Ugh, I am coming to hate flying. It is largely the airlines, partly the airports, and not insignificantly the FAA. Sure, the airlines are reacting to bad circumstances, but when times get tough taking your troubles out on your customers is not the path of survival (cue the number of airlines declaring bankruptcy). Yes, it is hard to change an organization which has been around for a while, and serves as a hub connecting many smaller businesses, but it needs to happen. Of course, nothing like ever-increasing emotional abuse of customers to hurry that bankruptcy along.
It actually makes me wonder if passengers on airplanes are the real airline customers. It feels like the magazine industry, where, properly described, advertisers are the customers and readers are the product. Are we merely products that airlines are selling to their real customers? It would explain why folks actually riding on the planes are treated like vendors in a highly competitive market.
Regardless, I am coming to hate it. I may have to start insisting on at least a business class ticket when traveling on someone else's behalf. Sadly, this will reward the airlines which make it so damned inconvenient to travel. It is also extremely egotistical, which sucks.
Why do airlines mistreat their customers so much?