Quote:
Originally Posted by Sliver
Nah, flying is great in that it is accessible to people in a way broader wealth bracket than ever before.
You ever see those photos from the 60s when everyone flying had tons of room, the food was delicious and they were all dressed super dapper? Yeah, those planes were filled with super wealthy people.
The fancy experience is still there, but as it has always been, you have to pay for it. You can get first class. Hell, you can charter a private jet if you want.
Or, you can pay rock-bottom prices for a rock-bottom experience.
I like that it's more accessible now and cheaper than ever.
I remember paying $1600 return to Berlin in 1995 when I was 18. That's $3373 in today's dollars. I just went to Expedia and punched in that flight and I can get it today for $1377.
It just gets cheaper and cheaper and cheaper and has for my whole life.
The deluxe experience gets better and better and better (my wife slept in a pod to Paris last year with her work), but it doesn't come cheap.
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It gets cheaper and cheaper because you get less and less. I've been flying since I was 4... hell, I remember when people still got dressed up to fly. You used to get a full complimentary meal on a flight
in coach, plus the typical peanuts and a drink (soft or alcobev). They used to give you actual headphones (not even earbuds, branded
headphones). One checked bag included was the norm, and carry-ons were not something your fare could preclude you from bringing with you -- I mean,
you're the one doing all the work.
I get the appeal of the whole
à la carte ticketing thing, but let's not pretend flying is just becoming a better and better value, there's definitely been a degradation in the service level you receive to facilitate that, and with all the talk about standing-room seating being introduced next year, the race to the bottom continues.