"Fly The Friendly Skies"

                                                                 

First of all, you people need to get over your shock at United Airlines' bodily ejecting a passenger from their plane, his head bouncing off the armrests all the way down Economy.  A bit of history here folks.

United Airlines is the biggest employee-owned corporation in the world.  Their 84,000 employees, guided by their union, plotted a takeover of that airline in 1994.  By demanding ridiculous salary hikes, and staging strikes, the United Union was able to cripple UA to the brink of bankruptcy.  The flying union thugs were able to take a 55% stake in the company and, for the last 23 years their crews have gone from abusing corporate management to abusing passengers.  Since then "Fly The Friendly Skies" has become a cruel joke as they shrunk your leg space by putting a few more rows into the cabin...now more like cattle car.  And this past week we learned that United ain't so "friendly on the ground" either, hey?

Folks, you need to understand that the "union types" like only union types.  From Jimmy Hoffa to the current AFL-CIO Chief, Richard Trumpka, these guys make the Mafia look like the girl scouts, people!

                                                         

So quit being shocked over United roughing up a passenger.  They do it all the time, but most of the time when you're at 37,000 feet and your only option is a long free fall.  Just try asking one of those "flight attendant union thugs" for another bag of pretzels and see what happens!

When I was a kid I never dreamed of ever getting a seat on an airplane.  My fondest travel hopes was to climb on a sleek Greyhound bus and see the sights.  Then, by the 70's those Greyhound bus stations were ground zero for drug deals and folks that would slit your throat for a pack of cigarettes.

By the 1990's the airlines had become the equivalent of those 70's Greyhounds...filled with sweaty and dirty trailer trash who, at best wore their pajama bottoms aboard, at worst, wore less than that.

By the time I wrapped up my Air Force career I was close to the Million Mile Club.  Then, after ten years of working in the Middle East, I finally won my "million mile" wings.

I made my last flight in July, 2001, from Riyadh, Saudi Arabia to Los Angeles.  No longer required to fly in my work, I grounded myself permanently.  I could simply not tolerate being herded into those commercial cattle cars, poked and prodded, then ignored, so I travel on two legs or four wheels these days.  It's safer that way.........and immensely preferable to being dragged down the middle aisle, feet in the air, my head bumping arm rests along the way, then being bid adieu with "come fly with us again....unless we've overbooked".