Rating: 
Summary: Unfunny and uninspired
Review: Other reviewers have it spot-on: this book is not (or very rarely) funny, poorly written, self-indulgent, and in particular offers no management insight at all, aside from informing airline managers how customers perceive their product, which I suppose was not exactly a secret.
Rating:
Summary: Why I Hate This Flying Book
Review: Publishers are wrapping small books that may not be worth a softcover in a business hardcover to give the author (and publisher)stature. This $...diminutive edition is title driven but once you open the book, the drive is dead. It would easy to say academics are self-indulgent and humorless but this book builds the stereotype. The first clue is the use of his mother with one of those cute quotes "Well, let them laugh, Henry. You can always try again." on the back cover. You can point to any page to find similar ... humor - "The food is taking so long it as though they are out catching the fish -" Page 69. The leading thinker's preening egotism is unfortunate in that the subtitle promised real humor can be found in a business under terrific strain. The publisher must owe the author a book. Based on this book, I would avoid his management seminars as well.
Rating:
Summary: Theory vs. Reality
Review: So, I'm at O'Hare and I pick up this book because I hate flying too. Read the first ten pages or so and realized to my horror that this piece of tripe was all I had to read for the next few hours.The purchase of this book led to me reading the inflight magazine. Dreadful, just dreadful. The only reason I didn't leave it in the seatback in front of me is because I didn't want to inflict the same damage on another poor traveler.
Rating:
Summary: Very irritated I spent money on this book
Review: So, I'm at O'Hare and I pick up this book because I hate flying too. Read the first ten pages or so and realized to my horror that this piece of tripe was all I had to read for the next few hours. The purchase of this book led to me reading the inflight magazine. Dreadful, just dreadful. The only reason I didn't leave it in the seatback in front of me is because I didn't want to inflict the same damage on another poor traveler.
Rating:
Summary: not worth the time or money
Review: The only thing worse than an insufferable, ivory-tower know-it-all is one who makes dumb, senseless jokes about everything. Just read Mintzberg's WHY I HATE FLYING. The fact is, this book leads one to conclude that Mintzberg is the type who is ready to hate just about anything without taking the trouble to find out the first thing about it. This so-called authority on "management" has obviously never interviewed a pilot, gate agent, ticket agent, or flight attendant. These are the folks who have to put up with people like Mintzberg who think that profit-seeking (like every other industry)commercial airlines should be moving companies, hotels, and 5-star restaurants all rolled into one. In all, the groundlessness of his arguments combine with a weak (and this is being generous)sense of humor make this book a total bust.
Rating: 
Summary: Amusing but not hilarious
Review: This little volume comes straight from the heart. It's not amazingly hilarious, but if you are a frequent international traveller, then you'll relate to every story that is told.
Mintzberg flies frequently between Canada & France, so Air Kanuk & Air Gaul feature regularly, but other airlines come into their fair share of ridicule.
You won't laugh out loud, but it should bring a wry smile from every page. If you know a business traveller, and want a 'stocking filler', buy them it for Christmas.
Rating:
Summary: Too real
Review: Truly, who really needs reminding of why, for those of who travel quite frequently, air flight is horrid. Mitzberg is the proof that airline travel is hardly the titillating adventure your friends and family mistakenly labor under -- you know what I'm talking about: "Oooh, going to Florida in October!" a look of envy in their eyes. Your response: "Oh yes. Going on business, seeing the inside of the airport, the inside of an airplane, the inside of the shuttle/taxi, the inside of my hotel room, the inside of the conference room and then just reverse this intoxicating adventure! I'm sure I'll see palm trees at the airport though..." Mr. Mintzberg recalls for us the exact reasons why we loathe this transportation method with ironic humor. I also find it comforting to know I'm not the only one harboring evil thoughts while traveling packed into an aluminum coffin hurtling through the air...
Rating:
Summary: Mintzberg misses on all points
Review: While this book is touted as a humurous book about flying by one of management premier thinkers, it misses on all points. For one thing, there is no management wisdom to be found at all (apart from obvious platitudes). The (thanfully brief) book is filled with the usual, very predictable complaining about airplanes, airplane food, scheduling, ticket prices etc. Anyone who has ever flown in an airplane has already had all these thoughts for him/herself. The absolute worst aspect of the book, however, is that although Mintzberg is trying very hard, he is not even close to being funny. I mean, writing about Sitford Business School (instead of Stanford) and Skiphole Airport (instead of Schiphol) is bringing tears to my eyes, but they are definitely not from laughter! Anyone looking for some really funny read would do better to pick up any book by travel writer Bill Bryson. I agree with a previous reviewer: the publisher should have rejected this, but now that the book is here you better spend your money on something else!
Rating:
Summary: Why? Why Did I Waste My Time Reading This?
Review: Why didn't I really like this book? It's boring! I thought this book would either be one of two things, a book full of interesting funny tales of things that had gone wrong for actual travels or evidence as to how the airlines are ripping off consumers, how they are cutting costs and stuff like that. Instead this book is just some slow North American with the IQ of a rock's attempt to compare the marketing world to airlines. This guy is so arrogant and stupid that he doesn't even check first if he needs a tourist visa before visiting another country then complains just because he is a Canadian that he should get special treatment and not have to go through what people from every other country do.
He has obviously come across a basic marketing textbook somewhere but never bothered to get anyone who has actually studied or worked in marketing to explain the terms to him as he's a long way off most of the time. For some reason he isn't even prepared to stand by his comments and deliberately misspells every airport or airline he is complaining about so he won't get sued. This gets really annoying extremely fast. All his best material was used up in the first couple of chapters, the rest of the book is a struggle to get through.
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