A good interesting topic being discussed here.
Were do I start?
I don't know if I am alone in feeling this but over the past 4 months or so I have being having heavy 'Withdrawal' symptons with this Flying game & PPrune.
As much so, Alot of the time after making some 900 + posts on PPrune I honestly don't get any 'Buzz' anymore about posting on here.
This is a good knowledgeable site, But simply the same conversations 3 x over about usually the same subject and the same people.
Some posters just seem to post 'Anything' however trivial it seems to be.
And it always seems to be the same 'Hardcore' of members talking.
With some members 'Barely' hitting 100 posts in 10 years.
That's entirely their choice and I am not citing offence.
We all known or (Should) that this Airline/Airport business is no way near what it was (Even 5 years ago)
The changes are just about happening daily in alot of companies etc.
We also know that the pure 'Enjoyment and buzz' of flying and wearing a proud uniform + loyalty has all gone now.
Airlines are just simply 'Financial Institutions' in disguise, And some companies appear, Talk & behave like banks.
Lets be right, After flying into Palma more X than eating a hot meal it just feels 'Boring' to put it simply.
I know it is just a job, But NO it shouldn't be JUST a job it should be an Enjoyable job after all the years of funding training etc.
I am a firm believer in 'Enjoyment' and I don't usually undertake something that doesn't appeal to me or gives me any kind of a 'Buzz'
But I feel the World issues and the current financial 'Mess' which I would say was created by 'Wall St' in the first place coupled with Airlines and Airports running their companies like financial institutions rather than before when they smelt & felt like Airlines & Airports.
Look at MAN Airport, You would think it was the Trafford Centre now with a shop or a sales stand and adverts everywhere.
Don't see many 'Pleasant' pictures in the terminals of families getting onto Aircraft and enjoying themselves at the same time, Instead it is just sales sales sales and more car hire signs than ever!
Aside from all this all the Aircraft now seem to look the same and many sound the same are either A320's or 737's with the good old firm 757 still popular, A good 25 years ago you could go to the Airports and still see 1-11's, Dc9's, Tristars, DC10's, Viscounts, Concorde etc.
Now it is just boring from many Aircraft enthusiasts point of view?
In time we may just see as little as 2 types of machine - A320 & A330?
I would be very surprised if Boeing started producing in large no's again.
The Dreamliner seems to be delay after delay.
And sadly maybe 5 or so Airlines still afloat?
The staff who are currently flying will not be replaced in great numbers when they retire, And sadly would be pilots saving their money and working in Tesco's!
lets be honest and say that all that may be left is just 'Very' large supermarkets with city centres dissapearing fast.
We never hear any of these famous entrepreauneurs talking about the Airline Industry, Even Sir Richard branson seems to have gone quiet over the past x amount of years.
We need 5 Sir Richard's to keep this industry alive, Not just Virgin & Ryanair, Ryanair who I think seem to think that they have already made enough money, But want to make even more money.
How much money is enough?
Once a company has made millions after millions I can't see it enjoyable anymore, The most obvious time would be when you make the 1st million, After that then it is just printing money.
I am more motivated when I have less money than when I have more, The more you earn the more you spend.
I would think the Bcal, Britannia, Dan Air, Early Monarch days were more enjoyable to many compared with today.
There's still enough Airtravellers but the quantity is now not the quality it was.
The 'Excitement & Buzz' has all but gone i'm afraid to say.
Has the 'Fire' finally gone out?