What do you miss most about old school traveling?

[GoingSince1990]

I miss being forced to get a map of the area you are visiting to learn about the layout of your destination so that you can navigate around. GPS makes me too lazy as I just tend to rely on the app for everything without ever getting the big picture. (I don’t miss my wife’s attempts at refolding the maps, though).

 

[gmi3804]

I remember my brothers family went to Disney when his kids were little (pre 911). It was their first trip and the kids first flight. My sister was going to pick them up when they got back. We all piled in a car and waited to surprise them at the gate. My parents, my husband and I, my sisters whole family. It was so fun. But no more.

I remember when my uncle took my Grandpa back to Italy for a visit (early-'70s), they let us kids go to the gate with them and even board the plane to see what it was like (we'd never been on a plane before)!

 

[MillauFr]

I have always heard that dressing up for flying is something that has gone away. I think it would have been a nice thing to dress for the occasion.

Can’t you still dress up?

 

[Moliphino]

Yeah, I was amazed the first time I travelled out of the country how easy customs was in my destination (Iceland) and how difficult it was in the US. Well, it wasn't super difficult, but they do have a whole thing they do. Anywya, I got Global Entry and the first time I used it, I scanned my passport at a kiosk and they guy said, "Welcome Home," and that was it. It comes with TSA PreCheck too and is only a little more expensive, so it was super worth it!

In Dublin (I think Shannon, too) it's US Customs pre-clearance, so when you get off the plane in the US it's the same as if you came in domestic. The agents are just so much nicer there.
Foreign customs has always been nicer than US customs, too, I totally agree there.

 

[MillauFr]

1) People that know how to behave themselves and moderate their alcohol intake
2) People that know how to clothe themselves
3) People that are prepared to travel including basic hygiene
4) People that know how to manage their children at the gate and in the plane
5) People that understand what a seat assignment is (or is not)
6) People that know how to follow gate agent instructions for boarding and other information
7) People that can follow crew instructions while on the plane
8) People that don’t treat the plane like they do their homes apparently

50 years ago there was plenty of drinking on the planes and harassment of the flight attendants. They were trained to not speak up which encouraged bad behavior

 

[gmi3804]

50 years ago there was plenty of drinking on the planes and harassment of the flight attendants. They were trained to not speak up which encouraged bad behavior

Stewardesses were expected to be pretty and thin, and "coffee, tea, or me?" was an accepted expectation of them.

 

[gmi3804]

Can’t you still dress up?

Not it you don't want to stick out.

 

[bcla]

For me the biggest is probably the bell services where I'd pull up to an airport and for $5 tip a bag someone would take my bags, pffft I'd pay twice that if it came back in any form... sigh.

They're still around at major airports.

 

[tvguy]

You still can at some small airports like SNA, or PSP, but LAX? The population has increased, airports have gotten bigger and traffic is worse. Don't fly Southwest there's an easy solution to no assigned seats.

I'm glad I don't have to worry about keeping track of a paper ticket. No such thing as losing a ticket these days. No need to visit a travel agent or call the airlines.
In some ways, travel has gotten more difficult that's mostly because more people fly and the TSA, but in a lot of ways it's gotten simpler.

Apparently you have never been behind that person whose cell phone died and they have to stop boarding while an agent goes a prints up a paper ticket for them!

 

[tcufrog]

I have always heard that dressing up for flying is something that has gone away. I think it would have been a nice thing to dress for the occasion.

When I fly I wear a version of this dress. I have it in short and long sleeves. It's so comfy it's like wearing a nightgown in public. I bring a long cardigan in case it's cold on the plane. If it's not, it makes a great pillow. If it's cold outside I pair it with regular or fleece-lined leggings. I wear comfy Sketchers flats in case I have to remove my shoes. They provide such great support I can walk a long distance in them too. I look dressed up but I'm incredibly comfortable on the plane.

 

[tvguy]

sacramento was my airport of choice to use when we lived in northern california-so much easier to get in and out of than sfo or oakland.



i used to purposely book a less expensive seat in the smoking section of the plane b/c it never failed that before take-off there would be an announcement that someone in a preferable seat in a better section (who had booked last minute) was a smoker willing to trade.

Back in the 1980's, cruises lines used to include free air fare, fly you in the day before, and give your a free hotel room the night before your cruise. Always seemed odd to me because they would have us fly from Sacramento to San Francisco, and change plans for a flight to Miami.

 

[tcufrog]

Apparently you have never been behind that person whose cell phone died and they have to stop boarding while an agent goes a prints up a paper ticket for them!

I've been in airports where the cell signal stinks so I'd have trouble pulling up an E-ticket. I always print out paper tickets when possible.

 

[PrincessShmoo]

I think that was much longer than 5 or 6 years ago. Lol.

OK, I looked it up and it was 2012. But still since the advent of lesser services on air flights.

 

[gmi3804]

I've been in airports where the cell signal stinks so I'd have trouble pulling up an E-ticket. I always print out paper tickets when possible.

People still print things?

You can take a screenshot of your boarding pass and not have to rely on a cell/WiFi signal.

 

[NYCgrrl]

We often took Amtrak to WDW and enjoyed the relatively simple but well made fresh meals on the Silver Meteor. Our last trip the food was microwaved instead and doubt it ever will go back .

Plane travel has become really noisy and uncomfortable. Got used to listening to horror stories domestically but even international travel service is being degraded and you are on board for many hours longer than domestic travel generally.

 

[kdonnel]

Apparently you have never been behind that person whose cell phone died and they have to stop boarding while an agent goes a prints up a paper ticket for them!

Boarding using a cell phone is old tech.

The new way to board is facial recognition. I guess you could get drunk in an airport bar, get in a fight, and your face becomes disfigured to the point a paper pass was required.

But both are edge cases and don’t happen all that often.

 

[sam_gordon]

And some potential problems with printing BP...

• You need to make sure you don't lose it. Not a difficult task, granted, but neither is having a screen shot of the BP on your phone or making sure your phone is charged.
• There's apparently a "security" concern with people finding discarded printed BP and being able to scan the barcode and use the information on them. https://www.komando.com/lifestyle/w...ictures-of-your-airline-boarding-pass/416084/

 

[Moliphino]

People still print things?

You can take a screenshot of your boarding pass and not have to rely on a cell/WiFi signal.

I don't print it. I let them print one for me at the check-in counter or kiosk.

 

[tvguy]

Boarding using a cell phone is old tech.

The new way to board is facial recognition. I guess you could get drunk in an airport bar, get in a fight, and your face becomes disfigured to the point a paper pass was required.

But both are edge cases and don’t happen all that often.

I just renewed my Passport and had to provide a photo without my glasses on, I suspect that is a move in the direction of facial recognition. Of course, I've worn glasses for over 55 years so I wouldn't recognize me without glasses.

 

[TippyThomas]

Back when my parents were alive any time we traveled away from home we would hire a driver to take us. I miss sitting in the van with my mom and dad enjoying the ride. Now that I'm older and drive myself I realize how nice it was to have someone else doing it.