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Passengers at Chicago O'Hare International Airpot waiting to go through a security checkpoint.
- Airlines have worked hard to improve air travel, but have also done things to make it miserable.
- Much of it is driven by pressure to increase profitability.
- Behavior such as overselling flights, cramped seating, and oversold flights top the list.
Recently, I wrote an article about all of the good things airlines are doing to make commercial air travel a better experience. And to be honest, the airlines are doing more good things than many would expect, ranging from much-improved safety to snazzier in-flight entertainment.
Now, I figure it's time to write about the things airlines in the US and abroad are doing that has contributed to passenger misery.
In that regard, the imperfections of modern commercial air travel are many and varied. However, having covered the industry over the past few years, it is my belief that no airline actually wants to brutalize its passengers. However, they have mastered the dark art of understanding what its passengers are willing to forgo and how much they are willing to part with of additional amenities.
Like any profit driven enterprise, the root of many of its problems lie with its need to appease investors, show growth, and increase profits. For instance, American, Delta, and United are three of the four most profitable airlines in the world. The trio routinely delivers profits and margin exponentially greater than its rivals in Europe and Asia. And yet, quarter after quarter, their management teams are pushed to return more and more by Wall Street. The result is the implementation of strategies that are a detriment to passengers.
Here are a few of the things airlines are doing that are damaging to the passenger experience.