I usually have four weeks notice for trips, or sometime more. That works out well, as I have time to prepare and plan. Minimize the variables that can cause trouble, and make everything as comfortable as possible.

Recently, I needed to fly EWR-SFO with 5 days notice. United has many daily non-stops for this route, at least 14 flights, so this seems reasonable, right? Wrong. So wrong. Even with this capacity, the likelihood of getting a aisle seat, forget exit row, is slim. Maybe there is a window seat with extra leg room, but more often it’s middle only. I’m not doing it!

The window seat for me is torture. If I want to get up, it’s like a contortionist freak show. Out of courtesy to my follow travelers, I will wait until middle or aisle makes a move, and then like a cat, sprint for the aisle too. I am good at reading body language.

My question is this: Why are so many people going to SFO from NY? They all can’t be tech moguls commuting back and forth, can they? I mean come on now.