It's been a race to the bottom for a couple decades at least, probably more......Freddy Laker cheap travel to Florida?
The self loading freight, talking baggage...insert other derogatory term for clients.....have been nibbling away at terms and conditions for years with the demand to go further for less. Large 'National carriers' have been slow to respond until like shifting tectonic plates, a seismic event happens and everyone has to live with the consequences.
I was once cornered by a taxi driver extolling the virtues of cheap air travel, he told me how he flew from Stansted to Newquay for £29, the story didn't end well though, when it was time to come back, Newquay was fogged in, the airline told the passengers they could have their money back or drive to Bristol for another flight, no hire cars available, etc, etc. Apparently it cost him a fortune to get his family back to Stansted, but even then he couldn't see the flaw in the new way of doing things and seemed to be a big fan of locos.