I'll be flying to Seattle later today. I'm looking forward to seeing my son, but the entire experience of flying has changed enormously over the years and, of course, especially since 9/11.
In the past, when the airlines had to lure people to the airports, the experience was designed to reassure. Look at the old photos that Pan Am and American used for publicity and you'd see significant legroom, well-dressed passengers, and an auditorium atmosphere.
Today's flying experience is more like taking a fast but uncomfortable bus to get to your destination. The problem starts before you get on the plane. The modern airport is designed, I suspect, by closet psychotics whose job is to increase the stress level before the passenger gets near check-in. The strange traffic patterns, arcane parking lots, and confusing signs increase the sense that control is being lost. Once in the airport, the security checks, which I don't fault for a moment, add to the hassle. The only benefit of the pre-flight obstacles is they make you happy to crawl onto the plane and sink into your small space.
Has anyone ever championed a "user friendly" airport?
P.S. My favorite airports: Dulles, Sky Harbor, Sacramento, Santa Barbara, Las Vegas, Heathrow.
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