What *is* the deal with airlines these days?

I've had to wackiest experiences with airlines lately.

My parents booked a flight from Wilmington to Orlando on Allegiant Air a few months ago. Their ticket price seemed pretty reasonable until we went through the checkout process. There is a fee per bag starting at the first. I believe it was $15 for the bag if you purchased the right to check it at the time you bought your ticket and $25 if you do it at the airport. Then when you attempted to choose a seat, each of them had an additional price. Those closer to the front were more. Seriously, if your ticket price isn't paying for your seat, what exactly does it pay for. Sure there's the gas, but without a seat to sit in, what good is the gas?

So this week I've been on the west coast for work. On my first flight, the crew kept telling us how limited overhead cabin space was. Folks were getting a little nutty about shoving crap in. Ladies and gentleman, if it doesn't fit, pushing it in harder won't change that. What humored me, though, is that the two first class compartments I could see were completely empty. I advised the guy sitting next to me to just go ahead and put it in there. He sounded confident when he said, "they usually get a little testy about that." And indeed they did. That was just before they pulled the little mesh curtain. *insert eye roll here*

On my second flight I was placed in a row of seats that were obviously not part of the original design. Imagine that there is about 10 inches of clearance between the seat's cushion edge to the back of the seat in front of it. That's enough room to slide in, perhaps move a bit to place your belongings below your seat and that's about it. In my seat, there was about 6 inches and let me tell ya folks...there barely enough room for sliding and certainly not enough room for moving at all. Niiiiiiiiiiiiice.

I was supposed to sit with a friend who was pregnant. Oddly she and I ended up separated and I'm envious! She was on the end, two rows from the bathroom. I was forced to become very close with my seatmates for five and a half hours as I was by the window. Can anyone say blot clot in the leg?

I suppose the bottom line is that I arrived safely and I shouldn't really complain. But it's hard when now I'm charged $2 for a beverage service, $7 for a boxed (and not-so-great) lunch, and no pretzels or peanuts whatsoever. Again people...five and a half hours!

I was charged $15 for a checked back and I'm sure to be charged for it again on the way home. I guess to make air travel economical in the future I will need to stand without taking anything along with me. That should be a fun trip!

*sigh*