travel

An entire generation of Americans has no idea how easy air travel used to be

15 Comments
By Janet Bednarek

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15 Comments
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Sad but true.

8 ( +10 / -2 )

And that is why I haven't traveled internationally for 15 years, and probably never will again. I'm not afraid of terrorists, COVID, or such. I'm afraid of the people who are afraid that are in charge.

0 ( +4 / -4 )

in that way, the terrorists won. They got the world and especially the US to abandon its relaxed and free flying ways and adopted various draconian laws unheard of before.

4 ( +8 / -4 )

Air...travel? I vaguely remember what that was like. I can't imagine being willing to travel by air currently, but obviously some folks have to.

I am honestly not sold on how much the security measures help vs how much they give the illusion of safety. I have, purely by accident, carried things that should have been flagged at security onto my carry-on before and they were never caught.

5 ( +7 / -2 )

Avoid the US and its airlines and your flying experience will be 100% better. Avoid European lines, and it will improve more. Fly almost any east or southeast Asian line, and feel like a human being again.

It's not about security, it's about the illusion of security.

But then I remember when flying used to be a good experience, and the flight attendants had time to stop and chat even in economy.

7 ( +11 / -4 )

Yes and no. No, since we have the Internet, so we can book travel without going to a travel agency or direct to the airlines to book a ticket. Yes, because there was less pressure to travel. Sometimes relatives were allowed to go with you on to the plane before departure. You were able to to up to the gate to say your goodbyes and welcome friends and relatives. Airlines had good meals back then. Passengers were better mannered and dressed. There was little "political correctness." On the downside of that, air travel was more expensive. Ahhhh! The good and sweeter days to civilized travel.

4 ( +5 / -1 )

The good old days.... When you could visit the cockpit for a while and chat with the pilots. When grossly overweight minions at airport security didn't view toothpaste and honey as potential weapons. When you didn't have to remove your shoes like a slave to pass through a gate.

7 ( +8 / -1 )

Unless I am flying first class or business I wear flip flops. Taking shoes off is a hassle.

Meals definitely better in economy than it was in the past.

Asian air systems have the best workers. Polite, kind and the service is wonderful.

Gave up flying to the states. Being treated poorly does not make for a pleasant experience. Hawaii is the only stateside place I will fly to in America.

Seats are much better than years ago in all classes. Economy seats do not bother me at all.

3 ( +3 / -0 )

"Self centered fear" hit the American mindset and everything changed. Not only air travel but our personal relationships became overcome by politics. When the world refused to join-in " the US terror war" they were simply branded as foes and not friends. "Freedom Lost - Terror Won". Good job, well done my young Saudi's with the help of money and radical support from religious lunatics who share power with the Saudi royal family.

3 ( +3 / -0 )

I found this article to be informative but the title is wrong. This article is not about "air travel" but "airport security".

0 ( +1 / -1 )

Necessary and tough security measures are needed to minimize the chances of airliners being used as guided missiles. But, seats have been shrunk, and aisles narrowed, making the experience of flying unnecessarily uncomfortable. We do not fly at all, if we can avoid it.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

Avoid the US and its airlines and your flying experience will be 100% better. Avoid European lines, and it will improve more. Fly almost any east or southeast Asian line, and feel like a human being again.

Definitely! American carriers are just the worst. European lines are ok, but as you said, the lines, Asian liners are just fantastic as well as Qatar and Emirates.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

Watching old American color movies you can see the ease with which people were able to buy a ticket and board a plane.

Flying was a tense nightmare in recent years, a test of patience and endurance, even when things did not go wrong. The virus took that all away.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

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