I promise this isn't an entitlement post seeking affirmation.

I've been flying for almost three decades now, usually once or twice a year. Generally it's always been something to look forward to. The airplanes, powered flight is magical, the onboard food/service/culture, seeing somewhere new, and the general excitement around an airport: people from all over the world of different cultures, the energy, etc.

As a non-frequent flyer, I don't fly with status or business/first class. I play the credit card game, but often I'll pay for domestic flights with cash. I've been in the lounges, and they're great for a long layover or delays, but it's not a regular part of my flying.

I recently got back from a domestic trip on United... what a dystopian nightmare it's become. It started at bag check-in. I was checking a firearm and thus had no choice but to speak with an agent. I wast here a good hour and 15 minutes before the flight. I thought this would be extremely simple: speak to an agent, get checked in, done.... except there were no agents, only kiosks. I spent at least a half hour running around trying to speak to an agent, they brushed me off and said I had to get the bag tags at the kiosks first. Fine. At the kiosk, I had to "agree" to not check a firearm. Well this is clearly wrong, but what else do I do?

After getting my checked bag tags, I again had to spend 15 minutes looking for an agent, until finally I got someone (who was properly fantastic). She got the shotgun checked, attached my tags, and got my bags checked in. Done.

The TSA remains a useless unjustified nightmare. I know this is nothing new, but I remember the 90s, and I refuse to feel appreciative for "only" having to take my shoes off and empty out my liquids. I had flip-flops on, so walked barefoot through security. Legit this is how diseases are spread. The whole process is undignified and ridiculous, and took over half an hour. I barely made it onto the flight.

I pretty much passed out for both flights on the outbound leg (both middle seats).
On the first flight, I was sitting next to some fat kid who didn't give two ..... about personal space. This was fantastic and meant I could similarly not care and sleep very comfortably. On the second flight, the people were super awkward about personal space, couldn't handle any contact, and generally made everything miserable and uncomfortable. I still passed out. Honestly this is the best way to do it, because:

On the return leg I was conscious for both trips, but mercifully had window seats for both.

I mean, where to start: even at the outset of boarding, you can just feel how the airline is trying to nickel-and-dime you. "We'd like to welcome our valued XXX members, you can apply to become a valued XXX member anytime, you can apply for our credit card, etc. etc. etc.". United pretty much charges to choose any seat on the airplane, a practice I find ridiculous. The entire ticket purchasing process: would you like to buy this, or this, or this, or that. Buy drinks/snacks, upgrade this, would you like to apply for our credit card, earn XXX points, etc. etc. etc.

Then the actual boarding process: you can tell the staff's hands are pretty much tied. There's no dignity in their work, but why would there be if management forces them to cater to some point members or whatever. No flexibility or autonomy. You can tell they just don't care, because why would they? it's dystopian.

Then on the flight: the flight attendants did the absolute bare minimum of service, coming through once with beverages and snack, and then a couple times after to collect any garbage. Generosity was non-existant. They were additionally forced to announce their united credit card marketing BS before takeoff and welcome. I could tell the flight attendants were trying, but again their hands were tied. If you're hungry on the flight: good luck! I guess it's great you can buy overpriced snacks on the flight, but now they've gone beyond simply "no cash only credit card" to "put your credit card into the united app and pay for your snacks there". They made sure to mention you get the discount with the united credit card. They should stipulate a smartphone is required for flying.... that is if you could even get a flight attendant to check on you.
Even after 9/11 I remember flying AA and being noticeably particularly hungry, the flight attendant made me a pizza and to this day I am grateful. You can forget about this happening on a UA flight today.

Then there's all the other stuff: United somehow manages to stuff every single flight full. How they do this is beyond me, and I appreciate that it's good for efficiency and business, but it still sucks that they don't similarly add those extra food, drinks, and other stuff to make the flight attendants jobs easier and/or give them some leeway to make the flights more comfortable/better. The general flying public has also taken a huge downturn, good lord. There's a sense of entitlement mixed with a lack of dignity, and an extraordinary greed sprinkled on top. I blame the airlines and the TSA for this. The airlines decided to unbundle to the greatest extent possible; nickel-and-dime the passengers for breathing too much, and as a result people will clamor for whatever they can get. The TSA removed all dignity from the experience: please submit to a naked picture or cavity search before flying. It's all become very efficient, and gone is that sense of camaraderie among the passengers and crew.

Finally at the end of the flight, the flight attendant came around with the biggest most enthusiastic smile offering.... credit cards. Groan.