This week we ask: Is our love affair with airlines ending?
The 1960’s were the golden era for the airlines. To fly then was glamorous, exclusive and fashionable. Airlines were all vying for business and were trying to outdo each other with opulence. Fast-forward to today, and it’s a very different world; such is the drive for profits, it has pitted holiday makers, business folk and adventure travel enthusiasts against the airlines. And the cause of the schism: hand luggage.
New Restrictions
But are new restrictions actually slowing down journey times? It took so long getting through the gate on a recent budget airline flight to ski in France, the plane was delayed. And the pilot was not impressed; his words to passengers over the intercom gave it all away: “I’d like to apologise on behalf of my crew for the delay in getting underway; this was due to the extended time spent boarding at Gatwick…”
So, while airlines need to make more money, it appears that their vigilance in getting a bag through could not only be driving us mad, but also holding up the flight timetable.
All this has fuelled some bad feelings between passengers and carriers. Aircraft manufacturer Boeing has moved to help things improve; the overhead bag space in some Boeing 747 planes is to double. Hotels too are doing their bit, offering to cover the costs of visitors’ checked bags.
Is our love affair with airlines ending?
But the negative feeling remains. So is our love affair with airlines ending? Well no. Departure lounges are full of people filling their pockets, hiding their handbags under jumpers and preparing to pass the last inspection.
Stood just out of sight at the gate is the porter, ready to take your additional bag away to the hold as the check-in desk take your credit card for a quick spin; current charges for one carrier: £35, cough!
And it’s not as if there is any flexibility, even the shop purchases you are encouraged to make need to be stashed in your cabin bag – so the water you bought to replace the water you handed in at security and your duty frees need to be squeezed in, too.
There’s definitely a different feeling to flying; the anticipation of getting away on adventure holidays has been spoiled. It’s now a drama just to get off the ground, when the real challenge should be waiting for you after landing, in the mountains of Nepal and on the slopes of Austria?
So why do we fly? Well, it’s because we have to, although once the high-speed rail network really gets up to speed…
