Airlines are flying on a new drug...GREED!

This week I thought I knew what I was going to write about. It went along the lines of "heat and hot flashes…" Then I started hearing things that really got me all hot and bothered. So I ask you “What the Heck are airlines thinking???

Let me start off my saying after 9/11 (doesn’t it seem that the world ‘began anew’ after this date?), I was truly pissed off. I was (and still to a reasonable persons expectation) game for precautions up the ying/yang to keep me and people I love safe when they fly. Then they made me throw out my La Mer.

For the guys that are reading this and thinking ‘La Who?”. La Mer is the ultimate, must have, better than any cookie-dough or even you putting down the toilet seat, dream of most women. In other words…it’s a really expensive face cream. I was just returning from Greensboro, NC when the ban went into effect, and effectively said ‘if you are a woman and you have any cosmetics TRASH THEM’.

Surely I don’t look like a threat in Greensboro, NC with my .5oz of $190 face cream do I? Well in the eyes of security, “yes’um you have to throw this in this here trash.” So like any other red-blooded New Yorker I tried to reason with the female security attendant. Of course she didn’t get it. So the next best thing…I scooped it out of the container…ALL OF IT…and out it on every visible and available body part. My now super moisturized face hid the tears that were rolling down my cheek at the though of it. I quickly stopped when I realized I was then washing off my $190. I have yet to replace it – I’m not rich, it was a sample that I was hoping to last 3 lifetimes. I will never forgive USAir lines and the security in NC for that. Yes this could be another reason I’ve not been back there but I digress.

Once congress (a place full of men who obviously don’t use any facial products) came to it’s senses they lifted the ban on 'all things cosmetic, baby-food, or liquid - again within reason of 3oz. I thought maybe I can deal with this. Having to gulp a visibly closed bottle of water which I paid good money for INSIDE of and PAST Security at the food court is bad…having to wait on the god awful security line while they pat down someone’s 85 year old grandmother and having to use the bathroom is another story for another slow blog day.

OK, so it’s been a few years, and I’ve gotten over the water, having to purchase food on the flight (because no one can survive on peanuts alone), at least I had the pillow to help make the seat more comfortable. Are you reading this airlines? If you are in the cattle-car section (anything lower than business class which is the majority of people) the seats are not comfortable, there is no leg room (I’m only 5’5” and uncomfortable so imagine my 5’10 friend in the middle seat. I hear you’re now charging up to $20 for a few extra inches of leg room. What are tall people supposed to do, cut off their legs – and do you then consider this a ‘carry-on’ - and before you had to beg people to sit in the exit row, now it’s ‘preferred seating’?

JetBlue, once known as ‘the people’s airline’ has lost their ever-lovin’ mind!!! You want me to PAY MORE for a pillow and blanket set? WHAT THE ….???

I don’t want to hear about soaring gas prices (you already raised my ticket price, and considering it costs more to get to NC than London these days, I may not be visiting my family anytime soon). I don’t want to hear that the economy is forcing you to do anything. And please dear God, don’t say you’re being eco-conscious because you charging me for a comfort kit, is a load of recycled cow manure. You think by giving some $5 coupon for Bed Bath & Beyond that my simple mind will say…”well that means it’s only $2 and that’s still less than the cost of the dry sandwich or bland fruit and cheese plate so I’ll take pillow-&-blanket-for-$7-Alex? YOU HAVE LOST YOUR MIND!!!

Don’t you realize that people who travel have enough to carry w/o now having to re-fold/bundle and find a place to put their new on-air purchase? Or is that the plan?? Make people buy these things, re-package them as new and re-sell them again…making a small profit? Hmmm, maybe you’re not so stupid after all. Well you’re not getting me!! No Sir…I’ll use ‘War and Peace’ as my pillow and my $3 shawl I bought from the street vendor to keep me warm.

I agree with Councilman John Lio Councilman John Liu (D-Queens), who chairs the council Transportation Committee who asks the question “What's next? Five dollars to buy a barf bag?" PLEASE don’t give them any ideas!!!

"Replacing our old, recycled pillows and blankets with this state-of-the-art, high-quality take-home kit is an eco-conscious, health-conscious and customer-conscious decision," said Brett Muney, general manager of product development for JetBlue Airways. I bet he gets his for free.

You know what JetBlue, keep your stupid pillow and blanket set, keep your stupid “work out in your seat” kit, keep your blue chips and satellite TV (when are you going to start charging for that?) I will give you just one second of credit because at least you’re not as bad as US Airlines who is now charging $1 for tea/coffee and $2 for juice, soda, and bottled water. The bottom line is you very well may have just lost a VERY loyal customer. You have forgotten why you got into the airline-game in the first place. You wanted to be different, you wanted to be 'for the people' now you've become just like the others.

This is the time for consumers to ban together and tell the airlines stop the madness. Maybe we should start to charge you every time you break one of your promises to us. Where is the FRIENDLY STAFF who is there for MY COMFORT? Your flights can’t get me to my destination on time, you cancel them because some pilot overslept, you are charging up to $50 for my baggage…WHAT MORE DO YOU WANT FROM ME Blood???

Probably, but only if it’s in a container, less than 3oz and vacuumed sealed for freshness right?