2. Getting a middle seat. This can happen to anybody. It doesn't make you a newbie or a rookie; it just means you got a less-than-desirable seat assignment.

3. Reading the safety card in the seat-back pocket or paying attention to the flight attendant's instructions. No matter how many times I fly, I try to at least look like I'm paying attention, just because I hope it makes the flight attendants feel a little better about what they're doing.

I agree with some of the complaints listed,­ but I tend to think that many of them are not necessarily a sign of a rookie traveler. I think it's sad that it at least appears that many of these frequent fliers look down on the people around them.

Mark Cross Prosper, Texas

Dear Aaron and Mark: Both sides of the aisle weighed in for our "Roads Scholars" story. Many took issue with it, while others found it downright amusing. Window or aisle, First or Coach - it takes all kinds.

MEA CULPA

I want to apologize to American Airlines. As I flipped through American Way, I noticed something odd. Wait, I thought. Go back to that page. I could have sworn I saw ... no, that can't be right. Was that my name? It turned out to be "The 100K Club" in your Road Warrior issue [January 15]. While I did travel­ 100,000-plus miles on American Airlines, I did not "tell you that I logged" anything. My mind went into overdrive, disappointed that AA would use my name (not that I have anything to hide, but aren't there some sort of personal-data-handling laws?).