Every US airline except SouthWest is on the brink of collapse - South West has been incredibly smart about its fuel buying policies, hedging against future increases etc. But the others don't have the liquidity to do that. So they're scrimping on everything: wonder where the blankets went? They save on laundry costs, plus every ounce of weight saved reduces their fuel consumption. They're designing lighter carts so that they can save fuel. And, as a person who was an avid FF mile collector and user, to ease the pain of the cost of going to the UK every year to see the family, I can tell you now - there are no more free tickets available, unless you book them about 12 months in advance. We used to use our miles to get upgrades on an economy ticket to business class: 1. no more available seats anyway, and 2. there's now a charge of $350 each way to get that upgrade, in addition to the miles: make that two round trip journeys, and we might as well buy a third economy seat and get more space that way, at that price (which we won't be doing: I have better uses for my money!) The airlines are in so much pain that staff morale is rock bottom. If someone from an airline is pleasant to you, they must be saintly. We can complain all we like - and it DOES stink that this is where we've ended up - but it's only going to get worse. Himself's nephew is a pilot, and has been laid off, and is struggling to make ends meet, with a baby on the way too. Sara, who still has to fly transatlantic, much as she'd rather stay home. (Oh, and we're cancelling our miles-earning credit card too, since it's now useless to us).

I agree with all of the posters who are frustrated with the people who cram huge bags into the overheads (how did they get on with them - I am lucky to get on with my "regulation" size) - and then continually get up and open the compartment which results in items falling on the heads of passengers who are sitting under said compartments and who have had to put their bags at the end of the plane because their space has been taken over by an "unauthorized" user. The other problem is that there are various sizes of planes. I have been on a 5 hour flight in a seat that could not accommodate my purse - a regular size purse under the seat in front of me. There isn't a woman in the world who doesn't know what size a regular purse is - despite the women trying to carry on purses the size of a garment bag. And this was on Air Canada - not a discount airline, so I can only imagine what will happen. We were recently in New York and my husband was lucky to get on with his small carry-on and laptop just in its sleeve, whereas others were being zipped through with huge bags. I have found it best to make sure your carry-on weighs less on your home scales. I know what our bags weigh empty - and once packed - and I leave a 2 or 3 lb. window to allow for the airport's scales weighing high - and it happens. In New York I bought a 6 lb. carry-on at Brookstone and could have sold it 3 times over during the walk back to the hotel (without the box). I then found my husband happily putting his laptop in it - get your own! There was another bag - bigger - and of course $40 cheaper. The sales associate told me that it would weigh in at 7 lbs. - I suggested 10 lbs. So out came her scale - 9.9 - so she told me she was right. Well, I had to point out that I was "more right" than she was! She then tried to sell me a scale so that I could prove to security/check-in that my bag was not overweight - as if that is ever going to happen. Clearing customs in Toronto for the U.S. was something else this go round. What I hate - even though I do understand the rationale - is that if my husband and I are travelling together, we could each check 2 bags of the allowable weight - but not one bag that is 2 lbs. over without incurring a charge. A money-maker for the airlines for sure. I also bought him 3 Brooks Brothers no-iron cotton dress shirts that he will use only for travelling. It was like a revolving door at BB - Canadians and Europeans all buying the same 3 shirt deal - in the same white and pale blue shades. I am careful - my plastic bag was held up as an example to all at Heathrow as to how to back a plastic bag - but I still seem to always end up as the random person to be checked.

My husband has a off brand, which serves him fine. I don't think brands make too much difference, look and see the way it is contructed and guarantees. Also if she is flying, a large piece may not work. Sometime a middle size is better with a good selection of traveling clothes. He takes one medium size and a large carry on. Be sure and keep one change of clothes and any presptions in the carry on along with any travers checks. If she goes overseas, leave all credit cards, except what she really needs at home and a list of of numbers with you. She will not need a cell phone, but can email most anyone depending on the provider. If my husband had called me from china, it would have been 25.00 per min, but could emai me free. Good luck. Marie

Poor Snidely, living west coast and flying to any island in Hawaii nonstop in only five hours! LOL We have at least a 14 hour travel day from Chicago. It's worth the hassle to have the long leg (nine hours) in first on a 767 -- especially if I can lie nearly flat and be able to sleep on the redeye returns. I'm OK in a coach seat for about three hours before I start sighing. Fran -- There's only 'coach' and 'first' on our flights Chicago-Maui, but the 'first' is more like what's called 'business' on transatlantic flights. I see that our fake return has us on an old MD80 Chicago-Dallas, but on a B321 on the return. That aircraft seems to have three classes, and we will be in 'business' as far as I can tell (pairs of slightly canted seats along the aisle). The 'first' cabin has single seats along the central aisle. Coach is three and three facing forward. Rob -- No, I didn't hear the pitch for flying US Airways, but the very first message asks if I want to hear all about the merger. (Not.) Your boss probably has a gazillion miles, and they want to wipe them off their books. When I select a coach flight online I do get prompted to "Upgrade to First for only..." Then I see I can pay twice the price of coach if I want to buy First. (Not.) We are retired Seniors whose miles come from CC purchases and miles flown once a year Chicago-Maui (8K roundtrip). At our stage in life we aren't buying (charging) a lot of things, but we've managed to keep enough miles in the kitty to use them for upgrades on our annual winter trip. It's only become a struggle to find the upgrades in recent years. (We aren't profitable or important to the airline -- not frequent flyers.) I attribute the problem to there being tons of newly retiring Boomers -- more competition for the upgrades and some willing to buy first outright. Thanks to you all for letting me vent! Remind me that you've already heard it all if I go nuts trying to get our returns set for March 2016 -- when the AA calendar opens.