Air travel has become increasingly terrifying, especially when faced with flight adjustments, delays, or even cancellations that disrupt daily life plans and drive people crazy.
When flights go smoothly without any mishaps, people generally do not pay much attention. However, if they are unlucky to encounter serious flight delays, it feels like doomsday. As I write this article, I unfortunately experienced this situation—a routine domestic flight delayed for 19 hours, turning into a 36-hour international journey. Luckily, the plane eventually took off and landed safely.
This kind of situation is more common now than ever before in my memory. I have reached a point where I avoid non-essential travel because out of my most recent 5 trips, 3 of them ended similarly. I have come to anticipate the unexpected, so I prepare in advance. However, most people usually assume everything will go smoothly because that’s how it has always been in the past.
During my travels, I encountered three young ladies with their adorable pet dogs, enjoying the journey together. These dogs were well-behaved and adapted well to the new environment unless unusual circumstances arose. When food ran out, and they needed to relieve themselves, it became a different story. The airport did not provide a designated place for the dogs to go to the bathroom. As a result, the dogs and their owners began to panic and cry incessantly. It was truly heartbreaking.
Moreover, elderly individuals often require carrying medications and may have other special needs. They may need injections or other specialized care. They may not have enough medication with them. They may have prepared medications for a week-long trip, only to use them up after enduring endless flight delays. To my knowledge, airports in the United States do not have pharmacies.
Additionally, some families bring young children on their travels. The children scream, cry, and suffer. When the formula runs out, and the children get hungry, or when there are no more diapers, and there are no readily available infant or toddler facilities, the children’s excrement starts to become visible everywhere, causing a foul odor. The filth starts to affect everything, making the journey unpleasant and boring.
Each person has their own needs, and each person’s situation is unique. Some fathers miss their sons’ little league games, some bridesmaids miss weddings, some company executives miss important international meetings, some have to use paid leave, while others have their happy vacations ruined, and the list goes on.
With every step, you might end up spending more money as shops and bars are ready to swipe your credit card but show no empathy towards your predicament. They just aim to make more money off flight delays. While airline staff appear distressed, passengers can’t blame them because it’s not their fault.
Even during the flight, numerous bizarre incidents can occur. Once, during a landing, the oxygen masks suddenly dropped from the ceiling. Consequently, maintenance personnel had to come to inspect them, but there were not enough of them, rushing frantically between seats, trying to change small lights from red to green. Nobody truly understands how all these magical devices work, so you just fiddle around until the machine tells you it can function.
After several hours, we finally boarded. Takeoff commenced, and we were almost about to ascend when a light in the cockpit illuminated. Apparently, an emergency exit door had not been fully closed, requiring the flight to abruptly halt before takeoff. We were deplaned and had to wait for maintenance personnel to return, which they did after a long delay.
Following the flight delay, various algorithms came into play. Hundreds of passengers needed to be rebooked. Instructions were frantically issued: go to D37 for rebooking, no new flights at E19, no new crew at D3, no new aircraft at D40, don’t wait here as the flight will depart in 30 minutes. With each new directive, the crowd dispersed, running here and there, exhausting themselves.
Passenger frustration is futile as airlines do not care. They just keep issuing new instructions. Delay and promises continued for 7 long hours, yet the truth of the matter became evident. Airlines actually prefer not to cancel flights promptly because they would have to pay for everyone’s hotel expenses. Instead, the best tactic is to delay as much as possible, watch the crowd gradually disperse, and then foot the bill for their new plans.
Finally, at 1:30 in the morning, the airport authorities announced: flight canceled. Passengers were directed to another part of the airport to collect hotel and meal vouchers. Upon reaching the hotel, passengers gladly accepted $12 vouchers for yogurt, chips, and apple juice, plus the food and beverages available at check-in. Yogurt: $12; Chips: $12; Apple Juice: $12. Airlines go to great lengths just to make passengers spend more money. It seemed like a choice, but was it really?
The hotel stay was only for 2 hours as the flight was rescheduled for 5:30 in the morning. So, everyone got up and left, unaware that the inevitable was about to happen again—the flight delayed until noon. Some resigned to return to the hotel to sleep; however, others returned to the airport, wearing the same clothes, huddled in cold chairs to while away the night.
After the whole ordeal, many couldn’t endure midway through and dropped out. The girls with the dogs disappeared, and many elderly individuals were gone. Only those who were physically strong and mentally resolute remained, feeling exhausted at the end, then spending money on coffee to wake up and purchasing alcohol to pass the time.
At times, people would realize that no one was truly making decisions there, so no one was truly accountable. The cold machinery runs everything, devoid of compassion. It’s the algorithms managing us, acting as the true bosses, indifferent to the inconveniences passengers face.
The airport thanked passengers for their patience over the loudspeaker, but the exhausted passengers had run out of patience. Thus, it felt like a psychological warfare. Scanners, ID checks, security systems, ringing phones and new directives, omnipresent surveillance cameras, endless delays, and complete uncertainty about what will happen next made everything ruthlessly harsh.
Once, I stood in an airport aisle, being gestured to make way. I turned around, only to see a robot walking towards me, so I complied with its will. Everyone does the same. The robots have more rights than us. Perhaps it’s the robots arranging it all.
The ruling elites in power now despise the ease with which ordinary people could travel a few decades ago. Many high-ranking individuals dream of completely ending commercial airline travel, citing environmental benefits. However, they dare not openly do so. Instead, a simpler way is to leave anyone willing to venture beyond their 15-minute urban life circle feeling regretful. This is the best way to close the era of travel, slowly shutting the door on what we once called civilization.
Of course, those officials still enjoy chartering private planes or jets, exempt from any regulations mentioned above, always taking off and arriving on time—even possibly allowing the use of the internet onboard those flights.
Air travel today is entirely different from five years ago. Mandatory vaccination requirements have driven many away from the industry, supply chain disruptions and labor shortages have left the entire fleet neglected. Hence, we are left counting on luck, praying for the planes not to malfunction. What remains is airlines inconveniencing and behaving in an uncivilized manner under the guise of safety.
Reflecting on 25 years ago when air travel was at its peak in terms of economy, reliability, and convenience is truly regrettable. Since then, the airline industry has been on the decline. This makes me yearn for a genuine train or ship journey; we should all consider this as, at least compared to the current state, rail or maritime transport seem relatively dependable.
This is an original work, any similarities with other works are purely coincidental.