#1) We fly coach from South America to the United States with American Airlines at least once a year. In the last years, we have been noticing that seats have been changed. Seats are more close together and they can recline less. This is no problem for a 2 or 3 hour flight; but for a 10 to 12 hour flight this is impossible. When we arrived to our destination last March, we needed a couple of days to recover after a long night without being able to sleep at all in those terrible conditions. A flight attendant told us that every year the airline is adding more and more seats, consequently less and less comfort is provided to the passenger. Still the passenger (customer) is charged more money every year. Flying in such conditions is horrible; just to be nice… The company is not taking care of its customers.
#2) Just a general comment, but the common element that appears to link most of the stories I’ve read on this site is a certain lack of space between passengers. As a passenger, I’ll put up with almost ANYTHING if I can just have at reasonable amount of space to exist in for the duration of the flight. I’m not a large person, but the last few flights I’ve been on lasting 3 or more hours have been so uncomfortable because there is simply no room to maneuver oneself with at least a shred of dignity. Give us 6 more inches, that’s all I ask!
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Ex-Pilot Comments On Changes Over The Years
February 19, 2010
in Flying Hell Commentary
I want to tell you that back in the 70’s air travel was an adventure and people who sat in First Class did indeed wear suit coats and women wore dresses. The food (even in coach) was actually tasty and you could tell that people cared when you had cloth napkins and fine wine glasses served on your tray.
I started my career in aviation the day after I flew on a Boeing 727 Astrojet operated by American Airlines. I knew that I wanted to control this 80 tons of alumium with my own two hands. The very thought of me having the lives of 140 passengers for an extended length of time brought many exciting and commanding thoughts to my mind. When you’re seven miles straight up doing eight miles a minute it just makes the adrenalin flow.
Now some 39 years later, having spent 19 years as a commercial pilot, I stand and wonder how something so beautiful went as far south as it could go. I lived it for three days a week, seven trips a month and I watched airline management kill a very beautiful thing for nothing more than profit and gain, and saw people dedicated (yes dedicated) turn into mindless machines that all wished they could be doing something else. It is a shame because in defending something that I loved to do, even I was pushed out five years early. Think about that the next time you look into that cockpit. Are they happy?
Tagged as: american airlines, pilot
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