[Alberta's Child]

The last time I got bumped off a flight like this was more than ten years ago. I was pissed off as all hell, but did what I was told. It wasn't because I wanted to be a subservient sheep, but because I recognized that putting up a stink right there was going to be disruptive to everyone else on the flight. And my problem was not their problem. I dealt with it directly through the CEO afterwards -- which is exactly how I deal with any customer service issue with any private company.

And I've been flying first class with that airline ever since.

Pathetic. Dr. Dao showed about 400% more manhood than that.

He didn't show any manhood at all. He told the security staff they'd have to drag him off the aircraft, which is exactly what they did ... at which point he ran out and hired a top personal-injury attorney to file a huge lawsuit. That's a pathetic definition of manhood, but I guess that's what passes for manhood in these emasculated United States of America these days.

Show me the video clip of Dr. Dao kicking the cops in the head and laying one or two of them out in the aisle before they dragged him away, and then we'll talk about his manhood.

We will continue to be pounded back into the background of our own country until we act like men again.

I avoid flying at all costs. I just returned from a business trip in a city more than 1,100 miles away. I drove both ways (basically non-stop on my return trip) because there is nothing about modern air travel that any real man would ever find acceptable ... in my humble opinion.

[Chainmail]

I fly less than before but I still fly 2-3 times a year and it's been getting lousier and lousier. Some of it is based on protecting us from insane Islamic terrorists - so like everyone else, I saddle up, take my coat, shoes, and belt off and then stand in the X-ray machine (I have a stainless steel knee) and plan for lots of extra time for the flight.

The parts I have trouble with are the shenanigans the airlines sometimes pull on its paying customers. This last flight to Los Angeles to go to a family funeral, the airline didn't issue me a ticket on check-in - even though I was hours early - and I found out that they had overbooked the flight and I wasn't going to get a ticket until they were absolutely sure that there would be a seat available.

I was temperate and controlled but internally furious; I had bought the full-price tickets a week ahead of time and if I didn't catch that flight, I'd miss the funeral. I approached the desk and asked nicely to speak to a manager and eventually got someone who was able to squeeze me aboard about minute before the door was secured on the plane. Somewhat embarrassingly, I had to do the whole "combat disabled vet" thing to get them to listen.

I got what I needed but the stress of it all was entirely unnecessary - if I had gotten there a couple of hours early, how would they not have known who was actually there and would be on the flight?

The whole routine is one of indifference and the treatment of us ordinary citizens as merely fund sources and not deserving of respect.

I'm not advocating going "high and right" on airline employees but we need to seriously address some customer rights here.

The case of Dr. Dao's ("dao" means crazy in Vietnamese in case you're wondering) and some of his tribulations were caused by some poor judgment on his part - but the whole idea that a paying customer can be struck and dragged of a plane he had every right to expect was going to fulfill its promise to fly him safely home is insane and should not be tolerated.

Other than that, no opinion.