Yankee,
I am a young Granddad in my 40's and yes my opinions do change as I get older. As does the travel/airline industry .
Currently a cheap 2 hour flight ( Last weeks RYR trip to Pisa was £38 all in, inc taxes ) is a means to an end to me. I then spend my extra cash saved on a nice luxury hotel, good wine and gorgeous women. All just a click away in the ether of t'internet....not the women obviously...but I guess you could double click for one of them also if you so desired ?
I personally prefer the "ello darling whatcha drinking" approach to life at mo .
I don't need/want water, beer, pizza, sandwich, lotto tickets, bus tickets etc ala Pikey/Greasyjet, nor do I need an in-flight meal of tasteless chicken and a free in flight drink of cheap plonk and earl grey tea ala Palmair. I just need a seat you see, cos I'm very content to just sit and read a book and listen to my MP3, ignoring the passionate pleas to BUY, BUY, BUY or the banal " If you look out of your right hand window you can see Mont Blanc ! " said with a stifled Captains' yawn.
However I do concede being greeted by the rising phoenix of a Peter Bath at the aircraft steps might be worth paying the extra for, and when I get to my late 50's I might want some extra leg for the old pins...but for now...give me a young East European hostie to flash past my eyes with that vacant look any day. Marvellous as Aldridge use to say.
As Lovejet also mentions, European are going to have to do something about those old knackered 200's because at $140 a barrel it must be crucifying them if they aren't hedged, and I guess Palmair will have to slam on a fuel duty and euro surcharge to their holiday prices soon, if they haven't already?
Finally what's gonna happen when RYR put their 3 airframes into BOH? Will Palmair and Thompson do a runner down to Exeter? Will you then have to drive all that way just to get the famous full service?
Unfortunately the economics are blowing cold and unless they get new equipment in...I think its game over