Fri May 26, 2017 9:58 pm
I was born in NYC in 1961, which makes me 55.
My first flight was in 1966 on BOAC on a VC-10 from JFK to Gatwick, Glasgow. Since I was very, very young I loved airplanes and airlines. Nothing much excited me more. Up until my later teens my very favorite airlines were PanAm, Eastern, BOAC, SAS and National...(basically the airlines I flew on). Perhaps it was because I was a child who was enthralled with flying and airplanes, I thought EVERYONE loved to fly too, it was special for everyone (in my family we got dressed up to fly). Going to JFK was a BIG DEAL even just to pick-up relatives!
Today, with very few exceptions, everyone I talk to (for decades already) seems to view flying as a major pain in the ass, and basically has contempt for all airlines...although people seem to like to brag about which airline THEY prefer...but even then, that often out of comparing their preference to the others which stink worse. As much as some love Delta, it is not like they love it so much they want to do it over and over. I recently booked a very short trip to Israel and EVERYONE thought I was nuts, but only because of the FLIGHT. While I was thinking that the flight was going to be "part" of the thrill of the trip!
But everything seemed to change by the time I was 21 or 22, which coincidentally coincided with deregulation.
I hate to admit my ignorance, but what exactly did deregulation change, and in what ways were airlines regulated before? I am very embarrassed to ask this as I know I could just Google it and read. But I love everyone's commentary here WAY too much to miss out, I feel like so many of you are friends. What about deregulation was good for the passenger, what was bad? Is there a link between deregulation and the general pop distain for flying? Or coincidence in my mind? Or is it just the difference between flying having been a "special occasion" thing, that turned into the grind of mass transportation?
Today it makes me sad, as I find that people criticize everything on a flight today, everything, even if they are in Business something was wrong ("they didn't warm my nuts" is a personal fav). Yes, 9/11 changed things badly, but this attitude predates that. Everyone at my old company stayed as far away from international business trips as possible (unless they were escaping their spouses).. I gleefully signed up for it and have zero regrets!