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Tickets are so cheap now. You get what you pay for. If you want good service, pay the price for the first class ticket. But if you are paying $120 round trip, don't expect much. You aren't even covering the price of fuel.
As far as the flight attendants go, they work very hard for very little pay. You couldn't pay me enough to do their job. People are rude and demanding to them. They are gone 20 days out of the month. Flight Attendant's on the Regional Jets are lucky to make $20,000/year. They used to be able to make pretty good money at the majors, but not anymore. I don't think there are many that get over $40,000/year. I used to be an airline pilot. I always said if I was a flight attendant, I'd get fired in about a week after telling a passenger where to shove their bag. |
I remember two things and this was from just 10-15 years ago. I flew once in college from SFO to LWS via SEA. And from SFO to SEA, we were served a <b>hot<b> meal for the 1.5 hour flight. And then from SEA to LWS, we were giving a box lunch, like is sold for $6+ today on some airlines for a short 50 minute flight. Secondly, actually being able to use FF miles.</b></b>
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Miss the hot meals that weren't that bad, the pleasant friendly flight attendants, the hello and good bye greetings at the gate and the older planes with only 2 seats on each side of the isle. Unfortunately, those days
are gone. Now you're crammed in like sardines and lucky to get a bag of peanuts or pretzels with a cool drink. I used to look forward to flying, I now I detest it. I'd even take a few smokers in the last row on a plane if I could get roomier seats in coach and a hot meal. Today's flights are totally claustophobic. |
If you want a roomy flight with good service, look into a fractional. Flight Options, Executive Jet...those are just two.
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I could be wrong but when Aadvantage was new, I think it took only 10,000 miles to upgrade to FC. I really miss that. Glad to hear the sundae cart is making a comeback. I loved that.
I remember on an Eastern flight, the attendant made a Caesar salad in a big salad bowl in the front of the cabin & served each portion from that bowl. |
Twenty years ago a FF award ticket was like a full fare ticket but without the upgrade possibility. Cancel, change, no problem.
Sixteen years ago I had a bump coupon (I don't know what it is called but it is was the compensation for being bumped: a free roundtrip). I flew LAX- Norfolk and stopped over, then on to Boston for a couple of days, then back to LA. This was not on USAir's normal routing for a roundtrip but I was allowed to do it. Twelve years ago, I got a TWA award to Israel in business class for only 70,000 miles. This allowed (and I used) two stopovers and an open jaw. Today it is one stopover OR an open jaw. |
Like another poster, I'll never forget being upgraded to first class twice while flying standby in the military in 1967-69. Both times on Delta. Given all that was going on in the US at the time, I can't tell you how much that meant to me.
I also remember having the heck scared out of me while flying (I'm not sure on a DC-6 or 7) on TTA, or as we used called it, Tree Top Airlines. Thunderstorms making the wings flap up and down. On a negative side, they used to make FA retire if they got pregnant or past a certain age. It is also sad to see the deterioration in service, even in business and first class. I think most posters are right, for too many people price is the only object. Personally, I would gladly pay a few dollars more to get better service, food, etc., but as my kids say, I'm a dinosaur. |
I guess I'm a dinosaur also. I just remembered that when you used those 10K miles for an upgrade, you got double miles for flying first class (even though you paid coach.) It was nice while it lasted.
I also remember when the plane was late arriving, they would hold the connecting flight if it wasn't for too long. |
Airlines still hold flights for connecting passengers. The decision is pretty complex, mostly based on how many passengers would it inconvenience either way.
But with flights getting fuller and airlines doing better in utilizing the most of their equipment, you may feel that they're holding planes less frequently. May be true, but not because they've stopped the practice. |
My Grandmother still talks about flying Pan Am's 747 New York to London and back.She would always fly First Class.When she made her flight reservation, she booked a seat for dinner in the upstairs lounge.After cocktails, the purser would escort the passengers up the winding staircase.Four tables came out of the floor and the seats moved around so there were 4 tables for 4,white table cloth, full china/crystal/silver service.She called it "Pie in the Sky".
