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Because I travel every week, I feel the need to highlight the latest comments from the CEO of United Airlines.

His new 5-year plan includes the following:

• Invest $4 billion in information systems
• Investigate divesting into separate businesses
  • $750 million cargo business
  • $800 frequent flier program (Mileage Plus)
• Exploring merger opportunities
• Offer extra services
  • Curbside to curbside baggage service
  • Fees to check a second bag
  • “Renting” elite perks for the day
  • Fees for economy passengers to ensure their luggage is first off the plane

WHAT IS THAT NONSENSE?

I have silver status on Air France (due to international travel), but other than that, I am far away from being able to not pay for changing flights on Delta or getting upgraded on American or these potentially new charges on United to have my bags get their quicker.

Thankfully, I don’t check a bag when traveling for business. But, for non-business travel, these new a la carte fees would suck. As if United isn’t charging enough for the tickets, you would have to pay more so you can hang out at the airport less?

I’m glad I use my US Airways frequent flier number when I fly United….

In the security line at the Cincinnati airport last Thursday, there was a family of 5 a few spots in front of me. Although the video doesn’t capture it as accurately as I had hoped, one of the kids was screaming bloody murder the entire time he was in the security line. I captured part of the madness right after TSA took the family out of the security line due to the disruption.

Before this, he had sat at the beginning of the line with his backpack extended into the feet of oncoming people, slapped his mother in the face, almost kicked his mother in the head, and continually screamed “Don’t touch me!” and “Get away from me!” to his parents.

Money quote from the mother right after he slapped her in the face numerous times:
“Maybe he’s still too young to travel with.”

Sounds like a sweet kid…