Cost of Airfare

Without question, yes.

 

I'm not in the newspaper business anymore, but my magazine expects us to handle three subjects on any trip that requires a flight. It's not unusual for me to plan two features around an event story to justify a $500 or so plane ticket. Of course, this means a week or so on the road during most trips. We fly all over the US and Canada.

What ruined me was a personal trip to Korea in late 2006. Flew Korean Air coach class and had the most amazing service I've ever experienced. I've don a few first-class domestic flights and they don't even come close to the amenities on Korean Air. I know comparing domestic versus international isn't exactly comparing apples to oranges—but that experience made regular flights on Delta, United, Frontier and others fail miserably in comparison.

On a 12-hour flight from LA to Korea, I didn't go 10 minutes without a flight attendant asking if I needed anything. And even all the women I know who've flown Korean Air comment on how beautiful the flight attendants are. So between that and the on-demand movies, it was the most enjoyable flight of my life.

 

Same with Singapore Airlines.

 

Whatever you do, don't spit on the sidewalk when you get there.

 

There was a time many years ago when flying was prohibitive and not everyone could afford it. That time is returning quickly.

We're in for a major overhaul of the airline industry. Has to happen; no way out of it.

It is impossible for any airline to fly 200 passengers a thousand miles and only charge each of them $99. Cannot be done. Enjoy these fares while you can find them because as long as you need oil to make jet fuel, prices are going to have to be raised considerably. That's going to mean fewer passengers, which leads to leaner schedules, fewer employees and a trickle-down effect into a whole lot of additional travel-related areas. The airlines largely are responsible for creating this situation. They've become so enamored with filling planes, even at the risk of not charging enough to cover their costs.

 

But I'm paying $5 more for an aisle seat! WAAAAAAAAAAH!

 

There'll be a reckoning, as there's a ceiling Joe Sixpack isn't willing to exceed for a specific roundtrip . . . he'll be thrown off the bucking bronco and there won't be so many of those reasonable seat pricetags the 'lines tossed out there to assure the filling of most coach seats.

 

British Airways is the best airline I've flown by far. I'm 6'3 and had plenty of leg room in coach and on a 40 minute flight we got a full meal. Domestic airlines suck.

 

I liked Air France. They served wine at 9 in the morning.

 

Midwest used to serve champagne on nearly all its flights.

 

Not to be a shill, but I do a TON of flying -- trans-Atlantic and intra-European -- and I have found some majorly good deals at kayak.com