Airline Food! Can You Believe It?

Growing up, I've flown a lot. A WHOLE lot. I was raised a Navy brat who flew probably eight to ten flights per year every year until I moved to the States at age... Let's say fifteen. My parents were divorced by then and my mom worked for United Airlines. I used the space available program, always donning a dark green suit in an effort to get bumped up to a better class, to get from Dad's where I lived to Mom's where I liked to visit. I probably went twice a year which would be something like four flights per year. This went on until I was done with college and then I joined the AF and flying is my job.

So I fly quite a bit. I've flown all around this crazy world going to multiple continents, countries, and states. I'd say even now with years of experience under my belt flying for the AF I still have more hours and more experience with civilian airlines so it's with a bit of credentials that I write this blog.

The food is NOT that bad.

It is especially not that bad when you think that it's free and that on particularly long flights it would be a WHOLE lot worse if they gave you nothing and let you eat that. Nothing. Think about it. Oh sure, you might say the bagel is very cardboard-like but you'd be begging for cardboard after ten hours of breathing your own air and being hungry.

Of course, now things have changed, haven't they? It's tough to get food through security and who wants to pay the ridiculous prices for food on the safe side of the metal detector? Not many people.

Other things have changed too. Depending on your airline you will pay money for your FIRST checked bag. No one wants to pay money for something they've been getting for free forever, right? So what do people do? They find bags that are suitcases (don't even TRY to deny it) and stuff them full of their crap and call it a carry on. It's NOT a carry on, it's your freaking suitcase and it is NOT a good idea to bring that on the plane. I do not want to be lifted from my seat because your bag is too big to fit under it in front of you, nor do I want you to test out the maximum weight capacity sign on the overhead storage bins. They're meant for small carry on bags, not a steamer trunk.

And then there's the food! I flew with US Airways on the way to Tucson and we took off and then we were let in on the knowledge that in order to get a soda - a SODA - we would need to shell out 2.00.

2.00?!

You're out of your freaking mind if you think I'm paying 2.00 for a SODA, people. That's somewhere between 16 and 17 cents per FLUID OUNCE!

That is ridiculous.

Look, I understand the whole checked luggage thing. Fuel isn't cheap and the more weight people bring, the harder it is to fly. That's fine with me to check per weight or something like that, but seriously, SODA?! And at such a ridiculous price too!

My god, it makes no sense and every single person I saw buying and slurping them down I just wanted to slap and say "You know you're just encouraging them, right? Like a kid throwing a tantrum you gave in to the demands! It's a two hour flight! There will be water in the airport when we land AND IT WILL BE FREE!"

Oh MAN, if I could have only talked in all capitals!