Decline of an American Airline

by George Hider

Recently, I had the opportunity to fly down to Miami on American Airlines. My family and I had been upgraded to First Class, so clearly I was looking forward to the journey. Overall, though, I was thoroughly disappointed—while the food was decent and the stewardess' services were excellent, there was not enough to really impress me.

But this trip to Miami was not my first unpleasant experience flying American; rather, it was one of many that have unfortunately occurred over the past several years. For example, when flying to England in December for my brother's wedding, the flight was nearly empty. Despite the small number of passengers, the service was horrendous, even worse than on a regularly-filled flight. I found it incredible that the crew could have so few responsibilities and still do such a terrible job—some of them were even sleeping during their shift. Sadly, this has become an ever-increasing trend on American Airlines: shoddy service on overpriced flights.

American Airlines' quality has been in a general downward spiral for a few years now. "First Class" is now called what a few years ago would been known as "Economy." The seats (may I remind you, in First Class) were lumpy and practically immobile; the restrooms (remember: First Class) were designed to be cramped for three-year-olds; and there was even a shortage of food (I think you get the idea by now, but I will reiterate nonetheless—in first class.)

It seems that airline service has hit an all-time low in recent months at American, a fact which deeply saddens me. I miss the "golden age" of airline travel, the days when First Class was a symbol of exclusivity and luxury. I can still remember the giddy rush of excitement that came to me whenever I learned I had been upgraded on my flight. There used to be a large, noticeable gap between Economy and First Class, but that difference is rapidly diminishing.

Things have changed, it seems. Granted, our recent recession can't have been beneficial, but that isn't the heart of the problem. American Airlines, must like the automotive giant General Motors, seems to have lost touch with their customers. They advertise "We know why you fly," but quite frankly, I'm not sure that they do. If everything I've said hasn't been enough, consider this: something must be wrong with an airline when their First Class passengers, the same people who pay a small fortune to fly in supposed luxury, don't even have their own televisions.

So what could we do to rejuvenate the Airline Industry, bringing back some of the swagger and mystique that for so long had been associated with air travel? In my opinion, it is as simple as this: bring back the Concord. Think what you will, but I am confident that it would be a great way of promoting travel excitement and boosting the airline business as a whole.

So, does the Airline Industry need a makeover? I certainly think so, but I'll let you draw your own conclusions.