Time Flies 122709

The 19th century was the age of the train. Steel rails circled globe. Produce arrived in the cities farm fresh. Romance and adventure rode the rails.

The 20th century was the age of the plane. Adventure took to the air. Air travel was a class act of fine dinning and service. Passengers arrived groomed and rested at modern terminals around the globe. Flying west they could even arrive before they departed.

Technology and bad management doomed rail travel. Railroads went bankrupt and greed raised fares as rails and service deteriorated. The grand stations became dark, dirty places outside urban growth. Management milked every cent for owners while choking maintenance and employees. Ultimately steel rails were torn out and beaten into horse-less carriages.

Airlines followed the rail model. Art-deco air terminals rivaling the 19th century grand stations were built and air routes linked the world’s major cities. Grass runways of feeder lines fed the need for more air travelers. Competition and larger planes drove many small airlines into bankruptcy. Bottom line greed stripped the glamour from flying as more and more passengers are stuffed into sardine can accommodations. The quest for greater profit saw aging air fleets, pay reductions and reduced services. Once free baggage, food and drinks could bring in more revenue. Management innovators began adding fees: booking fees, fuel fees, holiday fees, ticket fees, airport fees, landing fees. What goes up must come down except for the fees steadily rising.

Then came hijackings and need for sky marshals who proved ineffectual to prevent the world trade disaster. Politicians seeking to appear concerned added placebo security of unreasonable searches and seizures along with security taxes and fees to air travel. Hungry, thirsty passengers are now forced to remain in their seats with their hands folded. Air travel built on speed and glamour has come to a sudden halt. Passengers may now have to travel two or more hours to reach a terminal three hours before a scheduled departure that may be hours late in taking off on its 30-minute flight. At the destination delays in landing, deplaning, retrieving costly checked bags and another long trip away from the terminal. A 30-minute trip has become a degrading all day affair. The forecast is for even more closely packed passengers in even larger planes that fly faster but take longer to board, service and secure. These passengers will be dressed in surgical gowns, open in back, locked to their rough seats and allowed nothing to bring nothing on board. “Come fly with me,” has become distinctly unattractive. Fear and bad management is condemning air travel to a faith lower than rail travel, airplanes will be recycled into soda cans.

The 21st century may save future travelers in a virtual world that can tele-port people and cargoes even to distance planets. Bad management however is sure to disrupt the process, while searching for greater profits making, ‘Lost in space a real probability.” At least you may find your bag.