Things That Have Improved About Traveling Since You Started Flying
Dec 2, 2015, 7:26 pm
#1
In Memoriam, FlyerTalk Evangelist
Original Poster
Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: Durham, NC (RDU/GSO/CLT)
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Things That Have Improved About Traveling Since You Started Flying
So many threads exist bemoaning the loss of the good old days and I do enjoy being nostalgic. However, if I'm being honest there have been a lot of improvements since I started flying. I'm 30, but my frequent flyer days started in 2003. Since then improvements are:
- Wifi. It largely didn't exist at airports, then it did exist but it was only for pay including at lounges. Now it's largely free at airports and lounges and exists inflight.
- Lounge Food. US lounge food has drastically improved in the last two decades. I can remember visiting Admirals Clubs in the mid-90's and it was bagels in the morning and cheese and crackers at night. Now, DL especially followed by UA and somewhat AA have increased the food offerings at lounges significantly.
- Snack options on short flights in First. Snack baskets are a thing now, they by and large were not 10 years ago, at least not on AA and UA who I did the bulk of my flying with.
- IFE. AVOD is much more widely spread, especially on international flights, than it used to be.
- Hard Product in First and Business. Flat beds being a distant dream of the hardcore AA flyer last decade.
- Wifi. It largely didn't exist at airports, then it did exist but it was only for pay including at lounges. Now it's largely free at airports and lounges and exists inflight.
- Lounge Food. US lounge food has drastically improved in the last two decades. I can remember visiting Admirals Clubs in the mid-90's and it was bagels in the morning and cheese and crackers at night. Now, DL especially followed by UA and somewhat AA have increased the food offerings at lounges significantly.
- Snack options on short flights in First. Snack baskets are a thing now, they by and large were not 10 years ago, at least not on AA and UA who I did the bulk of my flying with.
- IFE. AVOD is much more widely spread, especially on international flights, than it used to be.
- Hard Product in First and Business. Flat beds being a distant dream of the hardcore AA flyer last decade.
Dec 2, 2015, 7:33 pm
#3
Join Date: May 2014
Location: CMH, HNL
Programs: UA, HA
Posts: 583
I'll second the Wi-Fi (both external internet & internal Wi-Fi AVOD) and the F/J lie flat products. It's sort of cheating, too, but internet sales and redemptions are way convenient.
Last edited by TheTakeOffRush; Dec 2, 2015 at 7:33 pm Reason: typo
Dec 2, 2015, 7:57 pm
#4
In memoriam
Join Date: Mar 2000
Location: IAD, BOS, PVD
Programs: UA, US, AS, Marriott, Radisson, Hilton
Posts: 7,203
I may be taking a too long view on this, but the most
salient improvements in my flying experience have been
improved safety and improved aircraft speed. Being in
the air is quite a bit more affordable now as well.
The rest, eh, pluses and minuses, with most of the
pluses on the "good old days" side (you can expect us
ancients to chime in on this with some regularity).
==
Regarding your list:
> - Snack options on short flights in First.
Used to get a hot meal between BOS and IAD/DCA.
Sometimes even in economy as I seem to recall
in the '60s and '70s. It didn't taste so great then,
but the offerings aren't any better now, just
chintzier. The beverage selection is now worse
than ever in my experience.
> - Hard Product in First and Business.
That's a matter of preference. I slept better and more
comfortably on the "barcaloungers" than I do in the
21st century coffins or even in the suites.
> - Wifi.
Well, it didn't exist at all until fairly recently.
> - IFE.
Yes.
> - Lounge Food.
Not so in the earliest days (I went infrequently and
only as a guest then), but compared with the 2000s,
I agree.
salient improvements in my flying experience have been
improved safety and improved aircraft speed. Being in
the air is quite a bit more affordable now as well.
The rest, eh, pluses and minuses, with most of the
pluses on the "good old days" side (you can expect us
ancients to chime in on this with some regularity).
==
Regarding your list:
> - Snack options on short flights in First.
Used to get a hot meal between BOS and IAD/DCA.
Sometimes even in economy as I seem to recall
in the '60s and '70s. It didn't taste so great then,
but the offerings aren't any better now, just
chintzier. The beverage selection is now worse
than ever in my experience.
> - Hard Product in First and Business.
That's a matter of preference. I slept better and more
comfortably on the "barcaloungers" than I do in the
21st century coffins or even in the suites.
> - Wifi.
Well, it didn't exist at all until fairly recently.
> - IFE.
Yes.
