Sty in the Sky: The Filth of Flying
8th August 2007
WSJ($). Another chapter in the continuing saga of why I don’t fly.
This summer, rampant flight cancellations and delays are forcing many travelers to languish, sometimes for hours, before they can board their flight. Unfortunately, that’s nothing compared with what may await them on the plane.
Tales of sweaty waits on un-air-conditioned planes, smelly bathrooms, dirty seats and tray-tables smeared with mysterious schmutz abound this season. Travelers complain that the environment on packed planes can degenerate quickly — and often long before the plane actually starts moving.
“When you get off a plane, it looks like the morning after a fraternity house party,” says Tim Winship, publisher of FrequentFlier.com, a Web site that offers frequent-flier program information and advice.