There have been many changes to airlines and policies. Some are for the good and some not so good.
There are less and less direct flights anywhere. I used to be able to fly direct to Las Vegas and to Phoenix, but those days are long gone. That hasn’t happened in years. Planes are now flying to capacity and it’s very, very rare to have an entire row to yourself. I can remember many a flight being able to stretch out during my flight.
On most flights now, you now longer need to turn off your electronic devices. Your cell phones still need to be turned to “airport mode” and laptops need to be put away. But, you can still read on your kindle, and listen to your Ipod and play your game on your tablet. I think this is a wonderful update. The worst part of flying for me is the incessant security briefing. I know how to buckle my seat belt and I’ve seen the rest about oxygen and flotation to be able to take care of myself in an emergency. Even, if you are not paying attention to the briefing; you do see what’s going on. It’s easier for me to get through it listening to my music.
On some value airlines who do not have a first class section, now have priority seats for purchase. I recently paid $40 per person “Even More” seats. This price varies from flight to flight. This upgrade allowed me to go through a seperate, quicker security line. It also gave me seats in the first 6 rows on the plane and these seats had a little extra legroom. I was happy with the upgrade and felt it was worth the money. I don’t know if I would pay anything higher than that though.
Another really, really, really wonderful change is TSA Pre-flight check in. I didn’t know how I got this but on a recent trip from Providence to Phoenix on a Southwest Airlines flight, after my boarding pass and ID was inspected; I was directed to a seperate line from others. I did not need to remove my laptop from my suitcase, I did not need to take my clear plastic bag of liquids out of my carry on bag, I did not need to remove my boots or take off my belt. I did have to take off my leather coat. Everything went on the scanner belt as is and I just walked through the scanner. It was easy. Just like the good ole days.
I would like more positive changes with the airlines. The biggest change I would love to see is lower prices. What changes would you like to see? Let me know.
