[Art]

Originally Posted by adamwagg

Can I say you can do both? I love flying - its pretty cool (and I'm not a pilot) but also get cranky at poor service and dodgy seats.

That's pretty much where I am.

[mulletman]

Originally Posted by BillSPrestonEsq

Actually, not so amazing. A few years ago, it was cheaper, service was better, you paid a substantially lower amount, as there are a half dozen new fees and you were not treated like a criminal. Frankly, what is amazing if perspective is warranted that airlines are in business.

Historically, and corrected for inflation, the price has done nothing but drop. I agree with you on the issue of excessive fees that are (almost always) imposed by an entity other than the airline. Blame the federal government if you want, as they are responsible for almost the entirety of the fee increases, as well as the largest customer service flaw in the entire system.

By the way, is your bro still instructing, or has he moved on to bigger and better things now?

Originally Posted by Art

Sorry, Ben, but nothing you can say changes the fact that I don't like being in pain for three hours at a time because I can't move my legs. And I am one of those people who still likes flying despite that.

Commercial flight has been around our whole lives. Why would we all be in awe and wonder about it? It is a service that we are paying for, which means we expect it to be provided in a way that is pleasing to us. That's really all there is to it.

I don't expect anyone to be in awe. The man is a comedian. It is a service that you are paying for. All I expect is for people to understand what they are getting in exchange for how much they are actually paying the company (not the government) for the service. A bus ticket is *generally* going to cost more over the same route than an airline ticket. It's not only the cheapest way to get there, if you factor in the time you save..... it's just flat out the cheapest way to get there. Thus, I don't understand people complaining about the price... other than the fact that in my experience, people just complain out of boredom most of the time.

For a coach ticket, the service you're paying for is to get from A to B. If the service you want is to get from A to B while being comfortable, then the service you should buy isn't a coach ticket. I wouldn't buy a Kia if wanted a BMW. To be honest, it just seems like a tactical blunder due to poor planning by the consumer.

I'm not trying to direct this at you Art, or at anyone else personally..... just talking, lol.

Originally Posted by redbaron

It's why I spend a bit more so I can get on an airline where I pick my seat and I always get an aisle.

This is all that matters. Like I said before, people voting with their wallet.

Since 1977, when Southwest Airlines got started... the only message the public has communicated is that the only thing they care about is the purchase price, and that no matter who cuts what customer service, the passengers will line up for miles to save a few bucks. Well, the airlines were listening, and gave the consumers exactly what they asked for. Congratulations.

[beanbag]

i think we lost sight of the original issue..

comfort is one thing. i have had entire rows to myself, and the seats still haven't been comfortable like my parents' reclining sofa. (though let's be honest...british airways? pretty sweet.)

the issue is someone else spilling over into your seat and forcing you to stand (which, by the way, i thought was illegal? i saw an article written about the potential for standing flights, and that the powers-that-be viewed it darkly, or so the article read) when you paid to sit in a seat.

service means you pay for what you get--the guy who paid for a seat and had to stand for a 7 hr flight didn't get what he paid for. i can take narrow aisles and sitting with my feet propped up on my carry-on bag so my knees don't bang the seat in front of me, but what i can't stand is a massive man or woman crowding over into my seat. i don't know about you, but being jammed up against some stranger, who is often a little clammy or sweaty because that's just how it is in airplanes, absolutely doesn't appeal to me. in fact, it makes me very uncomfortable. i don't understand why the man who was causing the problem wasn't the one who was removed in the first place. or they could've done a seat-reshuffling, and stuck him next to a little kid or something.

[mulletman]

Airways certainly screwed the pooch on this one, I agree. I'd surprised if they didn't get major fines from the FAA, or the crew face certificate action.

[BillSPrestonEsq]

Originally Posted by mulletman

Historically, and corrected for inflation, the price has done nothing but drop. I agree with you on the issue of excessive fees that are (almost always) imposed by an entity other than the airline. Blame the federal government if you want, as they are responsible for almost the entirety of the fee increases, as well as the largest customer service flaw in the entire system.

I am reffering to say, 1999-04. A cheap seat on an airline going across the country was around 150-200. Now, a cheap seat with no baggage is pushing 400. That isn't dropping.
Some of it is government, some of it is airlines, and I know some is airport.

It seems as the price goes up, the service level has dropped through the floor as well.

By the way, is your bro still instructing, or has he moved on to bigger and better things now?

Flying drones in the 'stan. Pay is better. Getting shot at by rockets daily is definitely worse.

I don't expect anyone to be in awe. The man is a comedian. It is a service that you are paying for. All I expect is for people to understand what they are getting in exchange for how much they are actually paying the company (not the government) for the service. A bus ticket is *generally* going to cost more over the same route than an airline ticket. It's not only the cheapest way to get there, if you factor in the time you save..... it's just flat out the cheapest way to get there. Thus, I don't understand people complaining about the price... other than the fact that in my experience, people just complain out of boredom most of the time.

You can go greyhound a lot cheaper really. I have ferried my youngest brother around and bought his bus tickets. Really it is several xs cheaper most of the time.

My problem is this. I payed around 200. Now I am paying 400, to sit in a smaller seat, be treated like crap, after being searched, bombarded by radiation, and then be nickle and dimed to death if I actually need to take clothes. It is not a what you get, but rather that there has been a drastic decline in service quality while drastically increasing the fees to the consumer.

What this has meant for me is I fly less, drive more, and travel less. Also if only my wife or I NEEDS to attend something, only one of us will. Because it is a really unpleasant experience and expensive. Much like a colonoscopy.

For a coach ticket, the service you're paying for is to get from A to B. If the service you want is to get from A to B while being comfortable, then the service you should buy isn't a coach ticket. I wouldn't buy a Kia if wanted a BMW. To be honest, it just seems like a tactical blunder due to poor planning by the consumer.

Last few times I have flown I have been repeatedly hit with a drink cart, leaving very large bruises on my shoulder. Now my shoulders have gotten no wider, and in some of the planes, the aisles are no narrower and neither are the seats. The employees just dont care if they injure you.

If I have to go to first class to avoid leaving flights with very large bruises, something is freaking wrong.