A long time without flying - what's new?

[Warks]

After being a regular flyer (nowhere near as frequent as some of you lot but I was SG for 5 years) I went on my last flight in July and haven't been near a plane since. I left my job ('redundant') and my status has plunged from Cold to Sliver to now (gasp!) Brownz...

I'll sign a contract shortly which will see me travelling quite a bit next year they tell me - Oz and SE Asia. It's been a good break but I wonder how much has changed. What's the longest any of you have been without wings and what goes on up there now?:mrgreen:

 

[Keith009]

2 months for me - usually due to uni, as I only get to fly during semester breaks.

 

[Mal]

TBH, I don't think much has changed.

Several American airlines have introduced bag charges.
Fuel surcharges have come down a touch.
Catering menus have changed. Some staff would have left and been replaced with new staff.
Qantas has introduced their big BloatBus.

Apart from those - I can't really think of what else has changed. I'm sure plenty has though!

 

[JohnK]

I did not set foot an aircraft from 1994-2003 and to be honest had no great desire to travel again, various reasons including claustrophobia, until work sent me to Thailand in April 2003. A few more work trips and the travel bug returned.

It has been great fun since then and the last couple of years there would not have been a month go by without a flight. Looking forward to many more although the weekly commute is taking it's toll....

 

[2muchplastic]

If you haven't flown for a very long time, then the most significant changes are:

1. You no longer have to sit next to the rear gunner (unless you're flying Air China)
2. They have brought toilets inside now
3. The jet age has arrived.... oh, I see, july this year!

In which case, the only thing that has changed is that they have finally finished the bottle of slightly ropey French white Bordeaux that seems to have been knocking around on QF97 for ages....:shock:

I went six months without flying at the beginning of this year. Didn't really miss it at all.