Aside from 9/11, what are the reasons for travel getting so shitty

>>1217040

*AIR travel

What was better about it before?

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Fat fucks can't afford 2 seats anymore, so I'm stuck with their fatty ooze they call their body flowing into my seat.

>>1217040
It became more accessible to the masses. Airplanes have basically become city buses in the sky.

>>1217044
airlines didn't have the current pathological obsession with trying to minimize every little cost possible. security wasn't as much of a bitch and you could smoke, qts would even bring you food and shit.

>>1217066

>minimize cost

Are you fucking kidding me? They nickel and dime you at every turn.

>oh you want a pressurized cabin?
>that's another $300

>>1217066
fuck off gramps

I generally find air travel to be both more pleasant and more affordable by not flying US based carriers.

>>1217067
But that's exactly what he said, wtf

>>1217066
Fly first or business class then. Because that's what air travel used to be and the price tag is also what air travel used to be.

>>1217079
Its also better because the nice young stewardesses aren't stuck on the crappy 1-2 hour flight routes, because they're aged out at 30 unless they're exceptional. The international flights are all filled with 45+ year olds that are no longer excited about flying and know they can get away with shit service because of seniority.

>>1217040
>what are the reasons for travel getting so shitty in the last 20 years?

Deregulation killed the airline industry. Every time I get on a plane I reminisce about the good old days on Eastern. Midwest tried to keep the dream alive for as long as possible but they eventually succumbed too. Long live 2x2 economy seating

>>1217079
Air travel in business or first class is extremely pleasant with non-US airlines.

Airlines are bleeding money - so they try to charge you for everything these days. I was surprised that an American airline wanted to charge me separately for my baggage and seat allocation.

The obsession with cramming people in like cattle to save as many pennies as possible, particularly on Boeing planes.

>>1217101
You still can't smoke in first
Just get a private jet pleb

Also what the hell is up with having to show your passport no less than 5 times before boarding the plane? (Check-in counter - line to enter security - at security - immigration - airline staff) I mean, i think if i've made it through 3 checks i'm pretty damn sure i have one.

Also i've noticed on Emirates flights in particular in Economy the air hostesses are nowhere to be found outside of landing/takeoff and meal times. I'm fairly certain they're told to sod off so customers can make as few requests for drinks as possible.

>>1217160
>Also what the hell is up with having to show your passport no less than 5 times before boarding the plane?
Obvious security precaution and to make sure you dont waste everybody else's time if you dont have the required visas, etc. Honestly I'd rather put up with that then having to sit next to a potential terrorist flying with a fake passport.

>Also i've noticed on Emirates flights in particular in Economy the air hostesses are nowhere to be found outside of landing/takeoff and meal times.
I fly almost exclusively with Emirates and can say that they are usually very visible. It's only late in the flight that they fuck off to the back to take a break or gossip.

>>1217171
As i said, after about the 3rd check i think it's pretty obvious all of my documents are correct.

It's my experience with every Emirates flight i've took this year. On the flight to Seoul i sat near the galley and the girls were gossiping and giggling to each other the entire flight.

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ITT: American people stuck in the 1950s

>>1217067
He's talking about minimizing cost for the airline.

>>1217101

>oy vey, these ungrateful goyim! You better watch your moth otherwise we'll really crank the prices up!

t. United shill

>>1217156

How can all the airlines be bleeding money at the same time

>>1217066
That's mostly because airlines used to charge so much that not cutting costs wouldn't affect their profit margins. Travel is a fraction of the cost it was when I was a kid in the late 80s and I think that's more than a fair trade for it being slightly less comfortable. If you want to pay more for a better experience still just go in business. Especially with budget carriers a lot of the optional payments are just an idiot tax allowing people who plan properly and know what they're doing to fly for practically nothing. It's great.

>>1217188
The last one is just before boarding to make sure the person who boards is who he's supposed to be and not someone else.

>>1217196
Tough economy and jet fuel is not cheap.
Since they are competing with one another; they may be cutting prices in some places and make up for it in other places.