> - Lounge Food.
Not so in the earliest days (I went infrequently and
only as a guest then), but compared with the 2000s,
I agree.
Dec 2, 2015, 8:03 pm
#5
Join Date: Sep 2014
Location: Scotland
Programs: Star Alliance
Posts: 476
The biggest improvement for me are the planes themselves, I remember being on some that sound like they're going to fall apart between the noise and vibrations.
Newer planes are a lot smoother and noise insulation has improved (also doesn't hurt that window sizes are getting bigger).
Second would be the IFE, I truly hated the days of having zero choice and tiny screens 20 feet away from your seat
Newer planes are a lot smoother and noise insulation has improved (also doesn't hurt that window sizes are getting bigger).
Second would be the IFE, I truly hated the days of having zero choice and tiny screens 20 feet away from your seat
Dec 2, 2015, 9:58 pm
#10
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: Bangkok or San Francisco
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So many threads exist bemoaning the loss of the good old days and I do enjoy being nostalgic. However, if I'm being honest there have been a lot of improvements since I started flying. I'm 30, but my frequent flyer days started in 2003. Since then improvements are:
- Wifi. It largely didn't exist at airports, then it did exist but it was only for pay including at lounges. Now it's largely free at airports and lounges and exists inflight.
- Lounge Food. US lounge food has drastically improved in the last two decades. I can remember visiting Admirals Clubs in the mid-90's and it was bagels in the morning and cheese and crackers at night. Now, DL especially followed by UA and somewhat AA have increased the food offerings at lounges significantly.
- Snack options on short flights in First. Snack baskets are a thing now, they by and large were not 10 years ago, at least not on AA and UA who I did the bulk of my flying with.
- IFE. AVOD is much more widely spread, especially on international flights, than it used to be.
- Hard Product in First and Business. Flat beds being a distant dream of the hardcore AA flyer last decade.
- Wifi. It largely didn't exist at airports, then it did exist but it was only for pay including at lounges. Now it's largely free at airports and lounges and exists inflight.
- Lounge Food. US lounge food has drastically improved in the last two decades. I can remember visiting Admirals Clubs in the mid-90's and it was bagels in the morning and cheese and crackers at night. Now, DL especially followed by UA and somewhat AA have increased the food offerings at lounges significantly.
- Snack options on short flights in First. Snack baskets are a thing now, they by and large were not 10 years ago, at least not on AA and UA who I did the bulk of my flying with.
- IFE. AVOD is much more widely spread, especially on international flights, than it used to be.
- Hard Product in First and Business. Flat beds being a distant dream of the hardcore AA flyer last decade.
I remember when it was a big deal for the FA to walk through the front cabins with cassette tapes to allow you to pick a movie you wanted. First Class got first choice. If you were in Business Class you got to watch Adam Sandler.
Dec 2, 2015, 11:46 pm
#12
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2013
Location: Los Angeles
Posts: 12,602
Check-in has improved drastically. Back in the days of boarding pass envelopes with your seat written in sharpie, I'd get a seat that was double assigned every few years.
WiFi
I'll even say the food in Y. A lot of people complain that there aren't meals on long domestic flights in Y anymore. The hot meals in those old days sucked. The game was always to try to guess which special meal was actually edible (e.g. which one would turn out to be a fresh fruit plate) and try to order that in advance. The BOB snacks and light meals today are much better than the old food, and if you have time to make a sandwich (or even buy one somewhere on the ground) you're doing much better than the old hot meals.
Airport food: *way* back in the day, it was generally on par with institutional cafeteria food but at extortionate prices. Everybody got excited when fast food restaurants started showing up at places like MSP and DTW. Now there are (and have been for a while) real sit down restaurants with reasonable food at only slightly extortionate prices.
WiFi
I'll even say the food in Y. A lot of people complain that there aren't meals on long domestic flights in Y anymore. The hot meals in those old days sucked. The game was always to try to guess which special meal was actually edible (e.g. which one would turn out to be a fresh fruit plate) and try to order that in advance. The BOB snacks and light meals today are much better than the old food, and if you have time to make a sandwich (or even buy one somewhere on the ground) you're doing much better than the old hot meals.
Airport food: *way* back in the day, it was generally on par with institutional cafeteria food but at extortionate prices. Everybody got excited when fast food restaurants started showing up at places like MSP and DTW. Now there are (and have been for a while) real sit down restaurants with reasonable food at only slightly extortionate prices.
Dec 3, 2015, 12:50 am
#14
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