Posted on 11/14/2012 3:27:03 AM PST by Cronos
..On a recent trip to New York to see family and friends, I was at first pleased to discover that a U.S. carrier had a direct flight from Beijing to Newark International Airport. The fare was reasonable and the schedule suited me perfectly. Thirteen hours on a plane? Perfect time to catch up on Ben Stillers oeuvre.
Less than an hour into the flight, I was regretting my choice. Flying coach, I expected uncomfortable seats, lackluster food and surly service, but what I hadnt counted on was being turned away from the toilet. As I reached out to open the door, a flight attendant preparing a drinks cart two feet away barked, You cant go in there. Im busy. Go to the one in the front. When the other toilets turned out to be occupied, I turned back to discover the occupied sign was on. Im not letting you in, the flight attendant insisted.
Its no secret that American carriers lag far behind their Asian counterparts when it comes to service and amenities. None of the big three U.S. airlines Delta Airlines, United Airlines and American Airlines cracked the top 50 in airline consultancy Skytraxs annual poll of the worlds best airlines, which was released this summer.
..Meanwhile, six of the top 10 carriers hailed from Asia, with Asiana earning second place, followed by Singapore Airlines, Cathay Pacific and All Nippon Airways. Even Chinas big carriers fared better than the American big three.
..There is one survey where American airlines beat Asia carriers. A recent study showed airlines raked in $22.64 billion last year in ancillary chargesthose annoying fees for checked baggage, food, drink, pillows and blankets. Not a single Asian full-service carrier was mentioned.
(Excerpt) Read more at blogs.wsj.com ...
Why are there still U.S. carriers?
Korean Airlines (KAL) treats you like a Sultan. And that’s in coach, I can’t imagine what first class is like.
Could some of it have to do with the mannish, more aggressive attitude of many modern American women? And let’s not get started on the influx of weird/homo-acting stewards.
My flights from Vienna to Cebu were all on Qatar, one of only
six five star carriers. Cathay and Asiana also service Cebu.
They are another two of the six five star airlines.
I do not think any American carrier has over three stars.
I recently flew United on a 14 hour flight from Asia. I flew coach (in the rear with the infants).
I think what prevented me from going crazy was the movies. I must have watched at least four.
Most Americans buy flights based on price. You get what you pay for.
Rent Catch Me if You Can sometime. It has a scene where the new Pan Am stewardesses (not “flight attendants”) are selected - classy, beautiful, poised and they had to speak a foreign language. Seemed like another world, compared to the nasty bats (female and male) we encounter on flights today.
Have never flown Korean. Cathay and Singapore were business class and those were worlds better than Lufthansa or British Air or Air France (forget about Continental) — most of my US flights have been coach.
The best flight I ever took was on Japan A/L. Singapore A/L and Malaysia A/L were also good.
Article is dead on—US airlines suck big time. Much of that is due to heavy union involvement.
I don’t fly much so this may not mean much, but I’ve never seen the staff be anything but professional (Delta and American)
Some of the passengers on the other hand.....
Watched a little old lady physically assault a man for letting his feet wander into the aisle while he was asleep.
Recentlly used KLM to Tanzania, Africa. They are exceptionally good.
everything unions touch gets destroyed.
Faggies are huge in the flight attendant ranks and often show attitude toward hetero couples. My wife & I were on a flight where the male flight attendant was treating us with such courtesy & pleasantries that we asked how does he deal with being separated from his own wife on long flights.
He replied, “I’m not married!” We pointed to the wedding band on his left hand.
He laughed & said, “That’s my `fag deflector’. Lots of fags work in the airlines and this keeps me from getting hit on.”
Yeah! Just look at Detroit!

Flew with an infant lately and US Airways they did not have any baby seat belts, they said to just hold the child on your lap. This is not safe and should not be allowed. I'm still contemplating filing a complaint with the FAA but they owe me a refund for bag fees so I'll wait until that plays out first.
On the second leg of the journey we switched to Lufthansa (original carrier but flight was canceled) and they had baby seat belts plus bassinets.
I was allowed two bags for my flight but when we were re booked on US Airways they made us pay and said to get the money back from Lufthansa.
I avoid US carriers, sorry service and too many fees.
Singapore is top luxury and quality food.
Us airlines are now looking at getting rid of seatbelts to offer standing areas.
Fly Asian and middle east airline you will refuse to fly any other .
