

[Empress of Groovy 373]

What's bitterbollen,doughboys ?

From Wikipedia:

Bitterballen are a savoury Dutch meat-based snack, typically containing a mixture of beef (minced or chopped), beef broth, flour and butter for thickening, parsley, salt and pepper. Some recipes also include nutmeg and/or curry powder. The ingredients are combined and cooked, then refrigerated so the mixture can firm up. Once firm, the filling is then rolled into balls roughly 3 cm in diameter, and battered in a breadcrumb, milk and egg mixture and deep-fried. They are typically served at parties or in the pub with a ramekin or small bowl of mustard for dipping. Popular on Dutch pub menus, bitterballen are very similar to kroketten in their ingredients and preparation/cooking methods, as well as flavour, though kroketten have a distinct oblong sausage shape, with a similar diameter, so kroketten are larger.

They're yummy. Balls of fried goodness! A very nice complement to tasty Dutch beer.

[sensitive_euroman 0]

Can someone get me some bitterballen please? And some dutch lager

[greeneyedgirlfl 0]

What's a doughboy, or a fritter? o_O I know what apple fritters are....mmm. Don't think about that

I think American tourists are very touristy just within the US, it's not just a culture clash thing, it's just a...hey I'm in tourist mode thing. Tourists are a bit annoying but really I overall am always amused by them. I love how any of them, Americans, Asian (probably Chinese or Japanese but not assuming), always just walk really slow and they're wearing their blatantly tourist shirts and then they just STOP in the middle of the danged sidewalk and you almost fall over them. All the time doing that. I just got back from the store a few minutes ago and had to dodge several thousands of these guys just to get there.

Meh...if it's about fun nation bashing the French are annoying as heck They came to Charleston like a week ago for this fashion show. All in their black outfits and smoking in people's faces, generally giving everyone and everything a discerning condescending kind of look, talking loudly on cellphones, etc.

But I like when a tourist admits they're a tourist and just kind of bumbles around and doesn't try to pretend that he's otherwise It's sweet I think.

I've been back from England for about a week (wish I was still there...I loved it!). It was the best time I've ever had. I live in Orlando, so I didn't want to seem like an obvious tourist (which I'm sure I did). I tried not to be an arrogant, obnoxious American...hope I did my country proud while I was there...

My flights were on Virgin Atlantic; I had a very good experience with them (I am a very nervous flier; but they made me feel very much at ease). I haven't had positive experiences with domestic airlines (American Airlines, especially); most of the flight attendants were rude or simply ignored people.

I will concur with your commentary on many of the French tourists that I saw there. We were visiting the Exeter Cathedral, and there was a school tour group (about 70 kids the ages of 9-12). The chaperones (if you would call them that) pretty much let the kids have free rein the whole time they were there (running up and down the length of the church, blowing out the candles, yelling at each other, etc.)....I asked one of the volunteers who was working there if this was normal. She sighed and told me that this often happened with these touring groups. Now, I am a teacher, and I have taken school groups (of ages anywhere between 8 and 19) on field trips. I have never stood for behaviour of that nature; if those children were in MY chaperone group, I would have taken them outside to wait for the rest of the group.

Edited April 12, 2008 by greeneyedgirlfl

[SnowyTater 0]

Well, the French do have that reputation of just being "f&cking french sometimes," as Eddie Izzard says

I wonder if they are just brats or if they're reacting to everyone calling them brats for years and years.

I went to France when I was like...14, I think, don't remember too much of it to be honest with you other than being very underfed the whole time. Our tour guide assured us that the typical french meal was a croissant and coffee in the morning, then they basically just DIDN'T EAT LUNCH and might if they got hungry pop down to the fruit stand for an apple at like 2, and then generally had a late drawn out but small dinner at about 9 at night of salad and cheese and such.

She was just a big LIAR and must have hated us American fatties or something, I don't know why she said all that

But yeh when I was there had two shopkeepers in the same day just...refuse to sell us anything, just would shake their heads if we tried (and we weren't being rude or loud or anything at all, though granted I didn't know any french other than the basic 'excuse me' and 'thank you' at this point ). And then some man touched my 14-year-old #######

Screw France