Larissa J. Schultz's Blog

I know, I “drank the Kool-Aid”, “bought into the marketing hype”, “sold out to the man”.  I just booked my annual year-end trip to Nowhere to ensure my elite-status mileage qualifications are met – guaranteeing I am loved and adored by my favorite airline for one more year. Hey, what can I say, they just make me smile!

Some might say, I realized the benefit of being a loyal customer and as a flyer of the skies know how to ensure  -for the most part - my travels are smooth, consistent and efficient. Others might say, airlines should do this regardless of how much money you spend with them and how many miles are accrued.

Here is the great thing about “buying in” and playing the mileage game – it pays off…if you are a frequent traveler.  And the other priceless benefit received – my annual flight to Nowhere always leads to Somewhere.

Every time I take this flight I meet new people, experience new places, find restaurants or bars, I might never have wandered into. I read a new book, take some down time for myself, and just enjoy the flight.

Sometimes I have flown to an airport on a morning flight, book in hand, gotten off the plane, and within 2 hours connected to my return flight. It was how I chose to spend my day.

With no agenda or definitive plan in mind I take to the skies – one time a year – I just go someplace for the pure journey of the trip. Not the destination.

This year, however, the plane is taking me to New York City – and it will be a slightly different - as this year as I am taking a frequent traveling friend with who has never seen the glistening lights on the tree at Rockefeller Center.

So the annual journey is turning into an actual destination trip – I’m kind of nervous – but let the adventure begin and the miles accrue!

There’s something about watching the sunrise on an early morning flight going North to anywhere.

From 38,000 feet, the view out of an east-facing airplane window offers the horizon expanded to a point where you actually think you can see the curvature of the Earth.  A collage of colors rises from the dark base of the curve and when you gaze up horizon line, just above the orange, pink color wash, your mind begins to envision the sun rays showering down on the areas of land 2,000 miles away.

The colors reflected in the sky slowly change as time passes — light orange, pink, splash of purple, a light blue – and you are lulled into a meditative state that abruptly ends when a burst of orange bursts onto the horizon.

In a split second the round life producing globe explodes sunshine upon you while you ferociously blink your eyes trying unsuccessfully to focus.

As the sphere rests gently on the horizon, various shades of orange, purple and pink shoot over the expanding sphere.  Light begins to ooze across the land below towards the plane – slowly moving across the terrain below you – bringing morning to the sleeping land.

Pastures once black shadows, are now green with life; wheat fields previously dark brown, now shimmer in golden glory.  What was once shrouded in darkness, is now flooded with light and the collage of colors which once sat on the horizon disappear gently, only to return on the other side of the world, as the land once again becomes dark.

I just returned from the most wonderful holiday to Ireland.  I met people who opened their lives and families to me.  I met people who told me stories, made laugh – at times bringing tears to my eyes – people who listened to my stories, who explained Irish customs, quoted Irish poets and Irish blessings.  People who toasted with me, drank with me, ate with me.

 Walking through lush emerald-green fields, deep woods, over ruins from centuries ago; I saw the most amazing historical sites, 7th century abbeys in ruin, 13th century castles standing firmly intact, thatched homes and remote cemeteries.

I drove down narrow winding roads, throughout the countryside.  Roads that took me along loughs, rivers, streams and bays.  Roads which led to ferries taking me to remote islands on the wild Atlantic ocean.  Roads where I drove by cows and their calves, horses and their foal, and sheep with their new spring lambs roaming along the country roads.

I saw mountains, beaches, valleys and fields rich in Irish soil.  And, when I returned from those roads I would meet up in the infamous Thatch, with friends who were once strangers.  We’d catch up on the day, toast to a pint and settle in for an evening of laughter, stories and traditional music.

My soul has been truly touched by the land, the history, and the music of Ireland; but more than that, by the people of Ireland. Bless their Irish hearts!

Well, the last bastion of refuge for frequent travelers is slowly slipping away.  Day by day. Trip by trip.

It has been said, “all good things must come to an end.” Unfortunately, for frequent travelers this happens more often than not. Airline clubs are being overrun by “day pass” users, premium seats are being overtaken by credit mileage phenoms, and now one of the best inventions to come to the air travel industry post 9/11 – TSA Pre-check – is being opened up to the infrequent traveling public.

I had heard rumors and seen postings on Facebook and Twitter from my frequent traveling companions, but had not yet experienced the myth of long TSA Pre-check lines. On my recent business trip to Las Vegas the myth became my reality.

Arriving at Terminal 4 at LAX, I accessed the Premium Access escalators and was stunned to see the TSA Pre-check line backed-up to the top of the escalators. The Premium Access line was actually, incredulously, shorter than TSA Pre-check.

After my 8-minute wait (yes I timed it), I finally passed through the security checkpoint and came upon the gleaming silver of the tables leading to the security conveyor belt. It was then I realized why my 47 seconds had increased to 8 minutes. I watched, mouth open as travelers grabbed extra bins and began to remove their shoes and pull out laptops.

TSA tried to assist them by advising them they didn’t need to do so for this special line; which only added chaos to the process, and questioning by them.

“I don’t need to take my shoes off?”

No.

“What about my jacket?”

No. Only metal items in your pocket that might set off the metal detector.

“Should I take my laptop out?” No.

“What about my bagged liquids?” No, they can remain in the bag.

As we stood there and waited while the checklist of all items that once had to be removed was explained they no longer needed to be removed, I began to internally cry. My frequent traveler safe-zone had been invaded.

Now, being a person filled with regularly, somewhat overzealous dashes of hope and optimism I would not be deterred on this outbound flight and thought – “It has to be a fluke. My return trip will be much better.”

