A few days before we departed our cruise ship, my throat felt sore. This is normally my first symptom of an oncoming head cold. By the time we docked at Singapore, I had a drippy nose and weeping eyes. My wife, with similar symptoms, tested negative for Covid and the flu. We did not have a fever nor any aches. We were just not feeling 100%.
We had a 12-hour layover in Singapore after departing our ship, so we got a day room at an airport hotel. We walked to a pharmacy and loaded up with over-the-counter cold medicines, then relaxed at the hotel. The ugly reality of long flights back to Texas were counterbalanced by remaining in a Singapore hotel with our head colds and having to find alternative international flights. We opted to travel back to the USA where we felt more comfortable with the medical system.
Our flight from Singapore to San Fransico was delayed making our travels even longer. Looking back, I do not recommend flying 14 hours with a head cold. The plane’s air circulation system dehydrates the body and the change in altitude pops already sensitive ears. Sleep was next to impossible due to my clogged nasal and chest passages. The longer I was in the air, the worse I felt.
We landed late in San Fransico very late, and our gate was not ready, so we sat on the runway for 30 minutes. By the time we departed the plane and proceeded through immigration, our connecting flight to Houston had departed. After collecting our bags, we booked an airport hotel room, changed our airline tickets to a later flight, and boarded the airport tram. After midnight, we were in our hotel room. The shower felt so refreshing, along with clean clothes. We napped for less than two hours, then checked out and took the tram back to the airport check-in area.
We waited at the gate for our 5am flight to Houston and were able to buy some breakfast food. Our flight took off on-time and landed early. I watched a movie as exhaustion set in. Sleep was impossible. We picked up our car and drove home, stopping just once for a Starbucks drink. The closer we got to Austin, the more my body cried out for relief. After arriving home and unpacking our bags, I called my family doctor who prescribed medicines which were filled just before the pharmacy closed. After a bath and medication, I went to bed and slept for 12 hours. Upon waking that morning, I started to feel human again.
I don’t like flying, especially long journeys to Europe, Africa, or Asia. I rarely sleep more than a few hours. Upon arrival, I fight jet lag before collapsing in a hotel room. Airports are crowded and flights get delayed for all kinds of reasons. Normally respectful people turn disrespectful, demanding, and entitled. Checked bags can get delayed or lost. Flying is a means to an end, such as arriving at a destination that you explore and perhaps share with family, friends, or business colleagues. The initial flying thrill wore off before I graduated from college.
Sean Duffy, the current US Secretary of Transportation, is trying to improve the flying experience. He is promoting healthier family-friendly airports stocked with fitness equipment and children play spaces. I agree with these ideas since a flyer is likely to get stuck for hours in a terminal due to flight delays or long layovers. Parents with children relish a playground to give their children (and themselves) a break. Going to an airport health club for a workout and shower would greatly improve the travel experience. This is far better than downing alcoholic beverages at the airport bar.
Secretary Duffy’s most controversial idea is to restore courtesy and class to air travel by dressing with respect. “Let’s try not to wear slippers and pajamas as we come to the airport,” he recently told travelers. Jeans and “a decent shirt” were preferable. When I traveled for business, I usually flew wearing a business suit. I now travel in more comfortable clothes that keep me warm as planes tend to be cold. But Duffy does make a good observation. There are a few plane passengers that wear clothes that I only wear in my house and not in public. Some look like they just came from the beach or pool deck. Perhaps they did! I don’t understand why some people travel in shoes that are not good for walking since most terminals require long walks. Experienced travelers plan for system failures, detours, and delays. Travel clothing should be chosen carefully.
There is another underlying reason to dress respectfully. Human beings are biased. If you approach people smartly dressed, such as check-in staff, security, flight attendants, border guards, customs officials, and transfer personnel, they tend to treat you well. Perhaps your smart dress gets you upgraded to business class or a seat with more legroom. When you need assistance, a person may be more inclined to respectfully answer your questions if you are nicely dressed.
My faith teaches me to treat all persons with respect, just as I want others to be respectful towards me. If you have the financial means to travel by plane, then consider what you wear and how others will respond to your clothes. Perhaps if the airlines see that their passengers are dressing better, they will decide to design more comfortable seating, serve better food, and be on time more often. This respectful exchange would be greatly appreciated by all who fly. I might even enjoy flying again.
