Jason Rabinowitz, New York-based aviation specialist and blogger
Piano bars, luxurious aircraft and five-course meals with freshly carved turkey are some of the things that people often associate with “the golden age of air travel.” But what if I told you that you are actually living in a new golden age of travel right now? That may sound crazy at first, but let me explain.
Air travel has never been more accessible to more people around the world. The last decade or so has seen the number of low-cost airlines around the world balloon. Cities and villages have become connected like never before, while the overall cost of air travel has decreased dramatically.
Short-haul travel is more accessible than ever, and even just a few short years ago, the thought of flying across the world in an economy class seat elicited nervous sweats and flashes of future boredom. Advances in aircraft technology mean you can now travel from Perth, Australia to London, England without stopping. This journey took days back in what many people refer to as the golden age. Flying these long distances nonstop means travel time is faster than ever and the chances of your checked bag going missing greatly decreases. At the same time, the technology packed into new aircraft like the Boeing 787 Dreamliner and Airbus A350 XWB reduces the effects of jet lag, with increased cabin pressure and humidity.
While sitting in a seat as they jet across the world, passengers now have access to upwards of hundreds of movies and TV shows on crisp-high definition screens. If you run out of movies you are interested in, just plug in your own device to the power source and stream your own content over the high-speed wifi connection. Boredom on flights is now optional.
While inflight wifi has been more or less a novelty in a few nations since the late 2000s, fast wifi in the sky is now becoming a reality across the globe. Many major European airlines now feature wifi across their fleets, and connectivity is now coming to Indian airlines as well. Jet Airways and Spicejet are both preparing to launch high-speed Wi-Fi across their fleets, keeping passengers connected during every stage of their journey.
At the same time, air travel for those with a bit more money to spend has hit levels of luxury never seen before. The prestige of travel by air may have worn away, but I argue that is only because it has become available to so many more people. Think about all the high-end amenities airlines have to offer today. Seats that seamlessly convert into fully flat comfortable beds with closing doors to ensure privacy. On board showers for First Class passengers. Dine-on-demand services which shift meal times on board to when you are hungry, not when the airline says you should be hungry. Luxury cars for expedited aircraft-to-aircraft transfers to quickly make tight connecting flights. Airport lounges with fine dining and more. Yes, the prestige of first class air travel may be gone, but it affords more luxuries than ever before.
Let’s be honest, air travel doesn’t always go as planned. Flights get delayed, cancelled, rerouted, and so on. In the past, this meant considerable headaches and hours spent either on the phone calling a reservation agent or spent on a line in the airport as your backup options depart without you. Today, however, service recovery is a tap away. With a majority of passengers carrying smartphones today, airlines have seriously improved their self-service options. When a flight is delayed, a push notification is sent directly to the passenger and after just a few taps it is now possible to rebook yourself on a new flight without having to wait hours to have someone make the change for you. This can shave hours or even days off from your journey.
It may not be as glamorous as the last time around, but I think that is for the better. Air travel is no longer reserved for the wealthy and elite. It is accessible to nearly everyone and getting more accessible every day. The new golden age of travel is upon us right now. Enjoy it!
