Yes - it's true - we have given up on service and gone to a bus model - but we all pay a lot less
Air Travel Then and Now | Nomad Wallet
Air Travel Then and Now (Pssttt… It’s Cheaper and Better Now)
Only one out of five people had ever flown back then.
Flight ticket prices: then and now
Since 1974,
airfares have dropped by about 50 percent.
Consider this: in 1934, for the privilege of flying on one of TWA’s first transcontinental flights from Newark to Glendale, you’d have to pay $160. That sounds like a bargain, but — if we adjust that amount for inflation — it’s about $2,700 in today’s dollars. And that’s a one-way fare on a flight that made three stops along the way.
Airfare price case study: New York – London through the years
In 1950: a round-trip New York – London airfare would set you back $500 for an off-season ticket or $675 at all other times. Again, those fares sound fine, but they actually translate into $4,700 (off-season) or $6,300 (on-season) after adjusting for inflation.
In the 1970s: you’d have to pay $550 to fly the same route. This fare would only cost $3,200 today.
In 2013: At the peak of holiday season, you could get a return ticket on the same route for about $1,100 on British Airways — fees and taxes included.
But what about service?
I hear people say all the time that air travel used to be better. Flight attendants were actually nice; we had food; we had leg room; we didn’t have to pay extra fees; we didn’t have to go through strict security screening, etc. Thanks to the airfare regulations, airlines in the past didn’t have to compete in pricing and knew that they would certainly turn a profit. That’s why flying came with the best services.
Among them:
- Lounge and observation area.
- Actual tables and wicker chairs.
- Silverware and crystal.
- A portable altar (!) on Sunday flights in case you missed church to get on the plane.
- A vanity table and chair in the lavatory.
- Toiletries you could actually steal from the lavatories, like individually wrapped bar soaps.
So it’s true that some things used to be better back then. But you also had to pay a high premium to fly.
The truth is: you can still get great service today if you’re willing to pay a premium
If you want great in-flight service, you can always spring for business class or first class. (Let’s not discuss the security hassles because, arguably, they’re there for a good reason.)