The No-Fly List

I like to travel.  I count myself very lucky that I can travel a lot.  I have a decent job that lets me pay for trips abroad, a travel-mad fiancee and living in London means the most interesting locations in Europe are a short hop away.

Over the last few years, as the frequency of my trips abroad has increased, I have found it necessary to put together a No-Fly list.  This is basically the list of air carriers that I have decided I will never fly with again.  Each has earned its place on the list, but all for different reasons.  This is my list, and these are my reasons, so they don't have to make sense to anyone else...

The first name on the list is Ryanair.  This needs no explanation.  My Ryanair experiences have all been, to some extent, horrific.  The flights never cost what they claim.  The carry-on allocation allows you to take on board little more than a lunchbox.  The staff are jaded.  Just unpleasant.

The second is Air France.  They bumped me.  Once. It was enough to earn a place on the list.

Thai Airways.  A long Haul flight with no entertainment? Really??  Welcome to the list.

Finally - Continental Airways (and by association United Airways and probably all other American carriers).  The reason for this is fourfold. 

Firstly, I was recently in NYC when Hurricaine Irene hit.  My flight was cancelled (understandably), but from the moment it looked even remotely likely that this would be the case Continental Airways put an automated message on their phoneline saying that they wouldn't be answering any calls.  The message directed you to their website.  Not. Good. Enough.

Secondly, their website is rubbish. No information and no way to contact them other than their dreadful "Ask Alex" automated service.

Thirdly, when the hurricane had passed and the phonelines remained closed we made our way to Penn Station to queue at the Continental ticket desk to get new flights.  Unsurprisingly there were quite a few people there (we arrived at 9am when the desk opened).  It appeared that Continental hadn't considered this though and had 2 people manning the 5 available desks (and to be fair, doing an admirable job under what was undoubtedly emmense pressure).  I queued for three and a half hours to be offered a seat on a flight almost a week later.  Poor.

Finally, and if you live in Europe one worth noting - US airlines are not as thoroughly regulated as those in Europe.  What this meant is that if we had been flying with a European carrier such as BA or Virgin Atlantic, out extended stay in the US would have been paid for by them.  Because we flew Continental it was not.  This is not a mistake I will make again.

.....

It was great to get home yesterday and awesome to sleep in our own bed.  I now have to look forward to a very full-on week at work...