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Mark_Ockerbloom's Blog

by Mark_Ockerbloom from Dedham

Last Post 1 day, 19 hours Ago


The Feds are cracking down on drunk fliers. A good idea, but I gotta believe it isn't that big a problem considering what they charge you for a beer these days. At six bucks a pop, getting loaded on a plane is cost prohibitive for many. Still, there are those who can afford it and abuse it. In fact, a U.S. attorney says in Colorado alone the number of trashed travelers who interfered with a flight crew doubled in the past year.

One group in the Mile High city wants the FAA to open pot lounges as an alternative way to calm passengers. Doubt that's gonna fly! A better idea? Set a drink limit. If not, then flight attendants will have to do a better job of monitoring how many drinks they serve a passenger. A tough call depending on the passenger's height and weight...perhaps a better solution would be to warn passengers of the 20-years in federal prison if you interfere with a flight. Just have it spelled out on the cocktail napkin. Cheers!
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Member Comments Total Comments: 15
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sirB read my blog
Jul 7, 2008 | 9:56 PM

Mark,

I've paid more than 6 bucks a pop, that's for sure. Why can't they just shut people off. It's their own fault. At some point someone should step in like a good bartender would do and shut'em down. I like to have a few tnt's while flying and I'd hate to see that right taken away from me because some hammered idiots get out of control from time to time.

The employees are partly to blame here.

Xantun read my blog view my photos
Jul 7, 2008 | 10:22 PM

Ock, pot lounges might be a good idea if another airline winds up canceling all it's flights for several days and stranding passengers...But, they should just pipe it in throughout the whole terminal when that happens.

And I've seen people get wasted at concerts where beer is 8-9 bucks a pop, so if the same morons (who usually wind up ejected from the venue when they inevitably pick a fight) are flying, then they're counting 6 bucks a pop as a price break!

sirB read my blog
Jul 7, 2008 | 10:36 PM

Xantun's right. I was at the Ringo Starr show last week at the B of A Pavillion ( great show) and a beer was ten bucks each. People didn't care, including me. If we want a pop we'll pay. Especially when our judgement is slowly getting impaired from the alcohol itself.

Americans are used to paying way to much, the answer is vigilence with the airport and airline employees.

sirB read my blog
Jul 7, 2008 | 10:39 PM

Oh yerah, one more thing.

No pot lounges please. I don't want to see a bunch of friggin stoaners everywhere, and our kids shouldn't be witnessing it. I'm not worried about it though. Never happen!!!! Believe that!

TechGuyz
Jul 7, 2008 | 10:53 PM

Really? Stoners everywhere? What exactly is it that you are so concerned "our" kids shouldn't be witnessing.

If Pot were controlled as alcohol is today, it could be legally enjoyed by adults, again, as alcohol is today. Not to mention the lucrative part of taxing Pot...just think of all of the problems it could solve that plague our country.

I won't even begin as to how Pot can be used medicinally.

sirB read my blog
Jul 7, 2008 | 11:06 PM

Techguy,

Please! Pot lounges make zero sense. Smoking doobies will most definitely not solve the huge problem airlines and airports have today. The thought alone is just silly.

If you really think it will make a difference? Please explain exactly how.

Honestly, I don't have a problem with pot smokers. But to put pot smoking lounges in airports is never gonna happen. They don't even have them (to the best of my knowledge) in Amsterdam.

Mark_Ockerbloom read my blog view my photos
Jul 7, 2008 | 11:38 PM

sirB and Xantun,

You make a good point. I've plunked down big bucks for beers at shows like Springsteen at Fenway (another good show). But that's at a concert, a show, a good time. Flying's not the same venue no matter how good the in-flight movie is...that is if they even offer one!

Xantun read my blog view my photos
Jul 7, 2008 | 11:45 PM

sirB, just so you know, I was suggesting pot lounges in jest...But they should have some kind of calming gas they can pipe in terminals when airlines piss off passengers by stranding them in an airport for 3-4 days because they cancel all their flights.

And yeah, B of A is insanely expensive on everything...So is Great Woods (or whatever it's called now). Last summer, beer was 9 bucks a pop, it's probably up to 15 now. Good thing I don't drink!

