I'm not sure 9/11 or the pandemic are to blame for that. It's more likely the rise of low-cost airlines, which did this so as to be able to sell cheaper base fa

I'm not sure 9/11 or the pandemic are to blame for that. It's more likely the rise of low-cost airlines, which did this so as to be able to sell cheaper base fares. They have been quite successful (or some of them have at least, eg, Ryanair) which has forced the traditional carriers to react accordingly. Flying is less comfortable for most of us now, sure. But it's also much cheaper than it was, and therefore more accessible. (Which itself gives rise to an issue of negative externalities, but that's a separate issue, kind of.)