Or just due to the fact they're union workers, and simply don't have to give a damn.
Mark
American flight attendants, on the other hand, are career union hacks. My daughter (who fits the Asian attendant model) was flown to Atlanta last year to interview with Delta. Thought she had a real chance as she speaks two languages, is superb with kids and a licensed social worker. Practically everyone at the interview were applicants from lesser airlines. One even told her that homos got hiring preferences not just with Delta, but all airlines. Too much gender imbalance in the industry and homos, of course, never knocked up female flight attendants.
The Asian airlines also have the hottest flight attendants ! Flying ANA to Hawaii ( Big Island ) in March . I see they are rated # 5 in the world . Not surprised . Exc.service , politeness , courtesy and HOT women ! : )
Cathay Pacific bump....
Dragon Airlines bet. Shenzen and Shanghai - a 2 hour flight - serve a delicious meal. It wasn’t a flying bus. It was a pleasure and they’re gracious and friendly.
I remember having to fly once from Madrid to Munich on Lufthansa and a german colleague told me how lucky I was because Lufthansa had just finished a multiyear project where they studied the problem of seating and had developed and installed brand new super comfortable ergonmic seats in all the flights. When I got on the plan, the seat was leather and hard as a rock, no give at all. It was like sitting on a flat wooden bench.
Last time I hear "this is the ideal in German comfort" and look forward to trying it.
Harrison Bergeron’s world reigns supreme here in the liberal West.
They have stewardesses and not flight attendants
High RE prices drive American incomes. If we paid cash for our homes we’d need less income and would have more leisure. We have a pro-debt tax code driven by the FIRE industries. It is hurting our competitiveness.
We need a debt neutral tax code.
Back in my day before 5 kids and college costs and the Bush-Obama economy, I flew over 200,000 a year...most NYC Europe or NYC-Latin America or some NYC-Africa and Asia
Singapore was best...no doubt..first class was just amazing..and the women..they actually gowned up at sleep time...I swear and if you grunted they were there..sweetest little butterflies
This Mississippi boy thought Somerset never had it so good
Cathay was nice too...no doubt.
Air France was back then the best of the White Country airlines to me anyhow....and they still had sweet women stewardesses...1980-91
Varig ...for Brasil was OK too...and decent women
Flew both Concordes...tight fit...good food
American carriers were just not quite there but really only 2 ran my routes...Pan Am and Eastern and Pan Am by a mile on that score although I had a torrid fling with an Eastern stewardess in Bogota ..she was mid 30s...me mid 20s...she was gorgeous...but Eastern was poorly run even then
Chasing women who worked for airlines around the world was a pretty steady deal for me then...you just get to know them if you fly some routes a few times a month on long flights or even the counter gals
Flew Air Jamaica for “business” back then...it was sorta spotty run but for 15 bucks you could fly forward and I was friendly with Tony Hart who ran it then for Eddie Seaga
I thought SAS was a decent airline too...their stewardesses were beautiful....
KLM, BA, Lufthansa, British Caledonian, and the other Free World airlines were pretty close in quality.
Never flew on any Middle East airlines but flew El Al...no thanks...a zoo but safe..lol
I liked Avianca...nice looking women again.
I once flew the old south polar route from Hong Kong, Singapore, Auckland or Christ Church...can’t recall, Buenos Aires to Sao Paulo on Air New Zealand....it was a great airline then too
oh well...nowadays big shots fly private..i only got to do that piggybacking or with my dad when he as alive or a few times when charterers in the third world were out of Commanders or Aztecs for lease and would let us use the Lear or Citation for just the gas money and pilot tip..one of my partners was a former IDF pilot...and they would let him fly the Lear...they are very capable..should mount guns on them..lol
Jet Airways, Rajkot to Mumbai - 45 minute flight. We were served a HOT breakfast!
Flew the Concord ?
Count me as envious...
My buddy flys for ANA and he has to maintain his weight to within 5 pounds of his ideal weight. I'm sure the women have to adhere to the same standards.
Saudia is OK but no booze, same same for Kuwait Air.
Singapore, JAL, Emirates, KAL, Lufthansa are all up there.
Oh for the days of the 1960s when Stewardesses were real WOMEN!
Remember the adds for THE AIR STRIP! Stewardesses in shorts. “Coffee, tea, or Me!”. Now the most beautiful adds on TV are for the Korean Airlines. A little thin, but nice.
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