Xantun read my blog view my photos
Jul 8, 2008 | 12:04 AM

Ock, is there such a thing as a "good" in-flight movie? The last time I flew, I had a FAR more enjoyable time watching video I converted to play on my PSP...Saved the 5 bucks for headphones, and even if I WAS watching bad Hammer movies from the 70s, it sure beat watching "Click"!

noordeast read my blog
Jul 8, 2008 | 3:20 AM

Limit my in flight drinks hmmm okay.
or
Herb lounges in the Airport, Awesome sounds like Schippel Airport in Amsterdam.
do you know why most people drink so much on planes?
to not think about the large burning craters they make when takeoffs and landings dont go well.

Who in his right mind would get on a 40 year old plus aluminum tube filled with people,baggage,plastic, old wiring and thousands of pound of highly flamable jet fuel and do it Sober.

so when you 5 miles in the air and you smell that funny odor comming thought the ventalation system. or in turbulace you realise that the seat you sitting in isnt realy attached to the planes hull, or even if you think about what happens when hatch or window fails, and you get blow out of the plane like a spitball coming out of a straw yeah stay sober
but me.. Stewardess
(opps sorry Fight attendant)
could I have a $6.00 drink please.. and 5 bags of your $4.00 dollar a bag pretzels.

gauranteed if you put cannabis lounges in airports. snack sales will sky rocket.. and lets face it whens the last time you herd of a stoner causing any more trouble, than asking for extra ketchup on those fries..

Lumin Acendi lighten up

nomorehacks read my blog view my photos
Jul 8, 2008 | 8:16 AM

THey have bars in the terminals, and the equal to players clubs in casinos for frequent flyers. They serve boozeon the plane. DER How did the people get drunk? Why not just give everyone a dose of nitros oxide(laughing Gas), and wheel all the un-conscience passengers into their seats!

legendkiller34 read my blog
Jul 8, 2008 | 8:42 AM

Mark,
You said "no matter how good the in-flight movie is"
So what if you get stuck on a flight
that's going over the ocean, and they are showing Jaws. or the titanic
People would want to drink as much as they could so the bite from the shark wouldn't hurt so much.LOL LOL
No seriously it doesn't matter, what the price is people will pay whatever, to get that
"EDGE" The flight crew should just tell the people ahead of time, it's a 2,3,or 4 drink
limit,period end of story no questions.

Chip read my blog view my photos
Jul 8, 2008 | 10:20 AM

Rather than banning the inanimate object (the alcohol) why not ban the behavior (drunkenness and obnoxiousness)? If you drink to excess, and misbehave, your right to fly on that airline should be at risk, right?

If you drink to excess at MY HOUSE and are obnoxious, Y'ain't comin' back....

NellyBelle read my blog
Jul 8, 2008 | 11:20 AM

Only one comment directed at SirB...I have read a few of your posts on various issues, and it seems you do not want your kids to see anything! If you sheild them from REAL LIFE, you are going to have some really messed up kids. Expose them to things, but explain them too.

So far as drunks on the planes...have seen too many of them, they often puke all over the bathroom, or are beligerent throughout the flight. I usualy have one or two glasses of wine with my dinner (we fly overnight to Europe) and then I go to sleep. But I don't know which is worse, an obnoious drunk on a 7 hour flight, or a screaming baby.

sirB read my blog
Jul 8, 2008 | 2:33 PM

NellyBelle,

First of all, I was not brought up sheltered myself and I don't have any kids. If I did I most certainly wouldn't shelter them from the "reaworld", if anything I'd push the "real world" on them. and educate them on it. So please do not judge.

I simply think that pot lounges are a silly idea, and if anything it will promote pot smoking. Besides, first they'll have to legalize it and I'm not for that either.

To say pot lounges are a good idea, and will make any difference is simply assinine.

Oh yeah, I'll take the obnoxious drunk over the screaming baby. You can get away with punching out a drunk quicker than you can punching out a screaming baby.

See your pharmacist if you have extensive travel plans, I'm sure he can prescribe you a little somethin somethin.

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Mark_Ockerbloom

I anchor the Fox 25 News at 5, 10 & 11pm and want to hear from you. Feel free to drop me a line anytime.

Member Since: 10/17/2006