Question: Why has air travel become the worst way of traveling?
8 Feb
During the late 90′s, airline travel was considered the most exotic form of travel for majority of the human population. It was prestigious to go traveling around the world, or even to a neighboring city, and telling your friends that you traveled by air. “Wow, you sat in the business class? Nice!” is what I used to say when I would hear others talking about getting free upgrades to business class on a vacation.
Today, if you tell people about flying to your vacation last week, they will either say “Nice! How was the vacation?” or “Aaaah, which airport did you take? Was it ok?” It is as if traveling by air now automatically creates a feeling in our heads that if you are not a terrorist, you will be punished through other means for wanting to travel by air. Why has air travel become the worst way of traveling for many?
Take off your shoes, infidel!
Today, air travel has become so intrusive that people worry more about not upsetting the security guards at airports, more than thinking about their destination. It is more comfortable to travel on the train, and it is less intrusive to board a ship than to go through the security checkpoint at majority of the popular airports. In fact, for many, it is an understatement to say that air travel is now, as of this writing, the worst way of traveling anywhere. The only reason many people still fly to their destinations is because there are no alternate routes to their destinations.
If it is not the long security lines at the airports, it may be the attitude of the Transportation Security Administration [TSA] that gets you. TSA is a government organization that was bestowed extreme powers at a time of crisis, and thus, legally, you cannot simply say “I want to speak to your manager! You suck!” You may think that a dictatorial government may have ended during the second world war, but dictatorial segments of control reside and thrive in many countries, including America. The problems you have with the TSA will make you feel helpless, because unlike dealing with a bad private company or product, making a government employee or organization become responsible for something bad is not easy, or for many, possible. The same way you have to smile and beg for mercy when being at the Department of Motor Vehicles [DMV] after realizing that the person working on your driver license request is Norman Bates’ cousin, you have to simply realize that the good thing about dealing with the TSA is that they allow you to fly.
Passed the security hell? Welcome to the tube of hell!
Now, if the security lines at the airports still could not take away your enthusiasm, the airlines will. Bad business decisions and narrow-mindedness in order to bring about quick profits as quickly as possible have resulted in weakly managed airlines to start charging for your luggage, for food, for headphones and for newspapers. You are told every step of the way that the money you spent on buying the airline ticket is not enough. You have to spend more, be inconvenienced more, and you have to pay your way through your flight in order to arrive at your destination with a smile, and a heavier-than-a-feather wallet. Following is a list of the “The Ultimate Guide of Airline Fees” compiled by Smarter Travel:
How do you prefer to travel? Do you think air travel is the most uncomfortable form of travel? Do you think it is more stressful to fly than to take any other form of transportation besides walking?
Thanks for reading! I really appreciate it.
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One reason why traveling by air has become a hassle is it becomes time consuming. Passengers need to take off almost everything as if everyone is dangerous. If before one has to get to the airport two hours in advance, now, we have to be there three or four hours ahead because we need to line up the security checks.
Airports sucked way before 9/11. They were always slow and filled with meaningless lines.
I thiought It was an all italian problem..so It isn’t! 9/11 complicated everything, also traveling. Now Obama is investing a lot in railways, I’m glad to hear that, in Europe is an excellent way to travel.
Air travel can be sucky. I really resent having to pack all my liquids in tiny little bottles. This irks me to no end. And once I’m at the airport, I hate the lines. Oh god, the lines!
I can understand why some people have to drink before they fly… My favorite mode of travel is by train, but sometimes this isn’t always practical or available. Where are the teleportation machines already?
It’s because flying is almost the norm nowaday. Back then people didn’t fly much, but now either its business trips or vacation, everybody is flying.
I am from Croatia and I travel a lot inside Europe, and till now I really did not have any problems, it is going quite easy. After summer I am planning to visit NY for first time, and after reading this post I must say I am really affraid how that will look like.
Air travel has really become a nuisance especially after 09/11. Getting to the airport is a headache the security check is a nightmare and if the weather is rough and the aircraft rickety then hold on to dear life till you are on ground. Traveling by train is much comfortable although time consuming.
Totally agree. Shorty after 911 I was flying out of Denver with my wife and kids. The security gard was such a jurk… I mean a REAL JURK. I said on that day that I would not fly again and I have not flown since.
The state of the airline industry is kind of a joke… You would think that these guys could do better…
yarh..airline is very popular now. however, the more it is popular, the more dangerous we will get. i usually have to pray as soon as i go to the air plan. :(
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I was up in Alaska when all the new stuff happend. It was not fun at all
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The state of the airline industry is kind of a joke… You would think that these guys could do better…
For me i enjoyed ride in airplane, i think i very safe at all.
:)
Airline is the best transportation specially in long trip.
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The problems you have with the TSA will make you feel helpless, because unlike dealing with a bad private company or product, making a government employee or organization.
The state of the airline industry is kind of a joke… You would think that these guys could do better…
Interesting insight. In my opinion air travel is still the most safe way of travel despite of increased risk of terrorism.. If you just take a look at numbers how many people died in car accidents or rail it is not hard to decide for air travel.
If both air and train are available and I am not in a hurry. Probabry I prefer train to air travel. Of course, it is not only about the matter of quick profits. For me, train is more comfortable and relatively safer.
Well I don’t travel that much by plane. But i believe it’s very convenient, especially for long flights! So I don’t mind flying.
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Well, maybe airplane is the least dangerous among the transports. But if the traffic happens, it will change into the most dangerous of other kinds of traffics. So some people treat it as the worst way of traveling.
Airline fees nowadays are terrible, I had a very bad time of it in England… Never had such a bad time of it in my life
I am really pleased to read your post & i am totally agree with you. One reason why traveling by air has become a difficult is it becomes time consuming & the security gards are behaving like jurk.
In my opinion, it is because of the security of this way can not be guaranteed.
I think that’s because ,in case of any danger, there’s no alternate way to escape for the people…
i finf air travel really pleasant… it’s fast and can be comfortable..yes, lines and crowd can be annoying, and fear of flying can be a problem, but nowdays, it’s become a normal way of traveling….
You were right on to say that we can blame everything on TV but needless to say our life experiences add up to it as well.
The thing to remember is that you can have an amazing holiday somewhere closer to home- we always seem to look further away when we want a break, but chances are there’s somewhere beautiful you haven’t spent much time in just a few hours drive away. Then you can bypass the need to fly- and still have a great (and even exotic) trip away from home.
Anne, thanks for the comment. You’re right: so many things and places everywhere, that we usually focus on going somewhere far away to leave our current situation or surrounding behind us.
Air;ine fees, terminal taxes, terminal upgrading fees, All that has made airtravel a night mare.
Air travel hassles have been big news all over the world since 11 September 2001. Airlines have tightened their security and the Transportation Security Administration has clamped down on air travel. People complain about all the hoops they must jump through in order to board the airplane. Avoiding air travel problems completely may not be possible.
Despite everything, we can’t afford to totally avoid traveling by air, and it’s not going to stop anyway.
Mellisa,
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