'An entity in my visual field is occupying space and reflecting light. It moves. It is shaped like me. But what am I? This entity is pushing something towards me. What does it want me to do?'
And so on until they succeed in identifying themselves as people who check in passengers, usually by calling somebody on what they have finally worked out is a phone and then hanging on for half an hour. This, of course, takes a long time. But Air Canada passengers don't mind. In fact, airline passengers in general don't seem to care how badly they are treated. Is there any industry that has so ruthlessly and systematically lowered its standards and got away with it? Well, maybe television.
A blog about, among other things, imaginary ideas - What ifs? and Imagine thats. What if photographs looked nothing like what we see with our eyes? Imagine that the Berlin Wall had never come down. What if we were the punchline of an interminable joke? All contributions welcome.
after the best part of a century I'm surprised people still expect it to be a great experience. it's always been the worst way to travel - unless you're in a hurry. the problem is we're always in a hurry.
ReplyDeleteAnd Newspapers
ReplyDeleteI've even written a book on the subject with my pal Chris Tiffney. The fundamental problem with air travel is two fold. They've allowed everyone to do it and everyone who does it believes there really can be champagne at beer prices.
ReplyDeleteTo put into perspective just how cheap it's become in 1952 PanAm introduced a tourist class fare of £173 return, which today equates to over £3,000.
For more about the book and the bizarre world of airlines & flying.....
http://airlineconfidential.blogspot.com/
Can't you charter your own learjet? What's the point of being famous and having a blog if you can't have your own transport?
ReplyDeleteHas TV really lowered its standards? As near as I can see, it has always sucked.
ReplyDeleteIt had its moments, Tom. Probably before you were born.
ReplyDelete