So, I just flew from Shreveport to Houston to Frankfurt, Germany to Oslo, Norway to Reykjavik, Iceland. The whole experience took 24 hours from the time I left my house yesterday to the time I arrived at my hotel today. I am sleep-deprived (more on that in a sec) and beyond jet lagged. It was that ten-hour flight to Frankfurt that did it... But I'm getting ahead of myself. Let me start at the beginning...
So, I had the iShuttle come pick me up and take me to the airport. The guy was on time and very courteous, and got me to the airport quickly, where I went to check in at the United check-in counter. No United representative was manning the desk (typical), since they are trying to force everyone to use the automatic kiosks to check-in. Well, I swipe my passport and it tells me it can't find any reservations for me for August 3rd.
So I search by my confirmation number and it comes up. I confirm that I am not traveling with an infant under the age of two and that they have my correct passport information, but then a screen that says a United representative is necessary to continue checking me in. Now, had there actually been a United representative at the check in counter, this would have posed no issue; however, no United representative was anywhere to be found. We eventually have to send a TSA agent to go find someone to check us in (there was another lady who had been waiting longer than I had who just needed the baggage claim tag put on her bag). Typical United. But, on the bright side, the flight was actually on time.
Now, I had spent a ton of my United miles on this ticket. I hate United ever since they killed Continental, and am trying to use up all my miles with them by traveling on their partner airlines, so I was flying Lufthansa to Frankfurt in business class. I spent the extra miles to fly in business class because that is a very long flight, and I knew to be able to combat a week's worth of jet lag when I fly east, I need to get sleep on the plane. I like Lufthansa because they have the lay-down seats... But...
Seated directly in front of me, was a couple with a 6 month old. Now, I think traveling internationally with a 6 month old is borderline child abuse, because you are exposing that child to all sorts of germs and disease with that stale/recirculated air on the plane. I don't know why anyone (unless for emergency circumstances or necessary travel - not just a week of vacay) would do it, but this couple did. And that infant screamed for just about every minute of the ten-hour flight. I know this might upset some people, but I don't think they should let kids in business class. It's business class, not day care class, and children simply have no "business" up there...
Malaysian Airlines actually doesn't allow kids in their first class cabin, which I find a little disappointing. Let's be honest here, if ever there was an airline that could have gotten away with coming up with creative solutions to the problem of unruly/loud/misbehaving children, it would have been them. I would have thought Malaysian Airlines would have made the kids go pick their bamboo reeds for public canings or something. But an outright ban? You disappoint me, Malaysian Airlines...
But seriously, I don't think it's fair to all the people who paid a fortune to fly in (relative) comfort and you get to have that baby in your lap for free which disturbs the ENTIRE cabin... It's just not right, and I think babies shouldn't be allowed in business class. There, I said it, you can hate me if you want, and unfriend me on Facebook or whatever if that offended you, but if it did offend you, you are probably one of those people who has a picture of your baby as your profile picture instead of a picture of yourself (which is another pet peeve of mine, because when did that child assume your identity?). So unfriend away...
I was so exhausted and tired after I landed in Frankfurt and then had a mad dash to make my connection (which would have been easy to do in any other airport in the world except Frankfurt airport, the sprawling, disorganized, piece of shit airport that it is). I made my flight (just barely!) and then had a four-hour layover in Oslo, which was quite nice -- the business class lounge was kid-free. And then on to Iceland where I have just arrived at my hotel just over 24 hours after leaving home.
One can always focus on the negatives, but not me. I like to focus on the positives, which are that all of my flights were on time, my baggage arrived with me, I arrived safe and sound (although a smidge irritable due to sleep deprivation), and now I get to spend 9 glorious days in Iceland with friends! More on that later!
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