I flew from Washington, DC, to Colorado Springs, Colorado, yesterday, and I'm here to tell you that traveling by air is a royal pain in the...well...in every body part you can name. Every part of traveling by air is just miserable, and I don't understand why it has to be that way.

Airport security is a pain in the neck, but you can understand the need for it. Every time I have to take off my shoes for security screening, I'm thankful that the moron Richard Reid wasn't known as The Underwear Bomber.

And the quality of service offered by the airlines to ordinary travelers is abysmal and getting worse. We pay ever-larger sums of money for the privilege of being wedged into smaller and less comfortable seats, with minimum leg room. And the amenities are disappearing, too: I learned yesterday that you don't even get fed on long flights any more...you actually have to pay on board for the privilege of eating the same inedible food that used to be free. At least the drinks are still free, but I'm sure that will change before long. If you aren't able to fly first class (where the seats are still huge and the food free), airline travel is just plain yucky.

And your fellow passengers don't help much. There are always plenty of idiots who insist on trying to take obviously oversized bags on board as carry-on baggage, and I seldom see the gate agents trying to enforce the rules. Yesterday, one woman actually brought TWO rollaboard suitcases on board with her, along with her large purse and briefcase...a mite greedy on the limited space, I think...but neither the gate agent nor the flight attendants called her on it.

I have to fly home on Friday, but somehow I think I'd rather walk. Unfortunately, it's not an option.

Have a good day. Don't fly if you can help it.

Bilbo.