Be The Light: Four Fun Stories About Air Travel

/ Ally Bean
INTRODUCTION

As you probably remember I’ve joined a yearlong monthly event called We Are The World Blogfest.  

The purpose of this event is to highlight positive news stories, presenting them on your blog on the last Friday of the month.

This being the last Friday of January, I have a story, or four, to share with you, my gentle readers and fellow #WATWB participants.

THE NEWS STORIES  

• A lucky woman gets to fly on a commercial airline flight as the only passenger. If only.

• A piece of luggage that keeps track of you. Cool.

• An impatient baby arrives mid-flight attended by not one, but two, doctors. Cuteness.

• A free drink in the main cabin on a shuttle flight makes flying fun again. Huzzah!

MY COMMENTARY

I had no difficulty finding positive news stories about airlines this month. As a traveler who is often disgruntled with the airlines and known to express said disgruntlement to the powers that be, I was surprised.

I don’t tend to think of air travel in a favorable light.

But the above links suggest that maybe, just maybe, there’s hope for an industry that is known more for annoying passengers than pleasing them.

At least that’s the idea I’m going to dwell on here in this particular post.

And on the note, with a hat tip to Schubert Piano Sonata in A major D. 959, I’ll leave you with the theme from Wings, one of my favorite 1990s TV shows.  Sandpiper Air made flying look like so much fun.

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55 thoughts on “Be The Light: Four Fun Stories About Air Travel”

  3. Can I jump in and add an airline related story? Yes! Okay…
    Local homeless woman with 3 children made the decision to send those kids back to Mexico with their Mexican Nationalist father. She could not care for them living in a tent herself. Upon returning to Juarez, the youngest child (I believe who is autistic) went missing. Mom had been trying desperately to raise money to fly south. A local woman donated her airline miles so mom could make it to Laredo TX, plus donated $100 to the mom. She left last night to help in the search for her son…

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    • Deb, that’s a wonderful story. Well, not the lost child part, but the woman who donated her miles to the mother part. Sometimes things happen involving the airlines that make my heart sing. They can be part of good, when they try.

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  6. Hi, Ally – As I will be talking a L-O-O-N-G airline trip shortly (I depart 5:30 a.m. BC time on Monday and arrive 12:30 am Singapore time on Wednesday)….I was very happy that you set such a positive note for flying! I ABSOLUTELY LOVED the “My Goat Knows the Bowling Score”….but I did wonder how a woman that pregnant was allowed to fly. I thought that there were ‘rules’!

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    • Donna, your upcoming flight may be a trial, but no doubt you’ll do okay. Happy trails to you. [Someday I should write about the hilarious 14 hour flight we took from Atlanta to Honolulu. Not all of my air travel has been awful.]

      I thought there were rules about flying pregnant, too. Can’t explain that one.

      Wings was a TV show that made me laugh– and when I started to put together this post I immediately thought of it… and the goat bowling score song. Classic.

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    • Jill, excellent point. Hadn’t thought of that, but in the interest of making our world healthier would you please inform the airlines of your idea! 😉 No doubt, they’ll love it.

      Wings was the best, but never got the acclaim that Frasier or Cheers did. Pity that.

      Liked by 1 person

  11. I’ve been really lucky in all the flying trips I’ve taken over the years. And there have been quite a few national and international as well. Sure hope the luck doesn’t run out on our upcoming trip to Scotland! Loved all the stories you shared today. I too, wondered about the pregnant gal. That would be scary! But thank goodness for the two drs. on the plane. I loved Crystal Bernard on Wings.

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    • Beth, I’ve had good airline experiences, but the bad ones were so memorable that I take a dim view of air travel overall. Scotland, eh? I loved Helen and her cello, too. She was a hoot. In fact, that whole show was nutty good.

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    • JT Twissel, that’s an interesting observation about air travel. I know that I dislike flying early morning when business people are stressed about getting to their meetings. Mid-day people are much more relaxed.

