I'm not sure where the spite in this thread is coming from. The point that is being made is that all of us, elite or not, are basically in this together, in a world of declining service and dehumanization at the hands of global corporations who dole out meager amenities by way of cost-cutting spreadsheets. I don't think that's at odds with appreciating the miracle of modern flight, or acknowledging improvements in areas like safety. I think most people on this board would agree that FF and service in general are declining across most airlines these days, and certainly anyone who regularly flew pre-9/11 remembers how different the overall airport experience used to be (remember getting to meet your family at the arrival gate?). Sure, this article isn't blowing anyone's minds with brand new observations, but I think it's a good reminder (for a general audience, not an FT audience) that the EXP flier probably isn't the person the economy flier should be resenting as they're crammed into ever-tighter seats with no complimentary food while flying 3000 miles.