How air travel has changed over the years

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I remember the first plane flight I had as a kid. It was the summer of 76, and we boarded a Delta L-1011 in NOLA on our way out west to visit family and friends. When I think back to my experiences in air travel from then to now it’s amazing how much air travel has changed over those years in everything from the manner in which you were treated to the lax in restrictions and ease of boarding. It was like you were somebody special, even traveling coach, you were important, like a real life paying customer, not cattle to be poked and prodded and herded onto a cargo container for transportation elsewhere.

One of the first things I remember after leaving the ground early that morning was the stewardesses hustling to get everyone’s orders taken for breakfast, yes, actual breakfast which ended up being my eggs, toast, hash browns, and OJ that came shortly thereafter. Then there was the movie being played on a big screen, but I was far too busy looking outside at the sights below us to be concerned with all that. It seemed like every time you looked around there was someone there to make sure you were comfortable or needed anything. People were lighting up smokes in the smoking section, which BTW was non existent in an airplane but nobody really gave it a second thought back then as that was life as usual everywhere. Many people in suits were catching their early morning cocktails, and all of this on a 3 hour flight or thereabouts.

I’ve had many many flights since then at every passing decade since and every flight seems to get much less like I’m a valued customer and more like I’m an animal in a traveling circus. They used to even throw me some peanuts, but sometimes I don’t even get that. I think the worst part though is just actually getting on the plane itself, and the cumbersome and arduous task of going through security where I feel like a suspect in a crime that’s been committed. I realize that we have become accustomed to this in air travel as usual these days, but boy has it changed over the years.



Some pictures for the tldr’ers