...possibly more significant is the survey American has apparently dispatched to its frequent-flyers, trying to gauge the reaction to charging for economy-class meals on overseas flights. (While free meals on domestic flights have long been a thing of the past, competition from foreign airlines had kept them available on international flights...until now.) Apparently, the buy-on-board program would price "economy meals" at $12.00 each, and "restaurant meals" at $39.00 a shot. Keep in mind that most truly long-haul flights would reqiore two such meals -- for, of course, twice the price. For U.S. carriers, apparently, the beat goes on...

Before someone disses Patrick for yet another repetition of his admiration and love for the 747, let me say he can't repeat his accolades often enough. That thing created by the bus company makes my eyes burn.

I spend my time INSIDE the aircraft and not OUTSIDE. I don't care what the A380 looks like; if it's big then maybe passengers will have more room and the economy class nightmare won't be so bad.

Plus, bigger planes = fewer flights = less pressure on airports (at least in theory). A good thing surely?

I just flew to Germany and back on Delta. The video system was completely messed up on the way there. On the way back, one of the lavatories in the back had the toilet seat detached and when I went up to the business lav. a few rows ahead of me, the flight attendant got all snarky with me. They passed out those eye-covers which no one really uses (waste of $$) but charged $7 for a beer on the way back. Crazy. Flying used to be so much fun.

...because of the risk that my employers would start demanding that those in my position (up to 80% travel, at least 5 trips per month) must work on the plane. As much as we have to travel, those flights are sometimes the only downtime we actually get. If our employers agreed to expense the wifi in return for work, we would get NO downtime on trips whatsoever. It's hard enough to fight the burn-out as it is.

But I have to give a hearty "here here!" to Patrick's admiration of the 747. I keep a running tally of the number of airlines' 747s I have seen and I relish the rare chance to watch one take off. Sadly, I've never had the privilege of seeing one land. Someday I hope to take a trip on a 747; I don't care where, I just want to fly on one.

1) Reasonable fares. I'm not expecting the moon, but relate the fares to the actual cost of fuel and make them fairly standard. Make it clear to us peons that av gas costs more now.

2) Complimentary non-alcoholic beverages. And let us keep the damn can.

3) Individual seat screens with headphones. The last time I flew, JetBlue had these - with several satellite TV channels available - and it made life grand again. LCD screens weigh nearly nothing and the electronics package, I'm sure, weigh less than those DVD player things the airlines use.

4) I don't care about wi-fi or in-flight phones. But if I get tired of the movie, I'd like one of those cigarette-lighter jacks (which have disappeared in the last four planes I took) so I can run a DVD on my laptop without running the batteries down. (Laptop batteries are crap anyway, but that's another story.)

5) Although a friend of mine works for Homeland Security, fire them all. Bill Maher addressed this belief they have, that everyone is a potential terrorist, and recommended people with intelligence and some detective skills to discern potential terrorists. A 70-year-old granny is less much less likely to bomb a plane than a nervous-looking man clutching his bag and muttering about "showing them all." That is a common-sense approach (although not popular with the politically-correct crowd) that hasn't been addressed, to my knowledge, in this column.

...from Pat Smith, who can't stand the fact that foreign airlines are getting a huge new plane with 21st-century amenities. Meanwhile, for the last several years domestic airlines have been operating aircraft that are smaller, slower, and less comfortable than the older models they replaced, with filthy "recycled" air. Complain about their lousy service, and you will find that airline lobbyists have acquired special legal powers to tie you up for the rest of the flight, then send you to Guantanamo.

We need to put an end to the cabotage law that prevents foreign airlines from competing in our domestic market. I want to be able to choose among Qantas and Singapore and Emirates when I fly the Phoenix - Chicago route. Watch everyone's service improve radically when this happens.

YES!!

I haven't flown on a commercial airline since the 60's.

Till the Homely Insecurity creeps begin to treat us with respect and simple human dignity, they will not get any of my money.

Although I would enjoy going to a few selected places out of the US, I will enjoy the "freedom to move around the country" in my own vehicle or a couple of train trips.

I'm certainly not the only American Veteran who is disgusted by the way we are treated by these little nothings with their ASSumed power.

And, I deliberately capitalized those 3 letters.

Last year I had the fortunate experience of visiting London England. I had the misfortune of flying United to get there.

I was excited. My first time in the '777'. The plane that I devoured in documentaries on the History and Discover channels. The plane that I saw during an engine test have a compressor stall and a shoot massive fireball out of the intake. THE plane of the future.

Well, it wasn't to be. The plane looked almost like a beat up New York public transportation bus. Filthy, rather stale smelling and things that didn't work. The 'food' was interesting. The flight attendant (gorgeous tall blond englander) described it as 'chicken trying to be something else' but being a non-meat eater I volunteered for the experience.

That doesn't mean that the flight crew was surly or rude. They were like veteran actors on a dying off Broadway show suiting up for yet another grueling performance to be forgotten by all. They had heart and cared about the passengers in their care but were relegated to work under less than ideal conditions. Cogs in the machine.

The flight back was in a different plane and it was even more filthy than the first and more things didn't work. One seat was roped off (either for a rest space for the flight deck crew or because it too was inoperable.

In ORD we were surprised that a member of the United flight crew that we had just flown with took the time to track us down through the terminal with a pass for the international first class lounge. Their comment was that it's not much but beats sitting in the noisy terminal waiting for our flight home. The people of United mean well. They tried under bad circumstances to provide the best experience for their charges that they could.

United's management on the other hand appear to be in it for the money. They bleed the company and their employees dry to extract all of the benefits that they can. They extort pay cuts and walk away from employee retirement accounts and bankrupt their workers while extracting bonuses and perks.

If you want to know what's wrong with aviation in America you only have to look at the disparity between the working class and the management class. The hatred of the unions that bind the workers together is more than apparent and the effects of the cost cutting and animosity are astounding. (Perhaps NorthWest pioneered that attitude?)

IF I could have afforded it, I'd have loved to fly Virgin to England. I'd have loved to fly Emirates too. Being respected for what you bring to a company (your money) and thanked for your patronage and choice to use their services is missing from the 'American experience'.

Anyone still remember the great Wendy's commercial of too many years ago with the plump woman dressed in some god awful rags parading around on stage and then being doused by a flashlight and promoted as 'evening wear'. It was a slam on the Soviet Union and the results of a loss of heart and soul as well as choice. Ironically we are almost there... The contempt for anything but money is like a cancer feeding off corporate America.

Bring Virgin America to the flight lines! Bring meaningful competition and a renewed sense of purpose and respect for the traveler and see what it gets. Hopefully their ticket prices are somewhat affordable for splurges or comfort and respect. Maybe they can help bring back the fun in flying...