GorillaOffTopic, Everything But Gorilla Trades

Everyone the Gorilla talks to lately seems to have a complaint about air travel. Given the fact that there are over 38,000 U.S. commercial flights daily, let’s face it, someone is going to complain!  If it’s not the lines at the ticket counters or having to schlep through security with too many bags, it’s the delays and the overcrowded airports that have many people griping. Like you, the Gorilla has many friends who travel. Many of whom travel for business, and many who travel simply for pleasure. But do these people simply have an unrealistic attitude about what should constitute “easy” travel, or is there even such a thing? Is there really all that much to complain about, or do these people just enjoy complaining in general? In order to find out, the Gorilla did some research of his own to get some answers.  While on a business trip to Detroit, the Gorilla spoke to several people in the airport. Just out of curiosity he asked people randomly two questions; if their flight was on time, and how fast security was for them. Everyone asked at this particular airport at this particular time of day responded positively and seemed satisfied, stating that there were virtually no delays for them. Now, keep in mind that the Gorilla is not sure where these people were traveling and he did not ask. But in reality, is it safe to assume that the problem is not as widespread as people think?  The Gorilla himself is an avid traveler. He has traveled within the domestic U.S. from state to state and from the U.S. to destinations abroad. Yes, there are new security concerns, which seem to arise daily, but airports are up to date on these issues and they seem to be quite prepared. In almost all cases flights are on time and security- even traveling abroad- is not an issue. Yes, it is annoying at best, but all in all, it was not nearly as bad as people make it out to be.  So, what’s all the hype about flights being delayed so much and so often? In reality, as a matter of fact, only about 100 flights are delayed daily in the domestic U.S. and if you consider the thousands of flights originating in the U.S. each day, that’s really not a lot. But the Transportation Department says that the long-term outlook is not good. It says travelers should brace themselves for a growing number of chronically late planes in the next year, as more flights are added to accommodate the growing number of people who will travel in the near future.  The Gorilla’s research also found that one of the worst airports for delays was in Newark, where the airport is often subject to inclement weather conditions (a sad reality for those who must travel out of Newark!). We all know that weather is instrumental in causing delays, and some conditions simply cannot be avoided. But travel experts repeatedly urge passengers to book trips to begin in the morning in order to minimize the risk of delays. In addition, there are travel web sites you can access to help make your travel plans go more smoothly, like Flight-Aware or FlightStats.com. Flight-Aware offers daily arrival times going back four months. That way you can know what to expect for your air travel. As for this Gorilla: well, he recommends having low expectations, and not being in a big hurry. Schlep your stuff through security like you always do, grab a Starbucks and a newspaper once through, and sit back, relax, and enjoy the wait! After all, you don’t have your own wings, so for now, you have no choice but to wait for theirs! The Gorilla wishes safe travel to all!