When flying was fun

[Meadbh]

Last week: booked to fly to Ottawa leaving at 1830 hours. Then there was a nice snowstorm. Then there was a mechanical problem. One that required a new plane. ETA: 2130 hours. Actual arrival time: 0230 hours. At least it was a smooth flight. But the meeting next day was exhausting.

For what it's worth, the crew were diverted to pick us up and did not get to their home cities that night. Must be difficult on families.

 

[Dancer373]

I remember flying in the 50's.I think my first flight was in 1956 and the plane was a DC 6. My father was a UAL captain and we always dressed up, as in church. I remember handing out Chickletts gum to the other passengers ( due to the non pressurized cabin) and wearing my "Stewardess" wings. I also got to go into the cockpit and look at all the dials......nothing compared to now. Meals were served on real china with real silverware. It seems there was more leg room back then or , maybe I've gotten bigger , lol. Flying used to be fun and an adventure but now it's just a means of going from point A to point B quickly..............

 

[Lazarus]

I love to fly, but not in airliners. Fly in a small plane and see how much fun it is!

 

[Danmar]

Just flew in from Calgary last night on Westjet. About 4 hours. Quite uncomfortable but watched a movie on my IPAD and that made the time go faster. I find that without video entertainment the flights ate interminable.

 

[Dawg52]

I am increasingly avoiding all discretionary air travel. It's just a miserable experience today.

I rarely fly anyway, but I certainly can't get motivated to plan trips that requires flying with all the crap you have to go through now days. I'm sure I will fly again, but most of my traveling will be via car.

 

[Danmar]

LBYM blasphemy!

In most cases they have plenty of means for this or the Company's shareholders pay. I read somewhere that fractional jet use is starting to get close to the cost of first class airfare for about 4 people. The jet shown here is a rather delux model I think and would probably go for about $10k per hour?

 

[WanderALot]

Dealing with security notwithstanding, I don't see the desire to fly like in the past. I appreciate that I don't have to dress up to fly on my vacation or my business trip. I appreciate that flying today is much more economically accessible. I appreciate the increased safety and comfort and speed of modern airplanes. Yes, there are more seats crammed in there, but a large jet flies better in turbulence better than a small prop plane.

Entertainment options are also much better now than even 5 years ago. I flew last week for work and the DirecTV at the seat was wonderful. Most of the overseas flights I have taken have had excellent video-on-demand options to make the 10 hr flight much more bearable.

 

[HFWR]

I saw one of these just last week. Probably a genuine reproduction.

Made in China...