Since the beginning of time, man has craved the fantasy of flying. Commercial airline travel never fails to take us high, so high that our comfort bubbles look as small as the miniature cities thousands of feet below. Hurtling through the air at 30,000 feet, we are subjected to the mercies of attendants, and possible inebriated fellow passengers, uninhibited, cantankerous, and spilling into your allocated elbow space. It’s no secret that the “luxury” of air travel in the 21st century poises gingerly on a multifaceted formula of reclining seats, profit margins, cabin pressure, and the incontinent talker with bad breath, to maintain an operating, well-balanced equilibrium.
As a regular flyer, I have been wonderfully inspired and equally thwarted by the world’s finest in-flight amenities and services of airlines departing to and from Australia, Canada, the United States, Mexico, Hawaii, Europe and the Caribbean. And I can confidently say that that comfort and affordability do not always frequent each other’s domains. Moreover, they are rarely “seen in the same room.” From rickety excursions skittering into a subzero Lacombe, Alberta with iced-over ailerons and fuselage, to lost luggage and a thirty-two-hour delay in Oakland, California, my aeronautical education has been enlightening, to say the least.
Comfort’s love-hate relationship with economy-class is extremely selfish in nature, relying heavily on the tolerance of my favourite airline, Qantas International. Qantas economy is the equivalent of most carriers’ business and first class, setting the standard for exceptional customer service, delectable cuisine, and on-demand sky entertainment. I was provided three complimentary meals including a wild, Alaskan salmon fillet, pan-seared in lemon oregano oil, with a dollop of dill pistachio pistou resting neatly on a bed of watercress-herb salad and risotto. Molten chocolate soufflé and a white nectarine granita left me content enough to nap unperturbed on a stack of plush cushions for the duration of my flight headed to Sydney, Australia. Yes, good food is the way to my heart, but so is a hospitable staff, spacious legroom during a 14-hour flight, clean facilities, and most importantly affordability!
When flying cheaply with airlines such as US Airways, United, Pegasus Air, and EasyJet, where human beings are smashed tightly into miniature seats, not unlike small fish in a tin, one may expect an unfortunate passage. After a turbulent and treacherous decent into the Hawaiian Islands, a United Airway’s Flight Attendant said, “When departing the plane, remember to collect all of your bits and bobs. Forgotten items will be dispersed evenly between the attendants, so if you’re going to leave anything, please make sure it’s something we’d like to have.” Usually, an entertainment factor would be welcomed, but United’s lack of a functioning bathroom and utter neglect from the entourage meant we were less than enamoured of the attendant’s sardonic attitude.
Competition in the airline industry is deregulated, and with air travel now luxurious and costly to the masses, finding an expensive, reputable carrier has become easy with helpful tools such as Expedia, Travelocity and Priceline. It shouldn’t have to cost extra to travel without being herded like a member of the bovine community. In my limited experience, the airlines Virgin America, Hawaiian, and Qantas have proved to be the elite few, and will always provide you comfort at 30,000 feet without robbing you of your pittance and your sanity.
Megan Taylor is a writer from California, United States of America. She is an Arts student currently studying at Avondale College, and spends as much of her pastime in the great outdoors, travelling and always in the pursuit of the next adventure. She intends to study law at the University of Hawaii commencing in August.