NOW? Always! Doug mentioned that he wasn't afraid as long as the planes are well maintained. I don't trust the airlines to put the money into maintenance. Flying is inconvenient and tiring. Flying is not necessarily faster and now, with the new security systems that is even more true than before.

Consider, I used to fly to Philadelphia on business from Maine quite often. I live 45 minutes from the airport. You had to arrive 1 hour early to go through ticketing, baggage check, etc. I always had to take a flight with a change of planes. (If I wanted a direct flight I had to be at the airport at 5:00 AM for the only direct flight of the day.) The flight, including changes, generally took 3 to 4 hours. then I had to arrange my rental car, check in to the hotel, and I could finally relax. Total trip time 6 to 8 hours. If I rented a car in Maine and drove to Philly I can leave when I want, drive for 8 to 9 hours and arrive directly at the hotel. With a good audio book and good music, I don't have to jostle along, herded with the other passengers, I can stop and stretch when I like, and the whole thing is cheaper than the air fare. Go figure!