>>1217201
I think if business class was more affordable, say 25-50% extra than Economy, more regular travellers might be tempted to try it. Bus as it stands it's more like 400% more expensive. Thus you'd never bother unless your company was paying for it, you got upgraded, or you're filthy rich.

>>1217248
It has to be 400% more expensive because ONE business class seat is worth 1+3 additional economy seats (so a total of 4 seats) just in terms of space required unless you have a horseshit business class like norwegian or British airwas (2-2-2 configuration instead of 1-2-1) where you can get away with 75-100%

>>1217268
Yeah so basically it's too expensive for any normal traveller without money to burn to make themselves a bit more comfortable for half a day.

>>1217272
Business class is not aimed at the
>if I dumpster dive and couch surf I could survive the trip and come home with enough money for the Bus
audience.
As well as the Sheraton is not aimed at the backpacker or Bentley at the minimum wage worker audience.
If it breaks the budget, don't buy it.

>too expensive for a normal traveler
If you mean for /trv/ user you couldn't be more off lad, a large number here have a good income job and can easily afford it and do it all the time. There's even some first class regulars that shitpost here.

For me it's airports.

I'd be more willing to be uncomfortable on a plane for a few hours if airports were just nicer places to be, especially if you have a long layover.

More comfortable furniture, food options that aren't a rip-off, walls that aren't prison off-white.

Nor every terminal needs to be a VIP lounge, but god damn they could be a lot more relaxing and comfortable. One of the reasons I like flying Virgin in and out of SFO is that they took the effort to make their terminal a nice place to be.

>>1217292
To be honest, if i was rich and wanted to waste my money i'd rather do it on a better hotel. At least that lasts longer.

>>1217299
See once you get into that category it's not the money but time that limits your traveling. Most people have 4-5 weeks per year...
I can afford a nice hotel and I fly business to stretch my trip so that I arrive back home in the morning and go from the airport directly to my job.

The comfort upgrade is such a plus that I can actually sleep 4-6 hours in a flat bed, eat nice food, do some work and arrive relaxed at my destination.

>>1217040
well aside from becoming the poor man's ballistic missile, commercial flights are now probably at their highest-ever demand, meaning that airlines are able to sell tickets even when they pack passengers like sardines and overcharge for every imaginable service as they do.

>>1217294
This is the case only in North America And West Europe... South America, Asia, (and probably Africa though I cannot confirm that one) have reasonable prices and actually good tasting food.

Service varies

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>>1218334
>(and probably Africa though I cannot confirm that one)
Johannesburg's OR Tambo International airport is pretty good. Plenty of natural light and open spaces. Plenty of local and international brand restaurants. With just a pinch of African decor to make it visually interesting.

Cape Town International isn't that bad either - even if it just feels like a large open warehouse.

>>1217248

It then loses exclusivity, and becomes a new economy. That creep would wind up cheapening it.

Face it, making business class more affordable won't raise the quality of passenger or flight. Airplanes are buses now.

Business class is designed for people who are willing to pay more to get away from economy. Lowering the entry barrier would remove any incentive.

>>1217040
>Allegient flight from LAS

You might as well be on greyhound.

The real reason? deregulation. most passengers shop on fares not service. Virgin America tried to improve the customer experience, but they are struggling because most of the public gravitates to low cost carriers.

>>1217160
Airlines can be fined by CBP if they send someone international without the proper paperwork.
TSA just requires a government issued photo ID.
And Immigration will obviously want to see your passport.

Everyone is just doing their jobs.

>>1218500
Business class also has fewer ticketing restrictions when it comes to change fees and cancellations, because business travel plans change a lot more frequently then the school vacation crowd. The increased ticket prices not only mean better service in flight, but helps the airlines offset the loss of unsold seats should someone cancel at the last minute.

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>>1217294
>Not having lounge access
Think it's been 3 years since I waited in the actual terminal. Domestic ones are usually basic but the international ones are pretty good.
Just get priority pass. Free food, alcohol and a chance to relax. Pic related.

