TRAVEL!

Holiday travel is here! And I’m getting ready to fly to Portland, Oregon this next Saturday to visit Clark County, Washington family & friends. First I have the following comments about flying in and out of airports and having to deal with the inconsistencies of the TSA. Now I’m all for being safe since 9-11, buy the TSA is ‘big government’ at its finest! For years and years, and dozens of flights since 9-11, I carried a simple, classic wine screw in my carry-on bag. That darn cork-screw has been all over this great nation of ours, as well as two airports in London; Madrid & Malaga, Spain, as well as Mexico numerous times. My last trip through DFW airport earlier this year, one TSA employee decided it just had to be confiscated. Are you ready for this? Because I could slice someone’s arm with it! Go figure! Heck, I could slice someone’s arm with a ball-point pen too, or stick ‘em in the eye with any number of items in my carry-on. After seeing many examples on the world news of passengers being detained for minor complaining, I decided it wasn’t worth fighting over a $2.99 wine opener! And now a recent experience that our son Wade had this weekend with SW Airlines. Since signing up for the DING ‘specials’ program on Southwest Airlines, we have used them almost exclusively for recent travel. And we LOVE ‘em! But here is what happened with Wade. Coming back from Lubbock after Thanksgiving weekend with his in-laws, the Wall family, one of Wade’s suitcases was a pound and a half over the 50 lb. limit. The gate agent made him move 1 ½ pounds of clothing to another checked bag. Now I ask you, why would they do that when the suitcases are going on the same plane, and with 100’s of holiday travelers standing in line watching and waiting too? Now I understand having a clear line to make decisions, but if one suitcase is within 10% of the weight limit, and the other one is so far under that both your suitcases are way under the 100 pound maximum for two, what’s the point?