FlyerTalk Forums - View Single Post - What was airline travel in the 80's like?
Old Sep 19, 2016, 11:19 pm
  #4  
Mwenenzi
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Join Date: Apr 2001
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Originally Posted by aerosexual
Originally Posted by Doc Savage
Expensive.
Can anyone speak more to that? I've read about airline deregulation (1978-beyond) but people can't seem to agree whether this was a good thing. Supposedly it lowered prices but then airlines started fee'ing passengers for services and amenities that were previously free. I don't have a personal frame of reference though.
I have been flying New Zealand to Australia and back for 30+ years. The $ value of the fare is the same as early 1980's.
In 1981 I flew Australia to USA. The $ value of the fare is a little less now.
Wages etc have risen a lot, so many less hours of work needed for the same flights now.

Services and amenities that were never free. Just part of the price. And no such thing as personal in flight entertainment back then.
Seat 2A has some 1980's trip reports
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