Getting Squeezed By and On Delta.
SEATTLE– The good news is that Delta flight 1387 had a tailwind and we arrived at SEA-TAC a full 20 minutes early. And for the first time in all these years of travel, my bag was the first one down the chute and onto the carousel.
I can tell you that I was grateful for the 20 minutes saved. By the time all the “special” passengers had boarded–families with small children, persons needing assistance, first class passengers, Delta SkyMiles members, etc.–there was no room in any of the overhead bins within ten rows of my seat. That meant I had to find space in, on, or under seat 16F for my carry-on tote and for the heavy knee-length coat that I brought with me.
The bag and the coat fit all right, but that really left no room for me. Somehow, by pushing and shoving and severely taxing the good nature of the woman seated next to me, I got settled, but was barely able to move my legs and feet for the duration of the five-hour flight. Thank goodness I had impulsively decided to check my carry-on bag at the Maui airport.
But here’s the thing: Checking the bag cost me $25 and upgrading to that “premium” seat cost an additional $79. My God! What if I hadn’t upgraded to “Comfort Economy” or whatever it is Delta calls those seats? How did the people in plain old “economy” deal with two-inches less leg room than what I had?
We did get a complimentary drink and a snack about a half hour after we took off. The snack was peanuts in a foil bag the size of a pack of matches. I counted the peanuts. There were thirteen. For my drink, I asked for ginger ale. The flight attendant filled a small plastic cup with ice cubes and opened a can of Ginger Ale. She stopped pouring when the cup was about two-thirds full.
Sorry, Delta, but economy passengers –this one anyway — come away from your flights with the very clear impression that we have been run through a wringer and every possible dollar has been extracted. And after all that, the flight itself was crowded and uncomfortable. It’s not a good feeling.
