I hate flying. I cope by writing down everything I see and think. An old lady across the aisle looks like she’s about to face plant in her book. I think she has good... read more

Air travel is one of the most amazing accomplishments of the last century. Like the personal computer and smartphone air travel has changed the planet we live on and the way we move... read more

I always see soldiers in airports. This is just about the only place I see them. I see them in the Charlotte Douglas airport, especially around the holidays. Alone. In groups. In uniform. I... read more

Airline food has always been somewhat of a mystery. The choice of chicken or beef has always been a case of asking for one and wondering if you got the other. For some... read more

From a museum library to a prison library, I’ve worked in all kinds of libraries. I’ve also traveled to many countries (UK, Russia, France) to see their libraries. But before summer 2009, I'd never... read more

I’ve been in plenty uncomfortable situations on airplanes before: the requisite overweight passenger suffocating my comfort zone, or the squalling baby who cries as her ears pop with the altitude change. There was... read more

When you fly at a thousand feet, you see the world differently. Commercial planes fly at an anonymous altitude, so far up that houses become invisible. General aviation flies lower. We are able... read more

I fly a lot. Not, perhaps, as much as a flight attendant or member of congress, but probably more than a lot of people. I will take any opportunity to jump on a... read more

As my flight from Colorado to Oregon descended over the Columbia River, I noticed a fly buzzing about the cabin. The aircraft’s flight originated from Chicago, and I wondered if the fly hopped... read more