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  13. Fun travel stories Ally, and since I’m currently suffering from a case of cabin fever, you’ve got me thinking of where I might fly off to. Love the robotic suitcase, but I think an additional feature I’d put an order in for is one that could haul itself into and out of the overhead carrier. I’d buy that one. 🙂

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    • Deborah, I hear ‘ya about cabin fever. I’d like to go somewhere this weekend. Could you make that happen, please? Great idea about the robotic suitcase learning to jump into the overhead compartment. Again, I task you with making this so! 😉

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  14. I’m ready to book a flight from Chicago to NY, just to have a free beer! That’s a nice perk and those were great stories from air travel. The mom who gave birth on the plane will certainly have an amazing story for her little one later on.

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    • Mary, I know what you mean about wanting to take the cocktail hour flight. Just thinking about it makes me happy. I thought the same thing about the mother with the amazing birth story. Not your usual airplane experience. Bet that woman needed a free drink when the birth was over.

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  15. I’ve been pretty fortunate in my airline travel. We have a flight coming up with only 30 minutes between the connections (I did not plan this trip) and I’m a little nervous that law of averages may bite my in the butt this time. But hopefully, the travel fairies will smile on me again.

    And I always loved Wings. Seeing you post the intro/bowling score videos made me smile!

    Liked by 1 person

    • Kate, you’re fortunate and I hope that your good fortune continues during your upcoming trip. May the travel fairies continue to watch over you.

      Wings was one of those funny shows from the 90s that I looked forward to watching each week. Glad the videos made you smile.

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  16. I loved Wings! I didn’t remember that scene about mistaken song lyrics, so thanks for that. I am amazed that you were able to find, not one, but three positive stories about flying. The best I can do is when I get an extra bag of pretzels from the flight attendant.

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    • Janis, I was surprised about the positive flying stories, too. Strange month! Wings was funny in that quirky way that calls to me… hence, I had to put the goat bowling score song here. You get extra pretzels? You must teach me the spell you use to get them.

      Liked by 1 person

    • Margaret, I put up with flying, having had lots of irritating and sometimes scary things happen. I hope that your flying experiences continue to be pleasant, and that my mine henceforth will only be good.

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    • joey, so far I think everyone here liked Wings. I agree about that luggage. In theory it’s a good idea, but I dunno about having it follow me in reality. I’ll just wait and see on that idea…

      Liked by 1 person

  20. I don’t know what it is about baby-in-a-hurry-to-be-born stories, but they always make me smile. I’m sure it’s terrible traumatic for those involved, but there’s no delaying a baby who decides NOW is the time 🙂

    Liked by 1 person

  21. Great post Ally Bean! I like flying most times … cabin staff are usually friendly and helpful in putting carry on luggage overhead. The first time I flew a local airline their commentary went along the lines of – you smoke in the loos, we’ll put you out on one of the wings for the rest of your flight. You leave your wallet behind, make sure you leave money in it – I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. But they were joking –

    I like the idea of having luggage that follows you around ..

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    • Susan, I like your local airline. Funny stuff from them. Here in the US Southwest Airline is known for their offbeat take when explaining the rules.

      I’m of a divided mind about that luggage that follows you. On the one hand, nothing to carry. But on the other hand it’d be like a toddler you need to keep your eye on all the time… just in case it got distracted and went the wrong way.

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  22. I love flying, but it can be such a PITA to get on the plane. Airports are the worst places in the world, everyone’s in a hurry, everyone’s stressed out, and everyone’s pissed after waiting in line to get microwaved by the TSA. It’s good to see some good things about flying!

    Liked by 1 person

    • Eric, I like your assessment of airports and the TSA. Neither are all that friendly or accommodating. Then once on the plane who knows what hell the airlines will put you through. However, the stories I shared here are a glimmer of hope in what can be a bleak process.

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  24. Hi Ally – loved the Wings clip – not a series I’ve ever seen … but it had a feel good factor to it – then the Antonio clip – just lovely!! I could do with an own plane – guess I’d need the money to run it!! But fun stories to read about .. and how amazing life can be at times – cheers Hilary

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    • Hillary, Wings was a quirky comedy about the childishly dysfunctional relationship between two adult brothers who together owned a small Nantucket Island airline company. One brother was in love with a childhood friend who owned a lunch counter in the airport– and dreamed of playing her cello with the Boston Symphony. It was so absurd, yet amazingly believable. Loved it. IF you ever get a chance to see any episodes of Wings, you’ll be hooked.

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