Ah! the distinction, the allure, the romance, the prestige of travel.
If you are ever flying through Rome – Terminal 5 would make certain people from the 1930’s proud – and you are tempted to get a day pass for the lounge … so-called VIP lounge… don’t bother. The Rome lounge used by Delta is a joke. I have a high miles status so I don’t have to pay extra for it… Deo gratias.
After cleaning my area, including the old chocolate of the seat and the angels only know what from the tray table using antibacterial wipes, I am ready for another hopefully boring trans-Atlantic flight.
Don’t worry, you liberal readers out there. I’m in what is now called “Bergoglio Class”.
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Chocolate off the seat?
I don’t believe sheep eat chocolate, but they do leave reusable bits:
http://www.creativepaperwales.co.uk/how_made.aspx
I’m in what is now called “Bergoglio Class”.
“Bergoglio Class: Smells like Sheep”
I prayed for you at mass this morning, Father. I hope you are better. We got colds in Rome and on the plane two days ago coming back, it seemed as if everyone on the plane was sneezing! God bless you!
Fr. Sternberg made similar pejorative comments on his blog and Twitter acct about his experiences with Delta to/from Rome. You are not alone in your opinion, Father Z.
Delta is never ready when you are. Its service has only gotten worse since its merger with Northwest. I always find the flight to and from Rome to be unbearable. By the time I get to my destination, I’m ready to jump out of my skin.
IDK. My return from Afghanistan was a Delta charter out of Manas Transit Center in Kyrgyzstan to Indy. Naturally, we were well taken care of. That said, there’s a simple solution: Lufthansa. I haven’t found a better airline.
Yeah.. Delta is the worst flying internationally. Praying that you are feeling better and that you have a safe trip all the way back home.
Praying for your safe return and better health…
MAJ Tony: Thanks for all you do for our country. I remember Lufthansa’s old motto: “German efficiency: rigid, punctual control along with beautiful, smiling faces.”
TNCath says:
Delta is never ready when you are. Its service has only gotten worse since its merger with Northwest. I always find the flight to and from Rome to be unbearable. By the time I get to my destination, I’m ready to jump out of my skin.
IME, the only time an international flight is bearable is having a first class ticket. There are, however, certain factors that make coach less intolerable, among which are: 1) Taking Acetaminophen (perhaps PM) or Naproxen Sodium; 2) Wine; 3) Being engrossed in a book; 4) Sitting next to a very attractive woman; 5) Listening to music on an IPOD; 6) 1-5.
And of course, there have been various unusual happenings. When flying to Europe once, I was talking with an attendant in the back galley and mentioned that I used to commute from KC to DC. She then said that her husband commuted every week to DC from Atlanta. When I asked what he did in DC, the answer came back: US Senator. Later, I checked his website, and there she was.
Then there was the woman who was seated in the middle seats. We left from St Louis and 30 min later turned back to return to the airport (later I was told that one of the two altimeters were cracked). On the approach a middle aged French woman who had never been on a plane before stood up, extended her arms a la crucifixion, and started yelling “I don’t want to die!”.
Of course, you haven’t flown internationally unless you’ve been on a flight when someone died. I was in the seats across from a galley, and about the time the movie started a stew said to me (out of the blue): “A few minutes ago a man died in the back of the plane.” When it happened, it was a light flight, so they left him in his seat and covered him with a blanket. He was on the aisle, so any trip to the bathroom meant walking by a corpse. BTW, except for an MD, I was the only one on the flight who was told. On landing in NY, the announcement was made, “Please remain in your seats because a man became very ill on this flight.”
MAJ Tony says:
IDK. My return from Afghanistan was a Delta charter out of Manas Transit Center in Kyrgyzstan to Indy. Naturally, we were well taken care of. That said, there’s a simple solution: Lufthansa. I haven’t found a better airline.
Do you know Doug Ollivant?
should be: one of the two altimeters was cracked).
I was on a flight once back in the early ’80s between Karachi and Islamabad – or maybe it was between cities inside Saudi Arabia – where one of the passengers decided he wanted some tea and started up his bunsen burner and pot of water in the aisle!
On other flights in certain third world countries, passengers have used the air sickness bags to defecate in . . . what joy! I guess cleaning up chocolate ain’t so bad after all.
That’s why I only fly KLM or Air France…champagne for breakfast anyone? Bien sur.
“Amen, amen, I say to you, when you were younger, you used to dress yourself and go where you wanted; but when you grow old, you will stretch out your hands, and someone else will dress you and lead you where you do not want to go.” John 21:18
Alas, he may be able to choose to sleep at Casa Santa Marta, but the Holy Father won’t ever get to fly Bergoglio class again. That’s his life now. True simplicity is in accepting the place God gives you.
I don’t fly often, but I put in an additional vote for Lufthansa.
BERGOGLIO CLASS?
LOL
Great story, robtbrown! You’d think they could at least have moved the body out of the aisle seat…
I fly Delta to Europe several times a year, and on the whole, it’s ok. Certainly a lot better than United or other US carriers I have occasionally flown! However, I agree that it has declined a bit since the Northwest merger. And it’s gotten really crummy on its frequent flier miles policy.
If anyone deserves to fly first class and to bathe in a $20,000 tub, it is you. :-)
Traductora says:
Great story, robtbrown! You’d think they could at least have moved the body out of the aisle seat…
I’ve been told on crowded flights they move the body to a bathroom and lock the door.
Hope it was a safe one and not too germy!
In which AV8R61rants a bit:
In defense of the U.S. Airlines, keep in mind that the European carriers are partially subsidized by their home countries. U.s.carriers are not; they have that pesky requirement to pay their expenses and try to make a profit. For a bigger seat, more legroom and all that, there are fewer tickets to spread the costs over. For those of you who fly to Rome “several” times a year, you might be able to go only once a year, or every other year. We in the business do the best we can for you with what we are given to work with. And what we are given to work with always boils down to how much you, the customers, are willing to pay.