OK, so airfares haven't risen much in the US and airlines are scrambling to cut costs wherever they can: forget the meals, no more complimentary cocktails once you hit international skies, goodbye to the cleaning crew and if you want a smile...wait, isn't friendly free?
Unfriendly doesn't begin to describe the service on a US Airways flight I took from JFK to Paris. It was a night flight, and thankfully empty enough to sequester a few seats for sleeping - if you could find a few that were clean enough. My designated seat was covered with a large piece of melted chocolate. Like I said, the flight was fairly empty so I moved myself into something a little cleaner and tried to get comfortable in a space that would challenge even a hamster. Ok, this meant putting a foot up on the tray table (not cool) but does that give the flight attendant the right to smack my arm, demand that I put my feet down, and when I didn't immediately comply, he threatened to call the air marshal and send the plane back to JFK. As Spalding Gray once said, 'Once the wheels go up, we're all hostages.' Anyway, I guess you get what you pay for, but I’d say I went a little too discount with this airlines. Luckily my morning was greeted with a view a Paris and the opportunity to deplane.