To my dismay, outbound Las Vegas a similar experience occurred. And, as I silently pleaded at the TSA Agent, over the heads of the invaders, “Let me go through, PLEASE! I’m good to go.“  A part of my frequent traveling-self began to mourn.

The palms on my hand are itching. As I look up into the sky and watch the silver jet stream across the blue sky, I absent-mindedly start scratching my palms. Like a gambler’s itch, this affliction occurs when I have been grounded too long.

It is time to fly.

Call it “wanderlust”, “frequent traveler”, “passionate flyer” – whatever name you choose the desire to fly and travel is within me. The actual going of traveling for me is sometimes greater than the arrival at the destination. I love the process.

When I climb into a plane and sit amongst my fellow passengers – who are strangers – I take comfort in knowing we have one thing in common at that very moment. We are going somewhere. There is hope, excitement, new expectations, adventure awaiting.

Sometimes I get so caught up in the frustrations of flying I forget what it truly brings. Flying brings closer connections to family and friends, ability to conduct business quickly face-to-face. It opens our world, our minds, and hopefully our hearts. Bringing close once distant destinations. The ability to try new food, experience new cultures, and meet strangers who may become friends. Flying expands us and our views.

Flying allows you to see the world as your eyes see it. As your mind absorbs it. Not one-dimensionally as a book or newspaper tells you it is like. And not two-dimensionally as a television show or the news medias shows it to you. Flying places you there, wherever “there” is, in-person.

“You haven’t seen a tree until you’ve seen its shadow from the sky.”  ~Amelia Earhart

By flying we have the opportunity to see ourselves differently and see our world differently.

Yes. It is time to fly.

September 23, 2013

AA #169

LAS – LAX

47 seconds. This was exactly the time it took me to go from entrance to TSA Security, via the TSA Pre-check line in Las Vegas Terminal 3, to walking away from the outpouring conveyor belt and on my way to the gate.

Not even one minute passed by.

No shoes had to be removed. No laptops had to be pulled from my bag. No super secured bagged liquids had to be presented in a separate bin.

I did not have to gather all my belongings hurriedly, dropping a shoe, trying to find a safe place to re-dress, re-belt, and re-shoe; while other passengers bumped into me as they maneuvered to their own safe places. I was in a place far away from the blaring announcements of TSA to “Move it Along”, “Grab your items off the belt, please”.

I was the ONLY one in the pre-check line, while 37 other passengers were lined up and waiting in the “other” line. I breezed through with my economy class ticket in hand, faster than a first-class passenger. Winning!

TSA Pre-Check may not be for everyone – and for this frequent traveler that is a very good thing.

http://www.tsa.gov/tsa-precheck

Recently on a trip through Philadelphia, thanks to the bellowing TSA agent, I became aware that individuals aged 0-12 and 75+ are not required to remove their shoes when going through security.

Now, the first question in my mind was – “is this new?” Followed quickly by – “why?” Has it been determined that individuals within those age categories pose less of a threat for any incidents being carried out through their shoes?

Not wanting to take up too much time in the security line I went to tsa.gov website for more information. After typing in the words “shoes” in the search component I found a slew of information – some outdated, including videos from 2008 about shoes – that on Monday, January 7, 2013 it was announced:

“TSA’s objective is to mitigate risk in a way that ensures security measures…[TSA] has implemented a number of risk-based security measures including modified screening procedures for passengers 12 and under, passengers 75 and older….  All other passengers must undergo shoe screening and passengers with a disability or hindering medical condition who cannot remove their shoes can be screened using alternative methods.”

So it is rather new – within the past year – but I still don’t understand why. As a TSA pre-check passenger I also am able to pass through without removing shoes, however, I had to do this after supplying additional personal details and information.

So, what happens when an individual turns 13? What happens when they move from 74 to 75 years of age? Do their instincts and desires change? Do they become more or less threatening? What if someone who is a threat is traveling with an individual younger than age 12 or older than 75? Does that not change the stakes?

Now I get it. TSA has been effective in ensuring the American citizens remain safe when flying, however, it is these; what seem like, general decisions that, from a frequent traveler’s viewpoint, don’t make complete rational sense.

My first flight was on Eastern Airlines.  I was 8 years of age and headed to the infamous Disney World.  This Iowa kid took to the sky for the first time and it was a memory I will never forget.  Wanderlust seeped into my soul and I was hooked on being 38,000 feet above the earth.

I have been flying since the existence of such airlines as TWA, Braniff, Eastern, Pan Am; before Southwest was nationwide, JetBlue even existed, and of course before the mergers of the “big ones.”  Back when America West served free drinks to the entire plane, not just the elite few. When you could walk right up to the door of the jet bridge and wait for your loved one, business partner or friend disembark. No ticket to fly was required.

I have seen the changes in air travel through my lifetime.  My first real post-college job had me managing the travel department for a major mid-west company. Managing travel for over 350+ employees and sitting on the advisory board for the city’s international airport. Back then change in air travel was coming – but no one could have predicted where it went and how it ended up getting there.

TSA – love it, hate it. Respect it, despise it.  TSA is here to stay.  Air travel and security necessary for air travel has changed.  It needed to.

But, for the frequent traveler it has been challenging.  For those whose “job” it is to spend time flying from point A to Z and every point in between – the changes which occurred since 2001 and especially since 2006, have come fast and left many frequent travelers learning to quickly adapt to change – dealing with frustration, inconsistencies, and at times head-shaking incredulity.

TSA and Me was the creative, cathartic spark which grew from my own personal experiences during this time. What I have found in the years since – I am not alone.  Neither are you.