Sunday, February 23, 2014

Friendly Fries

I remember when Coffee, Tea or Me was a sexy story of the overly friendly skies...not a visit to Starbucks


 Lately I have been traveling both domestically and internationally.  I was fortunate to be selected for the pre-check TSA designation, which helped me keep my clothes on at the terminal but otherwise I was afforded the same treatment as the common flier.  Once on the plane I was offered a lot of beverages (non-alcoholic for free) and opportunity to pay an exorbitant price for a meal that used to be considered a snack on longer domestic flights.  Since I am a firm believer in spending as little money as possible while traveling...or for that matter any other time I open my wallet...I purchased peanut butter crackers from a kiosk at O'Hare.  I understand the price of gasoline has increased but it is curious that the $2.99 I spent for crackers would have put the airline in bankruptcy had it been offered to the 200 passengers on the flight.  Let's do the math, 200 flights a day times 200 passengers times $2.99...yep $119,600 times 365 days equals $43,654,000 per year.

Of course the dilemma is that I may be able to bring my own peanut butter and jelly sandwich but I may not bring water to wash it down.  In fact I may have the peanut butter in a jar confiscated along with a host of other foods in containers or various states of semi-solid forms.

What I do not understand is why I can not bring foods that clearly pose no harm to others?  I know there are the peanut alerts, but are there severe jello or applesauce or rice pudding allergies?  What if I do not like banana's (which I would like to point out are definitely semi-solid in my house), dried fruits or nuts and for that matter any of the other tasteless foods on the list of acceptable items for carry-on?  Most importantly why am I able to buy these same dangerous foods once I go through the TSA checkpoint?  Oh that's right, the vendors on the other side of the entrance gates only serve safe food...I will refrain from further ranting against a system that allows food vendors on the right side of the security checkpoints to hold hungry travelers hostage with limited choices of high priced food.     

Sorry to sound bitter dear reader but most of my frustration is leveled at individuals smuggling other dangerous items through the checkpoints and airlines that charge almost $500 round trip from Chicago to Florida but feel snack crackers are a luxury.  I miss the care free days when booze was flowing, passengers could stumble on a plane with a sack of fries and an on-board meal was a step above a Swanson frozen dinner.  When did food become a weapon?  I do not recall a single incidence of a hijacker decrying the poor nutritional value of the on-board meal.

I close out this post by hoping for a return to normalcy which would allow passengers on a transatlantic flight to eat their PB&J or bologna sandwich lovingly made by their mother and washed down with a glass of milk and homemade chocolate chip cookies.

Writing is kinda hard work and I have worked up a hunger...soup and sandwich for lunch maybe...


P.S. I have consistently seen a blog follower from the Ukraine...please stay safe, good luck on attaining a democratic state





  



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