<p>Violation of free speech, because when they were done, I thanked them for their kindness. Not because I felt anybody was kind, I thought they had a hell of a lot of nerve, but that is what you do in a terrorist state. And, my husband was even more furious that I thanked them, but that is what I felt was in my best interest and how they want the game played. I suppose if I was a Constitutional Law expert I could argue it better, but I’m not.</p>
<p>Forgive the stupid question but what is the definition of profiling in the legal sense?</p>
<p>Sort of on topic - My daughter usually wears her hair up in the messy bun style that so many girls of her age wear. When it is down it falls a bit below her shoulders and is very curly. When boarding at Heathrow she was pulled out of line, made to take her hair down and carefully run her fingers through it so the attendant could see that she wasn’t hiding anything in there. </p>
<p>I am glad that they are taking such care but a hair examination was certainly something new in my book.</p>
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<p>Actually, DH read that United is charging more if you do NOT have the minimum stay. He is a frequent business traveler who does a lot of day trips. He will no longer fly United.</p>
<p>My kids both have reservations that were made WELL before the new baggage charging policies were made on United and American. I’m going to be hopping mad if they have to pay extra for baggage for tickets that were purchased MONTHS before that policy went into effect.</p>
<p>My D’s shoes were actually sliced apart on one occassion, because they kept making the alarm go off. She was flying unaccompagnied at 12 years old at the time and actually boarded the plane in her socks!</p>
<p>I’m with you binx–may the best airline win! And, right now, it seems that Southwest is leading the pack. They started their business with no pretense–everything has always been on the table should you decide to do business with them. My money is on them as one of the larger carriers that will survive this mess!</p>
<p>I’m rooting for Southwest and Alaska - they have been the most pleasant to deal with in the past (knocking on wood :)). Even the infamous JetBlue delivered what they promised every time we flew them.</p>
<h1>22 profiling means they have a profile of a certain type of person who is likely to commit a crime, such as a person buying a one way ticket at the last moment is likely to be a suicide bomber(as if they can’t figure out to buy a round trip ticket!) Or, people of color being stopped by police more frequently for suspected crimes. Or, anyone with an Arabic name, country of origin or wearing a scarf. I don’t know all the things that are included, but those are a few.</h1>
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<p>When we bought our AirTran tickets to NYC, Delta was offering the same flight at the same fare. The only difference is that they were charging for the extra bag. Since we were moving our S home, we needed the extra bag allowance. We bought them in Feb or March or so. In June, when we flew, Air Tran had also begun charging, so we had to pay before we boarded. My H was mad, but knew better than to show too much anger while at an airport - too many ops for “them” to punish you.</p>
<p>Thumper1: We just returned from a trip to the midwest for DS’s graduation. Of course we returned with lots more than we came (S’s stuff and S) - no problem for baggage because we had bought the tickets before the change in policy was made. We each were allowed two bags in addition to our carry-on. So - don’t worry about the tickets you already have. Now, the tickets you’ll have to buy from here forward - that’s different…</p>
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United is phasing in the checked bag charges depending on when the ticket was purchased. They have the timeline posted on their website so you can check.</p>
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True but they also said that it’ll only be for certain flights depending on route and flight duration. This would obviously knock them completely out of some markets, ex: San Diego to San Franciso, if they strictly applied this universally. I guess they’ll get to decide if they want to compete in that market space or not.</p>
<p>The airlines are still changing their policies and charges - just like they’ve done for the last 20 or so years since the good ole days for business travelers but expensive days for leisure travelers. It keeps moving in the direction of the bus ride.</p>
<p>Just booked flights with Alaskan/Horizon to drop off D in Seattle for college. Two round trips and one one-way ticket… does that mean D will get the third degree? We’re flying out of Burbank. (I did get to choose our seats online for no extra charge… however, the 2nd bag costs $25 now).</p>
<p>My D just purchased a one way ticket (on United) and the United agent actually helped expedite getting her through security since time was getting tight. Buying a one way fare doesn’t guarantee a third degree.</p>
<p>My third degree was at San Francisco airport with United. Going in the other direction with a one way ticket through Frontier I had no problems.</p>
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<p>I guess that’s kind of what I meant. If you don’t stay over on a Saturday, or the required number of nights, they aren’t going to deny you a ticket, just charge more.</p>
<p>I do remember this policy being common many years ago… when possible, we’d always try to plan a trip that included a Saturday night stay because the fare was always the lowest.</p>
<p>The latest airline news is that United is laying off 950 pilots. It seems as if they are just digging themselves in deeper and deeper.</p>
<p>Sometimes stuff happens. Stuff you have no control over and where you just need to let it slide after you’ve gotten through it with no adverse effects. </p>
<p>Many years ago I was “deported” from the US whilst in transit from a Caribbean holiday back to where I then lived in Canada (trips I’d often taken before). Transit point was Miami where I happened to be bumped off the flight home. At the time I had no status in the US, and was promptly taken to a room with a bunch of souls from Central America and interrogated for some hours while the authorities informed me I could be taken to a detention center if they failed that night to arrange for a flight to my birth country in Europe where I hadn’t set foot in some 15 years but where I still had citizenship.
After much pleading etc to let me get on the next any flight to where I worked, lived and held immigrant status, they found a remaining first class seat on another flight. I was escorted by two burly police onto this flight in full humiliating view of all the passengers while my papers were handed to the flight attendant, not to be returned till I was out of the country.
A couple of stiff Bloody Marys did much to finally calm my nerves and get me home. Sort of a Kafkaesque experience since none was really my fault.</p>
<p>had to post this:</p>
<p>[Funny</a> Commercial](<a href=“http://youtube.com/watch?v=iaQpZFqrQeA]Funny”>http://youtube.com/watch?v=iaQpZFqrQeA)</p>
<p>Years ago I was traveling to Beijing with DH. He was taken away from me at Customs upon arrival. It seems they were suspicious of some electronic equipment (work related) in his luggage.<br>
I can tell you there were some tense moments. I do not speak Mandarin and had no idea what was happening. I finally convinced someone to let the colleague who was meeting us at the airport into the customs area so that he could translate.<br>
They ended up releasing DH but keeping his luggage.
Same as above…a bit Kafkaesque…none of it really anyone’s fault…just had to breathe and hope it all turned out right.</p>
<p>OT…My favorite travel story. I had broken my leg…it was in a cast with a hinge at the knee. I was wheelchair restricted and couldn’t board the plane alone. Believe it or not, I was “selected” for the full frisk. Where did they think I was hiding things…in my cast? Oddly, two other wheelchair confined folks were lined up with me. They had been in a small plane crash and had BOTH legs broken. We just sat there and chuckled. It took them a LONG time to frisk the three of us and wand us and our belongings. I had a huge pin in my leg that kept setting off the metal detector…I kept showing them the letter from my doctor…they didn’t care. </p>
<p>Then I got on the plane and they took my crutches away (wouldn’t let me put them under the seat…they were too long). They swore that if the plane crashed, they would get the crutches to me. Sure…</p>
<p>The only good thing I recall is that they gave me three seats so I could put my foot up…but they buckled my cast in. </p>
<p>I couldn’t wait to get home.</p>
<p>If you have to pay to get a good seat, then I would imagine that enterprising people could and will sell their seat assignment after boarding. I am slight build and I am sure that some one of larger stature would gladly pay for sitting next to me or a small stature person to pay me not to sit next to someone of largess. </p>
<p>What is good for the airlines can also work for me.</p>
<p>Sequoia, have you seen The Terminal with Tom Hanks? I though of this movie when I read your story.</p>