In just a few minutes Pauline Frommer and I might be discussing a few of the following topics for The Travel Show scheduled to air Sunday, August 15….
1) An interesting story – Passenger flashes flight attendant. Authorities get involved. The case is dropped because it happened to a flight attendant and not a passenger or child. It’s like we don’t count!
2) Worst thing about passengers today – mostly it’s just constant complaining – on and on and on – about the most ridiculous things. The problem today is EVERYONE is now quick to react. They “THINK” they’re being nickled and dimed (even though ticket prices are STILL less than they were 15 years ago) so it’s like they feel they have the right to be rude or act out. THey do it to each other, too. I’ll ask grown men to turn off their cell phones several time, a common response, “I heard you.” And they’re still on the phone.
3) How passengers have changed – Today everything is fast and everyone is multitasking. Passengers get on an airplane and don’t know what to do with themselves. They’re all me me me and when I bump into them accidentally they act like I meant to do it. Now they’ve got 4 hours to sit and think about it….to get all worked up over it. Normally people just move on to the next thing in regular life, but not on the airplane
4) Flying today – I worked for a low end carrier and people were ALWAYS going off in handcuffs. When I first started working for the airline I work for now I remember being floored at how strange it was to work on the same planes and yet it was soooo different – everyone was so nice. Now it’s like working for the low cost carrier again.
Make sure to tune in or check back for a link
Heather Poole 
I couldn’t agree more! I’ve been flying for a low cost carrier for over 18 years. We have so many 1st time flyers that don’t have the slightest clue what they’re supposed to do, then the entitled jerks that won’t even aknowledge us when we ask them to do something. It’s becoming more and more frustrating each day.
That’s what I dislike the most about the traveling public today. They expect flight attendants to smile 14 hours a day, like some sort of pageant queen, while 75% of them ignore us when we say hello during boarding or ask them what they’d like to drink.
There’s nothing worse for a flight attendant than working with a miserable coworker. They’re out there, I know. It’s times worse for us than the passengers. Trust me
Heather, I love your blog and your tweets! Most airlines these days feel more like a Greyhound with wings — especially with deteriorating “passenger profiles” to put it ever so delicately. Though I would never discount your experience as a professional, I’m not sure if I agree with your generalizations on low cost airlines vs. other airlines, especially if you consider “Southwest Airlines” in the group. I hated SWA about 14 years ago, but now they’re my favorite airline. I’ve found them to be more pleasant to fly than Delta, Continental or American on so many levels. Maybe because all the airlines have stripped away services they used to provide in the airfare and now I find I get extras with Southwest. Their terminal at LAX is a DREAM compared to the nightmares I experience when I have to fly Delta, Continental or American. BTW-used to be United Premiere until I started getting rather surly attitudes by their flight attendants. No doubt about it, airline travel is not what it used to be but it’s no excuse for bad behavior from passengers or flight attendants.
Marianne – In 1995 there was a HUGE difference between low-cost carriers and the larger airlines. Now, not so much. In 1995 ticket prices were higher so there were open seats and passengers were more comfortable making for a more pleasant flight. There were more FA’s working these flights so we were able to offer 3 meals in coach on flights with shorter flying times. At Sunjet, the low-cost carrier I worked for, our flights were always full and the planes were a mess. We used duct tape to fix arm rests and garbage bags for passengers to sit on when little ones had accidents on previous flights. That would have never happened at a large carrier. Now….well, times have changed.
Great points. After 9/11 and SARS took a huge toll on mainline carriers, the media went droned on about how low-cost carriers were superior because they were making profits. The public jumped onboard and wanted every airline to be low-cost. Well, they got what they asked for.