Full Upright and Locked Position: Not-So-Comfortable Truths about Air Travel Today

Nonfiction, Reference & Language, Transportation, Aviation, Commercial
Cover of the book Full Upright and Locked Position: Not-So-Comfortable Truths about Air Travel Today by Mark Gerchick, W. W. Norton & Company
View on Amazon View on AbeBooks View on Kobo View on B.Depository View on eBay View on Walmart
Author: Mark Gerchick ISBN: 9780393089592
Publisher: W. W. Norton & Company Publication: June 10, 2013
Imprint: W. W. Norton & Company Language: English
Author: Mark Gerchick
ISBN: 9780393089592
Publisher: W. W. Norton & Company
Publication: June 10, 2013
Imprint: W. W. Norton & Company
Language: English

"Sit back, relax, and enjoy the flight," our pilots still intone. But who are they kidding?

In Full Upright and Locked Position, former FAA chief counsel and senior aviation policy official Mark Gerchick unravels the unseen forces and little-known facts that have reshaped our air travel experience since September 11, 2001.

With wry humor and unique insight, Gerchick takes us past the jargon, technicalities, and all-is-well platitudes to expose the new normal of air travel: from the packed planes and myriad hassles of everyday flying to the alchemy of air fares, the airlines’ endless nickel-and-diming, and the elusive hope of escape from steerage. We find out what pilots do in the cockpit, what’s really worth worrying about when it comes to airline safety, and why we get sick on planes. Meanwhile, Gerchick ponders the jarring disconnect between our quaint expectations of "service with a smile" and the grim reality of cramped seats, no-free-lunch, and "watch-yer-knees."

With sympathy for both fliers and airlines, Gerchick shows how the new "business-all-business" airline industry has finally learned to make money, even in the face of crushing fuel costs, and get millions of travelers where they’re going every day safely and quickly.

From his singular vantage point as former aviation regulator and policymaker, Gerchick gives us a straightforward insider’s view of how hard it is for government to improve the traveler’s lot by explaining the vagaries of consumer protection rules as well as the political realities and the economic forces at work. While Gerchick offers reasons to hope for a better future in air travel, he presents an unvarnished look at what we can expect—good and bad—when we take to the skies. Some of it will reassure you, some will make you cringe, but all will open your eyes to what it means to fly today.

View on Amazon View on AbeBooks View on Kobo View on B.Depository View on eBay View on Walmart

"Sit back, relax, and enjoy the flight," our pilots still intone. But who are they kidding?

In Full Upright and Locked Position, former FAA chief counsel and senior aviation policy official Mark Gerchick unravels the unseen forces and little-known facts that have reshaped our air travel experience since September 11, 2001.

With wry humor and unique insight, Gerchick takes us past the jargon, technicalities, and all-is-well platitudes to expose the new normal of air travel: from the packed planes and myriad hassles of everyday flying to the alchemy of air fares, the airlines’ endless nickel-and-diming, and the elusive hope of escape from steerage. We find out what pilots do in the cockpit, what’s really worth worrying about when it comes to airline safety, and why we get sick on planes. Meanwhile, Gerchick ponders the jarring disconnect between our quaint expectations of "service with a smile" and the grim reality of cramped seats, no-free-lunch, and "watch-yer-knees."

With sympathy for both fliers and airlines, Gerchick shows how the new "business-all-business" airline industry has finally learned to make money, even in the face of crushing fuel costs, and get millions of travelers where they’re going every day safely and quickly.

From his singular vantage point as former aviation regulator and policymaker, Gerchick gives us a straightforward insider’s view of how hard it is for government to improve the traveler’s lot by explaining the vagaries of consumer protection rules as well as the political realities and the economic forces at work. While Gerchick offers reasons to hope for a better future in air travel, he presents an unvarnished look at what we can expect—good and bad—when we take to the skies. Some of it will reassure you, some will make you cringe, but all will open your eyes to what it means to fly today.

More books from W. W. Norton & Company

Cover of the book The Resurrectionist: A Novel by Mark Gerchick
Cover of the book Love Among the Ruins: A Novel by Mark Gerchick
Cover of the book Living Fossil: The Story of the Coelacanth by Mark Gerchick
Cover of the book The Seven Daughters of Eve: The Science That Reveals Our Genetic Ancestry by Mark Gerchick
Cover of the book The Blackest Bird: A Novel of Murder in Nineteenth-Century New York by Mark Gerchick
Cover of the book The Tide: The Science and Stories Behind the Greatest Force on Earth by Mark Gerchick
Cover of the book Everyday Survival: Why Smart People Do Stupid Things by Mark Gerchick
Cover of the book Trains of Thought: Memories of a Stateless Youth by Mark Gerchick
Cover of the book Commander: The Life and Exploits of Britain's Greatest Frigate Captain by Mark Gerchick
Cover of the book [sic]: A Memoir by Mark Gerchick
Cover of the book The Grimm Reader: The Classic Tales of the Brothers Grimm by Mark Gerchick
Cover of the book A Bad Woman Feeling Good: Blues and the Women Who Sing Them by Mark Gerchick
Cover of the book Flagrant Conduct: The Story of Lawrence v. Texas by Mark Gerchick
Cover of the book Booking Passage: We Irish and Americans by Mark Gerchick
Cover of the book Gandhi's Truth: On the Origins of Militant Nonviolence by Mark Gerchick
We use our own "cookies" and third party cookies to improve services and to see statistical information. By using this website, you agree to our Privacy Policy