1 hour ago, ErichB said:

Too many people in the world.  Mass consumption of any service significantly waters down the experience for everyone.

Besides, we can't expect steak and potatoes on low fare prices (which, on balance is everyone's choice).

 A salutary observation.

I know a travel agent who told me that he has a certain ethnic group of customers who without realising it , may have led to the downfall of an airline, because they were so tight-fisted that they were always clamouring for lower air fares in comparison to Middle Eastern state-owned airlines, because they never took into account an airline needs fuel to fly. Now that airline has gone to the wall because of those very same fuel costs, so cannot possibly offer lower fares, and those tight-fists now have no choice other than those state-owned airlines ! Rather ironic.

That's what happens when you choke the golden goose. 

So my first memories were on a Boeing 377 Stratocruiser. The 1950's and early 60's double-decker.

My father was stationed in Rio and it took something like 20 hours to get there from Idlewild in NY with stops in Miami, Trinidad and Recife, Brazil for refueling.

Downstairs with a cocktail lounge, a piano, etc. Upstairs like 50 seats and some with sleeping berths.

 

Good memories.

I was just watching the Strat video Dan. Talk about coincidence!!!!!!!!!!!!!.  Forerunner to the 747 with the spiral staircase.Ugly looking plane with such luxury on board. Same thing with the Connie.American had skysleeper service onboard a dc-3.I bet the food was superb. Thanks for sharing the memory.  HAPPY FLYING!!!!

If I'd told you 20 years ago, that at 19 years old if mummy and daddy remortgages the house and theb gives you 80k so you can then give it to a guy to do your licenses in New Zealand, and then spend the next 10 years posting to insta about it you would of thought I was on drugs. 

Airlines are no longer run by mogels they are run my hedge fund mangers and investment brokers and the aircraft are now flown by spoilt rich kids who constantly go sick and fatigued because they feel so hard done by. 

It's ruined the industry. 

Edited November 27, 20196 yr by fluffyflops

Have to link a deleted scene from one of my favorite movies (and actor). It makes me hungry though:

 

16 hours ago, fluffyflops said:

If I'd told you 20 years ago, that at 19 years old if mummy and daddy remortgages the house and theb gives you 80k so you can then give it to a guy to do your licenses in New Zealand, and then spend the next 10 years posting to insta about it you would of thought I was on drugs. 

Airlines are no longer run by mogels they are run my hedge fund mangers and investment brokers and the aircraft are now flown by spoilt rich kids who constantly go sick and fatigued because they feel so hard done by. 

It's ruined the industry. 

There is alot of truth in that.  I love capitalism, but as soon as you allow yourself to be bought out by large listed corporations and give over ownership to the common street investor,  the customer is screwed.  The business will constantly be squeezed to deliver less for more.  The customer's needs never comes first -  getting him through the door for his cash comes first).  Biggest con going .  Add to that mass consumption in an over populated world and there is no more exclusivity unless you are the hedge fund manager who can afford the double bed and shower on route to your next board meeting to discuss profit margins

Edited November 28, 20196 yr by ErichB

When I started in this gig in 1999 I was at British Midland (as cabin crew.) 

You joined the airlines as a cadet and the airline paid for the type rating and atpl/cpl and you where bonded for 5 to 10 years at the airline.   It was hard as balls to get a job as a cadet and they look a plethora of people from a variety of backgrounds.  The company could choose what type of person they wanted 

I remember In 2000 Emirates started paying for the remaining bonds of A number of the bmi cadets (with 3000 hours) in order to pinch them off bmi.  It caused quite a stink because people thought  emirates we playing shifty. 

Fast forward 10 years and a clever man went to Ryanair and said 'why are you paying for type ratings??' Theres a mass of rich kids from Surrey, Kent, Cheshire, whos parents can pay for the licences.  I'll provide you with a steady flow of them.  The execs absolutely loved the idea and thus Ctc was born and it wasn't long before easyjet, ba, thomsom, tcx, virgin all joined in the game. 

Fast forward another 10 years and the above said airlines now have a huge amount of these middle / high class silver spoon mid 20s Harriets, Charlies and Berties flying for them acting as if the world owes them a favour because Daddy fronted the Ctc /l3 money 

Its ruined the industry, young people from different backgrounds now don't get a look in unless they have Alot of cash available to them. 

 

 

I took my first commercial flight in over 20 years last May.  I was so cramped in the little seat I couldn't move my legs and developed a pulmonary embolism that hospitalized me for the first time in my life.  I wasn't aware that you have to wear compression stockings or get up and move around on flights today.  I won't do it anymore.  If Amtrak doesn't go to where I want to go I'll drive.

Noel

2 hours ago, birdguy said:

I took my first commercial flight in over 20 years last May.  I was so cramped in the little seat I couldn't move my legs and developed a pulmonary embolism that hospitalized me for the first time in my life.  I wasn't aware that you have to wear compression stockings or get up and move around on flights today.  I won't do it anymore.  If Amtrak doesn't go to where I want to go I'll drive.

Noel

Glad my flying days are over Noel. Yes!! Amtrak is the way to go for certain destinations. Better than being cramped in a bus.At least you can walk around onboard the train.

Edited November 28, 20196 yr by Paul Deluca

Yes, but AMTRAK is eliminating the dining cars even on the overnight routes. Having a nice leisurely meal was always one the highlights of my train travel.

Replacing the meal service with frozen, pre-packed "food" is no proper substitute.

55 minutes ago, n4gix said:

Yes, but AMTRAK is eliminating the dining cars even on the overnight routes. Having a nice leisurely meal was always one the highlights of my train travel.

Replacing the meal service with frozen, pre-packed "food" is no proper substitute.

Wow.!!! Just like being back in elementary school  1960's. YUCK.

I read an article about Amtrak doing away with dining cars on their eastern overnight trains but they are keeping them on the transcontinental routes.  

The dining car experience  is one of the things that I love about train travel.  Meeting new people from all walks of like and spending an hour in pleasant conversations about ourselves.  I've met a diver who repairs undersea pipelines.  A gentleman from Britain who was an engineer for Land Rover.  A couple from Sweden.  An old man and his son.  The old man was a Marine and survived Iwo Jima.  There's no telling who the three other people at your table are and what they do.  On my last trip on from Los Angeles to San Francisco I had lunch with a young woman and here two toddlers who couldn't sit still for a whole minute.  But it was a delight for me.

The article mentioned that one of the reasons for the removal of dining cars was that millennials don't like to sit next to people they don't now.  They would rather have their meals secluded in their little rooms.  Perhaps that's why people are unfriendly and rude today.  Maybe that's one part of our declining society.

Last night on TCM I saw a favorite movie of mine.  The Shop Around the Corner with Jimmy Stewart and Margaret Sullivan.  It was a delightful story that wouldn't make it in today's Zombie - blow em up entertainment genre.

Sometimes being old is a curse as you see the familiar things you knew being discarded in the name of progress.

Noel

Edited December 2, 20196 yr by birdguy

I hate to hear about the removal of the dining cars. That was one part of the travel experience I truly enjoyed. In addition, meals were included if you booked a sleeper.

The last Amtrak trip I took was a few years ago to Washington, DC. I had the pleasure of being seated with a 95 year old WWII Navy vet. We had wonderful conversations while we ate. He was on his way to what was most likely going to be his last crew members get together. There were only 5 left and he suspected that they would disband due to their ages and the trials of travel.

You won't normally get that experience on a sardine can airliner today and its' a shame.