Air Travel -- Not What It Used to Be

I finally made it home to Alaska in the wee hours of Monday morning.

I spent most of last week in Houston, TX on a business trip.  But I added a small detour to my return trip by way of Ohio where I visited my mom for the weekend.

Is it me, or are airplane seats shrinking exponentially in direct proportion to the downward spiral of the global economy?  For each of my 3 travel days last week, not once did I get a direct flight to my end destination.  To get from Anchorage to Houston, I had to pay a brief visit to Salt Lake City.  Then, to go from Houston to Columbus, I paused briefly in Memphis.  The last travel day which took me from Columbus back to Anchorage not only gave me the chance to see Salt Lake City again, but also to spend several hours in Detroit. 

All the while, I marveled at how the travel industry has taken what was once one of my very favorite past times, air travel, and transformed it into something to be endured rather than enjoyed. 

I remember the day when you could arrive at the airport 45 minutes before your flight, giving yourself that “extra” time to soak in the excited vibe of travelers preparing to embark on an adventure. 

People dressed up to travel.  You know, shoes that buckled or laced.  Big metal belts designed to hold up your pants.  We packed big bottles of shampoo and beverages in our carry-on bags.  If you were a parent traveling with kids, you might have a week’s worth of snacks in your bag as well.  But, in general, it was completely unnecessary, as the airlines used to actually feed their passengers full hot meals, for FREE! 

When I was a child, we took several flights where the stewardesses (no, not flight attendants) provided me and my sister with all sorts of airplane-themed coloring books and gadgets.  We each got a pin shaped like wings just like the ones worn by the stewardesses. 

Flying was fun.  Remember that?  Fun!

I feel bad for today’s new travelers.  The only flying they will experience includes ridiculously cramped seating, starvation, metal detectors, and pat downs.  It’s almost like you’re paying to be incarcerated for a 2-6 hour sentence. 

I miss the days of joyful travel.