I was talking to a relative over Thanksgiving and he was saying that passengers were overall better off before the 1978 deregulation of the airlines. He referred to steaks for dinner even in coach class, and a party like setting when people were either leaving on or arriving on flights.

My first commercial flight was in 1989, and even back then things were a lot better.

I started flying a lot say in 1991, and frankly I don't feel I'm paying a lot less in 2006 than I did in 1991 for the routes I fly.

I would have to say then that passengers were better off perhaps before deregulation, and certainly in 1989-1991 than they are here in 2006 due to service cutbacks.

Flying is becoming too much like taking a cheap city bus service rather than being a special "experieince," etc. It seems that all the really lavish service, like piano bars, etc., was all in pre deregulation days.