>>1218614
>priority pass
>not having status that lets you get into lounge and more

Pleb.

>>1218631
>Status
>Not owning a private jet

Pleb.

>>1217292
Normal people means those not in the 2% richest people of the country.

Chinese tourists. 90% of them are insufferable and incredibly rude

I want to kill those motherfuckers

>>1217292
All of this. Normal people have some completed education and a slightly better than average salary which does not mean rich but it does upgrade the quality of life and guides decisions and tradeoffs. When you are tall you not only don't drive a small subcompact but you pay to upgrade air travel whether picking a row or having a ticket that doesn't have change fees. There is some weird merge in people's minds about travel on a state owned airline that is for all intents not a for-profit business vs the golden age of pre-deregulation where airlines had mandated gates at airports and didn't compete and paid pilots pre-unions at one-third their current status. Hollywood leads you to believe it is only a jet set luxury to upgrade. I've paid nothing to $100 for it same difference in picking a hotel that is 50-200 more per day or your rental car upgrade just to have automatic or a car that isn't ten levels below your own. I like my back not to go out when I travel.
I do not pay for international First out of pocket but I have had it dozens of times a year for all my life with buddy pass travel and the service can be like a nice restaurant to lazy and disgruntled. Depends. Pan Am was my favorite. I have been to London where food service was the entire time with chocolates and liqueurs set out the entire time. From hot towels to warmed nuts to slicing prosciutto to smiling throughout it was a treat. No one matches that today.

>>1217192
>just a picture of some dude with no captions
>9gag.com

9gag memes are pretty fucking mean nowadays.

>>1218596
Not really, depends on the fare bucket you booked into. Just like there are fully refundable economy tickets, there are fully refundable business class tickets. I learned this the hard way when prices dropped for the outbound leg of my flight to Japan this may by $700 under what I payed. To switch to that flight, I would have had to pay a $450 change fee and not gotten any reimbursement for the original ticketing.

>>1217040

globalization and (((fuckery))) of the dollar. more people being able to travel than ever. the bottom line. more fucking rules.

>>1217040

obesity

>>1217040
Airline bankruptcies
Rising fuel costs
Lower profit margins
Americans' increased desire to be in a private "pod"

>>1217066
>you could smoke
Thank fucking god that is no longer the case, and that is coming from a smoker.

>>1217066
>you could smoke
how wonderful

>>1220581
This.

>thread about change in airline prices, quality
>50+ replies, 2 mention cost of jet fuel
>4chan is full of geniuses

>>1217066
Safety precautions

They realized it wasn't a good idea to let people smoke in an enclosed space, food isn't allowed so they can sell food at high prices, and security is because of 9/11

>>1218367
>"I said BUY A FUCKING SAMSUNG GALAXY"

>>1221029
Jet fuel is minimal, kid.
It's union salaries, competition, and most of all, contracts that airlines can't easily get out of, but which suck. The first thing they do when filing some chapter of bankruptcy is dump their bad contracts, whether orders for planes they no longer want to buy, terminals they don't need, maintenance contracts, all kinds of things.

>>1217040
It's actually gotten far, far better for a post-commie European like me. Dirt cheap flights anywhere from Iceland to UEA, more money, Schengen, even long haul becoming accessible instead of just a pipe dream that'd take a decade of saving up. You don't even have to smuggle shit through the border and camp in the wild anymore. Paradise.

>>1217040
Cheap fares gives you the bare fucking minimum and its an awful experience.

The good flights are expensive and I avoid them for that reason

>>1221077
It depends, JetA, much like regular old gas prices are way down right now. The prices were soaring a few years ago.

>>1217066
>airlines didn't have the current pathological obsession with trying to minimize every little cost possible.

That's because flying wasn't stupidly cheap pilots out of war would gang up and put together any tin can that would fly. Now the have some rules, regulations, and schedules to stick by.