Whereupon, a couple enters the cabin. Each is decked out in trendy, funky clothing with typical gel inforced windblown hair of many colors. I have no earthly clue who these people were, but suddenly the entire staff on the flight found a reason to approach them with chatter, smiles and offers of every available comfort.

Yup, you’re right, it does matter what you wear on the plane.

I was amused by his comment: “As for shorts, once the cabin door is closed and the air conditioning is cranked all the way up, you’ll be sorry.”
The many times I have flown during warm days I have never had to worry about “the air conditioning cranked all the way up”, while on the plane.

It was, actually, quite the opposite: the cabin temperature was such that many of us were glad that we were wearing shorts, while flying. One man once said to me that he makes it a point to wear shorts, whenever he flies at certain times of the year.
I agree with his comments, and, I, too, often wear shorts during spring and summer flights; same with early autumn travels. This has come from flying on TWA, Southwest, United, Air Canada, and American Airlines, on warm to hot days.

As for the possibility of feeling somewhat cold during the flight: that is why I usually carry on a sweater, and use the blanket provided to me, by the airline.

Ah, I feel much better now.

Essentially, deregulation created an environment, where, for the last 30 years, the airline industry has been providing a product (air travel) for far below cost. Countless investors for three decades have generously subsidized my air travel by pouring countless billions into money-losing airlines. (Okay, with some govt. subsidies too… I wish those would stop.) This has been done with a safety record unequaled by any other form of transportation.

Sure, I personally would prefer better customer service, but would I pay what tickets cost prior to deregulation to get it? Nope. I might pay a little more, but not that much.

SirWired

I remember flying out of HSV one morning, waiting on a woman to nearly undress to clear security. She wore a short jacket with a great deal of metal hardware, pointy-toed, high-heeled boots that required a looong time to remove, a gold chain belt that also had to be removed, along with enough jewelry to open her own store. Oh–and her cowboy hat with the chain hatband. I do not exaggerate. She was left in a pair of jeans that looked like they’d been painted on and a tank top that should have been left with it’s bathing suit bottom. To coin a fine old Southern expression, “Tacky.”

IMHO, unless you’re also wearing camouflage fatigues and a U.S. flag patch on your shoulder, you don’t wear boots when you’re flying. Of course, service members usually don’t have to take their boots off, anyway.

And muchas gracias for the perfume/cologne comments. Although those who would marinate in eau de Le Pew probably don’t read your column. I can put up with someone bringing their fast food on board much better than loud cologne. The food smell does eventually evaporate. Not so with cologne. I’m going to be even more blunt than you were, Chris. To all the ladies and gentlemen who think they simply must use their favorite fragrance before boarding: don’t. You stink. You give us a headache and no one wants to sit near you. Your odor is suffocating. It’s nasty, O.K.? I don’t care how much it cost or how much you like it. You smell like a refugee from a cheap bordello. Got it? Good.

Thanks for letting me vent. :)

comfort, class and safety. . . .seems like a good idea.