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The Movie: When I planned a trip to New York City in 2003, I decided that I wanted to not go the way that everyone else did: flying. Flying, to me, seemed like more and more of an ordeal, and train travel appeared to be a more pleasant option. Despite the noticable extra time in travel, my choice was right: the seating on Amtrak was more comfortable than airline coach, the scenery was breathtaking and I didn't have to deal with all of the issues that accompany flying today. Making me even more secure in my decision to not fly unless I have to is "Airline", a TV series that tracks the crews of Southwest Airlines. Every moment is essentially a disaster waiting to happen, as the crews have to deal with irate customers, delayed flights and some serious troubles, such as flights that are seriously overbooked. The level of stress present in many of the episodes nearly seeps out of the screen, and there are times (a set of passengers that were on standby are sent on a flight with multiple stops; at the first stop, a bunch of them are told that there isn't room for them to continue and they have to go all the way back. One of the employees has the unenviable task of meeting the seriously unhappy passengers. There aren't any stories that really carry through the show, but it's amazing the assortment of tales that the camera crew has captured during the show. There's moments of real anger, some sadness and even some comedy. One of my favorite moments has a crew member going on-board to see if someone would give up their seat for someone who got stuck on stand-by. A guy waves from his seat, but he just was waving at the camera. On another episode, a bunch of teens with backward hats stake out the airport waiting for Eminem, who they "heard" is coming through the airport. On one hand, it is amazing that Southwest agreed to be filmed. However, to be able to watch these problems from arms length does allow one to stand back and appreciate the difficulty involved in dealing with the kind of problems that come up during plane travel. We also get to see Southwest employees doing their very best to solve problems, and sometimes, a solution just can not be reached - often, due to issues of safety. "Airline" is definitely recommended for anyone who's ever flown. Note: the theme music has been changed on the DVD set, which includes all 18 episodes from the first season. The DVD VIDEO: "Airline" is presented by A & E in 1.33:1 full-frame. The picture quality is perfectly fine, as the image looked crisp and well-defined, with nice detail and definition. The picture appeared consistent, with no signs of softness or other issues. No edge enhancement or pixelation are spotted, and colors look natural and nicely presented here. SOUND: "Airline" is presented with 2.0 audio. The show sounded crisp and clear, with well-recorded dialogue and music. EXTRAS: Nada. Zip. Final Thoughts: "Airline" is a terrific series that provides an incredibly entertaining and fascinating look at the behind-the-scenes innerworkings of today's airline industry. Southwest employees do their best here, and it's incredible to watch them try to deal with problems. Highly recommended. |