So we left off at our return flight…we flew on Allegient Air out of Mesa Gateway Airport. It’s a new discount airline, but it flies direct to a lot of small towns. Overall, I give the travel an “A”. However, the travel time weighed heavily as there are a lot of little negatives. For example…

To start, you pay for EVERYTHING. Bag? Fee. Want a specific seat? Say, next to your 13 month old? Fee. Want to get on first? Fee. Drink? Fee. Snack? Fee. I’m surprised there wasn’t a credit card slot on the bathroom door – although I didn’t check so maybe there was. Also, they don’t preboard people with kids – not a huge deal, but it is kind of nice to get a chance to gate check the stroller, find your seat, get the car seat strapped in, get the kid strapped in, strap yourself in, you get the picture.

I was calm until it was finally our turn to board and there were people gathered around the seating area waiting for their row – blocking the path to the gate. I had to restrain Peter from violently and “accidentally” bumping a woman out of the way. Why people, why? The plane is not leaving without you and if it was, why would standing directly in front of the gate but 12 feet away stop it?!

We also had 2 flight attendants stop us to check Baylie’s car seat to make sure it was airplane ready – ok, not a problem. But the one on the plane (my mom would describe her as the one they keep chained in the back and only let her out to growl at complainers) loudly and rudely told us that Bay’s seat was “unsafe”. Huh? I have to think even a standard car seat strapped into an airplane seat is going to be marginally safer than her squirming out of a lap belt! She also told us that she couldn’t sit by herself – we had to produce a boarding pass for her to reassure her that we weren’t pilfering an empty seat on an, only partially full mind you, flight. Good think B is such a cutie, they can’t say no to her.

Lastly, who are the people who get up to go to the front (forward?) bathroom before the seatbelt sign is off? Even if you haven’t been on a plane since September 11th, you’d have to think that that kind of action might warrant a negative outcome. So watching the guy argue with the flight attendant got my terrorist radar up (I had my belt ready so Peter could tie him up with it) – but thankfully he was just a dumbass who didn’t get the memo nor the reminder to hit the head prior to boarding.

So, the lesson is – bring a book, don’t shuffle your cards and pay attention to the seatbelt sign and pee before you get on the plane. And travel with a cute kiddo.