Up, up and away

     I did not take this photo. It is either a stock photo or belongs to Air France. However it is a photo of an A380, a two story, 500+ passenger airplane that needs two gangways for passengers to get on and off. We flew in one to Paris last July and sat in Economy on the bottom floor. I describe it like it was a building because it is huge compared to anything I have ever flown in before.
     We have done all of the big planes starting long ago with the L-1011 and the DC-10. I've flown in plenty of small aircraft too. My assessment of all of them is that Economy stinks. I am too big for the seats. They are not meant for a guy over 6 feet tall. Most of the planes - and especially the Delta flight I took last - have little padding for my rear. I had to sit on my pillow and blanket. Yes, I know I was fortunate to even get a pillow and a blanket.
     I swore I would never fly coach again when I got back from Italy, but premium economy is not much bigger and I am too cheap for business class. It costs better than $2,000 more to fly business class and it is a 10 hour flight to, say, Amsterdam.  By flying coach I am making - or saving $200 an hour. That is $2,000 I can spend on other things (and I do). Yet, I am wondering when my body will stop the madness. I don't need a bed as I cannot sleep on a plane anyway. But, it would be nice to have blood-flow to my legs.
      By the way, Air France and Virgin Atlantic make these European trips more bearable than others I have flown.