Remember a little thing called “Stand By”? When the airlines had empty seats, they would let them go at a very reduced fare or even free to people who otherwise couldn’t afford air travel.

Members of the Armed Forces who were in uniform could get priority Stand By passage anywhere they wanted to go, for free.

Pretty sure the carriers flying today aren’t that generous.

The facts are that your still much more likely to die in your car than a plane.

I think I’ll take my chances in my car.

But since deregulation consumers have more choice (more routes are in service now than any time in the regulated era), lower fares and safer travel than anytime in the regulated era.

Airlines don’t carry a mechanic with them because mechanical failures account for a miniscule amount of accidents. Commercial airliners just don’t fail mechanically enough to even consider carrying a mechanic.

It is simply not accurate to say that the regulated era of air travel was better for consumers than the current era.

http://matthewharrington.wordpress.com/2009/06/02/could-the-crashed-air-france-plane-have-gone-down-at-the-hands-of-terrorists/

I’d imagine the cost of tracking planes via GPS could get exhorbitantly prohibitive, just based on my (very basic) knowledge of how expensive something as simple as roaming from cell tower to cell tower costs.

I agree that the tech needs to be caught up to the times we’re living in. But I worry about the costs that will be passed on to passengers…

For 41 years, from 1937 to 1978, the airline industry was regulated by the Civil Aeronautics Board. They ran the airline industry as a public utility and had authority over fares, routes, and schedules. They also ensured that airlines enjoyed a reasonable rate of return. Key word being “reasonable”.

You may have seen ads or movies from that time. Passengers viewed traveling by air as something special and would even dress up for the occasion. In turn, the airline staff treated the passengers like they were guests in a 4 star hootel. Air travel was fun and enjoyable.

But in 1978 the airline industry was deregulated and the powers of the CAB were phased out. The airlines were left to fend for themselves, subject to the whims of the marketplace.

More and more seats were added to the airframe, squeezing passengers into tighter and tighter spaces. Staff was reduced. Meals were reduced or eliminated all together. Maintenance was compromised. Routes deemed to be unprofitable were eliminated, leaving many without access to air travel. Airlines began routinely overbooking their planes, selling more tickets than they had seats available. Passengers with expensive tickets were told there is no room for you. Sorry!

Airlines were under tremendous financial pressure. They begrudged every dime that needed to be spent that didn’t have a positive ROI. So modern GPS devices and streaming flight data were never even a consideration.

The ONLY reason you are starting to see inflight internet is because we are all addicted to our electronic devices and giving you access to them in the air helps the airlines fill their planes to capacity. They hate empty seats.

Private aircraft, however, do not suffer from this type of pressure. Corporations do not operate their own aircraft to make money. They operate their own aircraft in order to transport the executives who DO make them money from point A to point B as quickly, as efficiently, and as SAFELY as possible. That is why they carry a mechanic with them. A commercial airliner would NEVER carry a non-paying jet mechanic aboard “just in case”. Hell, they don’t even like having to transport the Air Marshalls who guard against hijackings because they take up seats that can’t be sold to passengers.

They reason that air travel is not more technologically advanced is simple. Capitalism and the profit motive.