4 ms·

> airplane flights no longer cost an appreciable fraction of your annual income12 , and people can afford multiple trips a year. I routinely flew in the 80's a

> airplane flights no longer cost an appreciable fraction of your annual income12 , and people can afford multiple trips a year. I routinely flew in the 80's and 90's: shorter lines, more cabin space, and food every flight (and fewer yokels airing their stinky bare feet). I'd go back to that in a heartbeat.

johnwalkr 5y ago
Domestic flying in Japan (on the non-discount airlines) is still great. Published regular prices (not based on number of seats left), virtually no security, no ID required, liquids allowed. No problem checking in 20 minutes before the flight, and since the prices are regular, no problem to call 30 minutes before a flight because you're running late, and change to the next flight. If you're nice, probably no problem to flat-out miss a flight and get put on the next one.
toss1 5y ago
Yup These times of algorithmic flight loading and canceling/combining 'underbooked' flights really stink. I once ended up flying a Seattle - Boston redeye on a 747 with a total three other passengers, and the flight crew said that they (Braniff Air, bought by Northwest, etc.) were still making money on the flight because the hold was full of US Mail. That was a quality experience we'll likely never see again. (Then again, I also once flew London to NYC one row in front of the smoking section - that's also a quality experience that I won't miss never seeing again)
- asdff 5y ago
  I never got why they still have ash trays in the bathrooms of the planes. They have a nonsmoking sticker right above the ash tray with a cigarette logo. If you aren't going to replace the door, why not just put the sticker on top of the little ash tray and cover it up?
notdang 5y ago
So this means that people with less disposable income can afford to fly now. And the people with more income are feeling that their comfort has to suffer. So for those with more income, maybe it makes sense to pay for first class or hire a private charter plane?
- SavantIdiot 5y ago
  Trains are nice too. Cheaper, and you get to move around and mingle at lot easier. Maybe try one of those? Busses are cheap as well, but you can't walk around as much. But I know some people think trains and busses are gross and "lower class", which is why they have so much trouble getting funding. It's a catch-22: people won't use them, so lines don't get funded, so people don't use them. I'm quite fond of Amtrak's Adirondack. It is a lovely way to visit relatives during Thanksgiving and see the foliage. Cheaper than planes and less stressful. https://www.amtrak.com/routes/adirondack-train.html https://www.amtrak.com/routes/adirondack-train.html
  - asdff 5y ago
    No one wants to sit in a train for 10 hours on what would have been a two hour flight
    - SavantIdiot 5y ago
      What if they can't afford a flight?
      - asdff 5y ago
        Most amtrak fares are comparable to airfare these days honestly. If you can't afford airfare you end up on a greyhound, not the amtrak.
oh_sigh 5y ago
You can still get that by paying the same fraction of your income and flying business class.

johnwalkr 5y ago

Domestic flying in Japan (on the non-discount airlines) is still great. Published regular prices (not based on number of seats left), virtually no security, no ID required, liquids allowed. No problem checking in 20 minutes before the flight, and since the prices are regular, no problem to call 30 minutes before a flight because you're running late, and change to the next flight. If you're nice, probably no problem to flat-out miss a flight and get put on the next one.

toss1 5y ago

Yup These times of algorithmic flight loading and canceling/combining 'underbooked' flights really stink. I once ended up flying a Seattle - Boston redeye on a 747 with a total three other passengers, and the flight crew said that they (Braniff Air, bought by Northwest, etc.) were still making money on the flight because the hold was full of US Mail. That was a quality experience we'll likely never see again. (Then again, I also once flew London to NYC one row in front of the smoking section - that's also a quality experience that I won't miss never seeing again)

asdff 5y ago
I never got why they still have ash trays in the bathrooms of the planes. They have a nonsmoking sticker right above the ash tray with a cigarette logo. If you aren't going to replace the door, why not just put the sticker on top of the little ash tray and cover it up?

notdang 5y ago

So this means that people with less disposable income can afford to fly now. And the people with more income are feeling that their comfort has to suffer. So for those with more income, maybe it makes sense to pay for first class or hire a private charter plane?

SavantIdiot 5y ago
Trains are nice too. Cheaper, and you get to move around and mingle at lot easier. Maybe try one of those? Busses are cheap as well, but you can't walk around as much. But I know some people think trains and busses are gross and "lower class", which is why they have so much trouble getting funding. It's a catch-22: people won't use them, so lines don't get funded, so people don't use them. I'm quite fond of Amtrak's Adirondack. It is a lovely way to visit relatives during Thanksgiving and see the foliage. Cheaper than planes and less stressful. https://www.amtrak.com/routes/adirondack-train.html https://www.amtrak.com/routes/adirondack-train.html
- asdff 5y ago
  No one wants to sit in a train for 10 hours on what would have been a two hour flight
  - SavantIdiot 5y ago
    What if they can't afford a flight?
    - asdff 5y ago
      Most amtrak fares are comparable to airfare these days honestly. If you can't afford airfare you end up on a greyhound, not the amtrak.

oh_sigh 5y ago

You can still get that by paying the same fraction of your income and flying business class.