I was almost more than five years old the first time I ever stepped foot on an airplane.
I was acdealering my Dad to visit my great Grandpa down south in the year leading up to her passing.
Although it was a somber trip, my Dad didn’t let myself and others see it at the time. She was ecstatic to see my excitement at going up into an airplane for the first time ever. I got to see outside the window & look down at mountain tops when both of us flew over the Appalachians. It was a sublime experience, one that was repeated each time I boarded a plane to visit my Dad after my parents divorced & my Dad took my sibling & I to another state. I loved flying in planes for years until I reached my 20s. Lots of things have lost their appeal as I’ve grown older, however flying in unique has become a sizable pain. I dislike the cost of the tickets, the fact that you’re paying to check a single bag of luggage in many cases, the frustrating TSA pat-down, & the claustrophobic environment inside the plane. I dislike hearing screaming babies & having children kick my seat from behind. The last time I flew the cooling system wasn’t working respectfully inside the plane. Every one of us were above the clouds & in full sunlight, adding to the heat inside the plane. I started to sweat & noticed others were as well. Not a single flight attendant or pilot mentioned the lack of during the flight, despite the fact that it clearly wasn’t working the entire time.