I’m preparing for a vacation next week in the Caribbean. In planning trips like this in recent years, I’ve noted how different the logistics of air travel are now than when I used to fly a lot, years ago. Back then, it was a familiar routine, but lately, I’ve been flying less and I’m rusty. But I’ve been happy to learn that technology has made some aspects of air travel easier.
When I used to travel a lot for business in the 90s, I’d call our in-house travel agency to plan the trip. For personal travel, I would usually call an airline. In either case, I’d provide specific travel dates and times, and the agent would search for flights and offer a few options. After booking, the agent would send paper tickets and boarding passes by US mail. If it was a rush, the agent would Fedex them overnight, or I’d have to visit a local airline office to get them. In any case, it was a multi-day procedure.
Today, the tools for travel planning allow us to be our own travel agents. Travel sites and mobile apps make it easy to explore potential destinations, find the cheapest or quickest flight, and choose hotels that have earned the best online reviews, or look the nicest in photos.
The multi-day ticketing process of old now happens in minutes. After booking flights, the tickets are either emailed immediately or appear on your smart phone app. To board, the attendant scans the printed barcode or the one on your mobile app. It’s quick and easy. (Oh, except for checking bags and going through security. I only said some aspects of flying are easier.)
Technology has also helped to manage “issues” in flying. For example, dealing with canceled flights. I recall my worst canceled-flight experience in the 90s. I was flying to L.A. via Denver. The first flight arrived on time, but when I got to the gate for the second leg, it had been canceled. The lines to rebook were already huge. I joined one, but started calling the airline from my cell phone to try to reach an agent sooner. It took several attempts to even get past the busy signal. When I got through, the recording warned of a very long wait. After interminable minutes on hold, my phone was almost out of power. Since the line was along a wall, I was able to plug in my charger for a few minutes at a time at successive outlets. That kept it alive for a little longer, but eventually the line advanced beyond the last outlet and my phone lost power within minutes. So I ultimately had to wait until I got to the customer service desk. When I did, 20 minutes later, the better flights were full. I had to take a flight 6 hours later than my canceled flight. It was frustrating.
Although I have not had such a bad canceled flight experience since, I’ve noticed the tools are much better for managing it. Mobile apps will send an alert when your flight is canceled, for the earliest possible warning. You can research alternatives across all airlines and book it online without waiting in a line or enduring on-hold music. And it can all happen in minutes instead of an hour or more… after the battery runs out.
Have you found ways to improve your flying experience?