Originally Posted by Ghost Rush

Flaps are designed to allow the plane to fly at lower speeds by creating more lift with the air that passes through the wings. Even though they do slow the plane down because there is more drag, the main reason they're there is because the plane needs to be able to stay in the air while going at speeds that would cause it to stall without them. They're used for takeoff and landing, but they're especially important for landing because otherwise the plane will not be able to lose all it's speed before the runway is over, since the brakes and spoilers can only do so much.

Anyway, I had one of the worst airport experiences in San Diego. That's one airport I don't want to ever see again.