Tale of Two Flights: A Spoiled Brat Flies the Airlines

Most of us have experienced some mind-blowing travel failures.

Dick Karl

Thursday, March 27, 2025 at 09:00 AM ET

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Edited By:

Ryan Ewing

FLYING contributor Dick Karl says he once arrived to JFK for a flight to London only to learn our aircraft hadn’t left England yet. [Courtesy: Dick Karl]

Key Takeaways:

The author contrasts a "ridiculous" airline journey marked by significant delays, re-routings, unexpected costs, and a frustrating interaction with a flight attendant when traveling to inspect hurricane damage.
In stark contrast, a subsequent trip was "sublime," featuring unexpected first-class upgrades on commercial flights and an enjoyable, efficient flight in a private Piper Cheyenne III.
The article highlights the highly variable nature of air travel, from frustrating and inconvenient to unexpectedly pleasant and efficient, often depending on factors outside the passenger's control.

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You hear a lot about how terrible airline flying is: delays caused by rowdy passengers, crews timing out, ATC staffing shortages, and all manner of weather. Most of us have experienced some mind-blowing travel failures. I once arrived at JFK for a flight to London only to learn that our aircraft hadn’t left England yet. Luckily, a bar was conveniently available.

Two recent airline forays could be classified as sublime and ridiculous.