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<b>BeachBoi</b>,
that is still very much true today. The suites on Cathay Pacific, British, American, Qantas in F convert to a table for 2. The passenger and hers/his partner could enjoy breakfast/lunch/dinner service sitting together. Service in F is served using very fine china with silverware(only outside US for full silverware service) and crystal for the very fine wines and/or champagnes. Cathay also has green tea service that rivals the best tea houses. They also make eggs to order for breakfast... The difference may be that it's not a separate cabin as you describe it, but the food, service and roominess is just as good or in some instances better..... |
I remember flying Eastern and some other airlines when I was a kid. They used to give us kiddie bags...with games and puzzles and candy. I used to love that stuff! :)
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Ok, OK, I remember getting a deck of playing cards, so you could play solitaire or gin rummy. The tray tables must have been much bigger.
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You used to get little wing pins too & maybe even got to go visit the Captain.
I remember being small & flying a prop jet from STL to OKC in the 50's. I sat behind Fran of Kukla, Fran & Ollie fame. She was wearing a polka-dot dress. We all wore hats & gloves to fly then, even the little girls. I bet nobody here even heard of Kukla, Fran & Ollie. :( |
I remember -- Ollie went to Dragon Prep!
That was well before Mickey Mouse Club ran a series that had two kids going through training school -- stewardess for the girl, pilot for the boy of course. (Was Darlene the girl?). |
I don't think it was Annette. It probably was Darlene. I was madly in love with Spin of Spin & Marty fame so didn't pay much attention to the flight training one.
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Twenty years ago I flew to Philly to see my sister and show off my newborn baby and my toddler. Toddler got sick (after we landed! how could she wait that long?). They let the plane empty, and then they LET MY SISTER BOARD THE PLANE to help me! Imagine that!
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It seems like just yesterday when I flew from London Heathrow to Miami. And I remember it so well.
The Fasten Seat Belt sign was removed 11 minutes after take-off. None of this, well, we better keep it on for the entire flight attitude. At 10:10 I was offered a drink. I chose a Vodka and Tomato Juice. I was also given a red wine for lunch, a dry Bordeaux. (free of charge) At 10:23, they removed the trash and at 10:31, I watched the commercial free movie, "She's the Man," on my individual television. At 10:41, I was offered either Salmon or Chicken. I took the Salmon which was really quite good and was given a second wine. At 11:15 I was offered coffee or tea, and I took a third red wine. The salad contained large chucks of cheese. At 1:36, they turned on the fasten seat belt sign for 28 minutes for necessary reasons. I only saw one flight attendant offering water or orange juice after the lunch. Instead, one was encouraged to stretch their legs and walk to the galley for another drink--including free alcohol. Since I had to drive once in Miami, I drank several glasses of water. In the galley, I spoke to many people who said that the chicken was excellent, too. At 4:30, they offered a snack that consisted of an egg sandwich, fresh fruit and cake. The trash was picked up at 4:56. My individual television monitor contained 18 channels where I only saw one commercial. I watched the movie "Eight Below" about dogs left in Antartica, followed by Will and Grace, Everyone Loves Ramond, and The Simpsons. At 5:51, the pilot announced, we are 20 minutes from landing and turned on the fasten seat belt sign. The cabin crew were asked to take their seats at 6:07, and the plane had to circle around due to rain before landing at 6:20. The flight attendants were quite friendly but businesslike, and never were we told not to queue for the toilets or stand in the galley. Yes, it seems like just yesterday. I remember it so well. Well, it was!!! Wally's back from Europe. And of course, he flew British Airways!!! |
In defense of the seat belt sign being on, I'm wondering if it's not left on because with the slightest turbulence people are speed-dialing their attornies after landing ready to sue because they stumbled on their hourly circuit of the plane's aisles.
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Wally...
Are you trying to tell us BA is a much better alternative for flying from the US to London then that wonderful AA? I mean after all, they give you that free snack box an hour out of landing with the garbage they charge $4 for at other times (you know "crackers" and "cheese" and some sort of power bar)..I mean that is so much better than a real egg mayo sandwich eh...and in flying from the US to London, I mean imagine you can get a continental breakfast as opposed to whatever AA serves in its morning time snack box... And of course imagine you can get wine with dinner and dinner actually has a real salad and cheese and whatever. And you pay the same fare. I wouldn't fly American to London because of their attitude of not giving a damn about their passengers and these "amenities" cost so little to make passengers confined in a tube for 7 hours at least try to feel a little better. What a bunch of garbage we have to put up with American airlines (whether with a capital or lower case "A") |
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