Despite quibbles, air travel is great
While hardly perfect, it’s much safer than in past
Air travel certainly has its frustrations – I wouldn’t have a job if it didn’t – but a lot of people’s complaints are off-base. Take, for example, a recent column in this very outlet, complaining about the state of travel. Respectfully, sir, flying in America is not “pure hell.”
One of the column’s main complaints is that seats have gotten smaller. And that’s inarguably true – airlines are definitely putting more seats on planes than they used to, but you know what? Those seats have also technically gotten better. When I visited the Aircraft Cabin Interiors Expo in Hamburg, Germany, last year, I saw firsthand how tighter seat pitch doesn’t necessarily mean less legroom. Seat manufacturers have improved their ergonomics over the years, which means seats can be closer together without sacrificing your knee space.
It’s easy to romanticize those vintage photos of spacious aircraft. The columnist even said he wants to go back to the 1970s golden age of flying when women wore skirts and gloves on planes and every seat had a functional ashtray. Were things really better then?
I asked veteran aviation journalist Benét Wilson, better known as AvQueenBenet, if things actually used to be better, and the answer is: not really.
“I am of an age where I was able to fly on airlines before they were deregulated, so it was lovely. You dressed up, your seats were comfortable and everything, but only rich people could afford to fly,” she told me. “I would much rather have it now where it is affordable for everyone to fly.”
The government exercised a lot more control over airlines until 1978. The Civil Aeronautics Board (CAB) set prices and controlled which carriers flew on various routes, and guaranteed airlines a certain profit margin. That inflated the price of tickets well above what the market would ultimately bear, meaning flying was unaffordable for most people in the golden age.
Airlines were deregulated beginning in ‘78, and the CAB was abolished in 1985. That changed how airlines had to operate going forward.
“Airlines had to learn how to make a profit. They had to learn how to become profitable companies,” Wilson said.
That’s a big part of why flying is the
way it is now. Travelers frequently seek out the lowest ticket price. Even if they say they may be willing to pay a premium for better service on paper, they’re usually not in reality.
What can you complain about?
Again, I sympathize with the columnist’s frustration. Air travel is hardly perfect, but the fact of the matter is, it’s a safe and almost miraculous way to get around.
The last fatal air crash in the U.S. was in 2009, and since then there have been almost no aviation fatalities domestically. Compare that to getting around by car. The National Traffic Highway Safety Administration estimates there were nearly 41,000 road fatalities in 2023.
“The world has gotten smaller because we have so much air service,” Wilson told me. “When you expect things to go bad or you have a bad attitude about flying, you’re not going to have a good experience. Think about it as an adventure.”
She added that airlines have little control over delays, and frankly, little control even over their seating configurations.
Flying is a business of slim margins, and economics dictate that airlines more or less have to conform to the industry standard to stay competitive. Unless all the carriers decide independently but simultaneously to space their seats out more, the ones with more comfortable layouts are also going to have higher fares, and the market has shown time and again that travelers just aren’t that tempted by a few extra inches in coach.
“If you’re complaining about the seat pitch, the tiny bathrooms, the quality of snacks/food, people reclining, that kind of stuff, that is not worth complaining about because nine times out of ten airlines can’t do anything about it,” Wilson said. “Things you can complain about? Bad service, a flight attendant who is rude or dismissive, if somebody is being annoying. One of my pet peeves is: Don’t sit around me or near me and then have your phone at full volume. Put on headphones, I don’t want to hear it.”
She also said it’s important to treat airline employees kindly even if you’re frustrated and to remember you’re in the same metal tube as all your fellow travelers.
“If your flight is canceled, stuff happens. You can’t complain about stuff either. It might be canceled because of weather, it might be mechanical, it’s a safety issue,” Wilson said. “That kind of stuff – act of God – you can’t complain about that.”
If luxury in the sky is important to you, you can always pay for business class.
The columnist also had some outlandish suggestions for airplane design. One impractical idea was to add skylights to planes. Sit with that for a second. I’m sorry to say that’s not something travelers are likely to see any time soon. There’s important wiring and stuff up there that takes precedence over a little extra light. Besides, most people – to my personal annoyance – keep the shades closed these days anyway. And as much as any avgeek will tell you they have a soft spot for Braniff’s great pumpkin, we also know that too much color will annoy some people, so the suggestion to make airlines more colorful will probably fall on deaf ears, too.