Take Time for Living

You remember the lame old joke, probably dating back to late vaudeville days: “I just flew in from Buffalo and, boy, did my arms get tired!” (Insert drum rim shot here, please.)

Southwest Airlines probably has a lot of people right now with very tired arms after grounding 44 of their planes to ensure proper safety inspections are completed. According to the news report, “the groundings come after the Federal Aviation Administration last week proposed a record $10.2 million fine against the airline, charging it missed deadlines to inspect planes for structural flaws during 2006 and 2007.”

Not so good. Neither the hefty fine, nor the potential risks to Southwest passengers — although the airline has been quick to reassure the public that everything really was okay. Really. Okay.

I don’t know. Many years ago I had a job which required me to do two or three business flights a year. My wife and I occasionally fly to visit family. And one of these days, I’d like to take her on a dream vacation trip, probably a flight to New York City. But I DO know that stories like this one would make me very nervous if I flew often.

Very nervous.

But perhaps that’s just me. Indeed, if you fly, especially if you fly Southwest, I’m sure you’re in good hands. No, wait, that’s the insurance company slogan, not the airline. Yeah, I got it now:

“Hey, Southwest Airlines, wanna get away??”
[tags]Southwest Airlines, grounded flights, airline safety inspections, take time for living[/tags]