 Fly ATA - weak constitutions need not apply
posted by Dante on 11.17.2003 - 11:16 am
Its difficult to be a procrastinator when you have a budget - that's a combination that often leads to profound discomfort. A friend was getting married in Washington D.C., and I was privilged enough to receive an invitation. Circumstances prevented me from finalizing my travel arrangements until such time as the more 'reputable' carriers had jacked up fares beyond reason. As you might guess, once again the 'cost-conscious procrastinator' finds himself in a very unenviable situation. Enter ATA, a low-cost alternative that I have used before. They got me the ticket cheap enough that I could make the trip and keep the lights on at home. That was where their generousity ended.
For instance, they could have offered a smooth flight - no such luck. How about landings that didn't force me to hastily reconsider my rejection of organized religion - no dice. What about some in-flight entertainment - T.S. baby! Another vile trick that ATA pulled on me, my "non-stop" flight home morphed into a "direct flight" - and it required me to change planes with a 90 minute layover before they were finished. Thanks guys, when your take-offs and landings eat it like ATAs, you should try to make as few stops as possible. You'll keep customers longer. Though I wasn't close to losing my (cheap) cookies at any point in the flight, I find the smell of other people doing it highly unsatisfying.
There was irony in the trip though. I read an article this weekend that suggested pilots for the major carriers were overpaid. After flying ATA this weekend, I find myself compelled to disagree with that author. United might pay their pilots a helluva lot more than ATA, but they offset the cost by not having to supply planes with nearly as many airsick bags.
Cheers ATA!
signed,
--another 'satisfied' customer
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