This Essay will focus on commercial aviation and traveller’s experience in the late 20th century rather than the very first beginnings of flying in the past centuries. Furthermore when we talk of flights we mostly mean transcontinental flights because within Great Britain passenger air transport is still a minority transport option. Indeed even in the 1990s the proportion of total passenger travel within Britain undertaken by air was still under 1 per cent. Unlike road and rail transport, air transport is the fastest and most costly of all transport modes and it inherently is, like shipping, a long-distance mode.
Table of Contents
1. Introduction
2. Fear of Flying
3. The Airport
4. The Flight Itself
5. Aviation and Speed
6. Conclusion
Research Objective and Core Topics
This essay explores how the evolution of commercial aviation in the late 20th century fundamentally altered the travel experience for individuals, contrasting it with traditional modes of transportation like rail and road.
- The psychological and physical manifestations of flight anxiety and aviatophobia.
- The impact of airport infrastructure, security measures, and baggage handling on passenger satisfaction.
- The emergence of unique in-flight behaviors, dietary accommodations, and cabin etiquette.
- The role of speed in modern travel and the physiological challenges introduced by supersonic air travel, such as jet lag.
Excerpt from the Book
3. The Airport
In 2005, 228 million passengers travelled through UK airports. In order for airports and airlines to grab the biggest share of this growing market, they should be doing all they can to ensure that the passenger’s experience of air travel is a positive one. But very often the direct contrary is the case. This has been a particular problem for BAA’s (British Airport Authority) airports – in a poll of 4,000 travellers conducted by online travel service TripAdvisor, Heathrow was voted the world’s worst airport. Cancellations of flights are more common than in any other transportation system. Especially security checks play a major role for a growing dissatisfaction. Security checks simply do not exist for other modes of transportation and therefore the air travellers’ experience here differs the most from other travel experiences.
Another factor in connection with airports is luggage. Lost and mishandled baggage is one of the biggest areas of complaint for air passengers. Here again there is no comparison to bus, car or rail travelling because travelling by plane means giving your luggage in the hands of the airport crew and the airline.
Chapter Summaries
1. Introduction: This chapter outlines the historical evolution of air travel as a recent development and sets the scope for analyzing the late 20th-century commercial aviation experience.
2. Fear of Flying: This section investigates the psychological impacts of flying, discussing how factors like lack of control, safety concerns, and media sensationalism contribute to aviatophobia.
3. The Airport: This chapter addresses the challenges faced by passengers at airports, specifically focusing on security processes, flight cancellations, and baggage handling issues.
4. The Flight Itself: This section examines the unique culture of the passenger cabin, including dietary adjustments, the physical environment, and the social etiquette of flight.
5. Aviation and Speed: This chapter discusses the role of speed as a primary advantage of air travel and explores the physical side effects such as jet lag.
6. Conclusion: This chapter summarizes how aviation has become a global standard for travel, emphasizing the significant cultural and personal shift toward a more connected world.
Keywords
Aviation, Commercial Flight, Travel Experience, Aviatophobia, Airport Security, Passenger Satisfaction, Jet Lag, Cabin Etiquette, Transportation, Concorde, Air Travel, Modern Tourism, Flight Culture, Supersonic Travel, Global Connectivity
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the primary focus of this essay?
The essay examines how commercial aviation has uniquely transformed the travel experience for passengers during the late 20th century.
What are the main thematic areas covered?
The core themes include flight anxiety, the challenges of airport infrastructure, the emergence of specific in-flight etiquette, and the impact of speed on the human body.
What is the central research question?
The essay explores how the advent and progression of aviation have fundamentally changed the nature of travel compared to older, ground-based modes of transport.
Which methodology is employed in this research?
The research relies on a qualitative synthesis of transport literature, reports on passenger experiences, and data regarding aviation history and psychology.
What topics are discussed in the main body chapters?
The main body addresses the psychology of fear in flying, the frustrations of airport procedures, the unique social dynamics within airplane cabins, and the physical consequences of high-speed travel.
Which keywords best characterize this work?
Key terms include aviation, travel experience, aviatophobia, cabin etiquette, jet lag, and airport infrastructure.
How did 9/11 specifically affect the air travel experience?
The text notes that terrorist acts contributed to a rise in aviatophobia and heightened the burden of security protocols, which differentiate air travel from other modes of transport.
Why is "King of the Armrest" mentioned in the text?
It serves as a prime example of the unique, often stressful cabin etiquette and competition for personal space that defines the modern in-flight experience.
What is the role of the Concorde in this analysis?
The Concorde is discussed to illustrate the significance of speed in aviation, while also highlighting the practical failures of supersonic flight due to noise, environmental impact, and lack of profitability.
- Citation du texte
- Martin Kersten (Auteur), 2011, How did aviation change the travel experience?, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/164993
