Through the years, I have written stories criticizing the airline industry for its nosedive in customer services and accommodations. (here and here and here and here and here and here and here and here and here and here and here). We have often remarked that new designs reducing space, adding “bench seating,” and adding more rows on planes are part of a trend that seems to be pushing passengers to the status of luggage. Indeed, I have often noted that first class is what coach used to be and coach is what the luggage storage used to me. Now it appears to be actually coming true. Zodiac Aerospace, the French aircraft equipment manufacturer, has filed a patent to convert windowless luggage areas into new budget seating. This Harry Potter space will be equipped with cameras showing you what you would see if you were not in a crawl space and had a window.
You will also be able to see the outside with live streaming on your own personal electronic device, including smartphones, laptops and tablets by downloading an application.
To add to the luxury, there is a plan for vending machines for any food and the promise that the space will be quieter — not surprising since you will be traveling in the belly of the plane.
It is all part of the high density, low quality travel that is guiding the industry as a whole. It seems not too distant a prospect when humans will just be put into bins at the counter and stored below for transport.
This is in response to deregulation. When you can’t compete on price, the only thing to compete on IS service. You can pay first class fares if you want. Flying actually is MUCH cheaper.
Paul writes “steve – so? wealth disparity comes in a lot of forms. The Kennedys have more money than I do, but I am not jealous. The problem comes when YOU want to take some of that wealth away from them.”
Paul, addressing such wealth disparity doesn’t seem to me to be one of jealousy but rather of a lack of decency.
stevegroen – do you give away everything you make above the poverty level? If not, I do not think you have a dog in this fight.
Paul, I’ve given a lifetime of thought to this subject, as have most of us, but every one of us who sees it for what it is can reasonably conclude that the caste system inherent in capitalism is draconian in that it does not sufficiently provide any measure of quality in the lives of a significant portion of our citizenry, unless one’s intuition fails him or her. So, you go ahead and fight their wars and be their loyal patriotic serf. It’s feudalistic, and I dissent.
stevegroen – you dissent but do you contribute?
This isn’t surprising knowing that the richest 20 people in the US own more wealth than the bottom one-half of the population (according to Richard Wolff, Ph.D.). Increasing wealth disparity continues this type of apathy, and it will keep getting worse if we keep tolerating an economy controlled by corporate and state capitalism.
steve – so? wealth disparity comes in a lot of forms. The Kennedys have more money than I do, but I am not jealous. The problem comes when YOU want to take some of that wealth away from them.
So this is what passes for “innovation” in the airline industry these days?
If there are no safety issues and it is quieter, I do not have a problem with it. I usually sit in the isle to be closer to the exit and pay no attention to the window anyway.
All of us who have flown in C-130 Hercules troop transports are familiar with windowless air travel.
When do we get to, “Beam me up, Scotty” and put these airlines out of business?
Nick – I just learned that in none of the Star Treks does any one say “Beam me up, Scotty”
Fly the friendly skies. But if you do not have a window to look out then you will not know when you are over a pirate territory and will not know to get up and go to the toilet and give it a flush. Guide dogs need a seat next to their human pal for whom they were put on Earth to give guidance. Put the dog next to the aisle– blind guy next to the window or in middle seat. For safety sake put a seeing eye dog next to the pilot in the cockpit. Not a Pitt Bull but a good dog. The dog can look ahead while the pilot snoozes.
I suggest they add windows to the bottom of the plane like a glass bottom boat. It would be a little like the view of the belly gunner in a WWII bomber. They might even be able to charge extra for it. What about loading people into containers under anesthesia and literally just stack people into the planes? This would resolve the issue of unruly passengers too. No need for flight attendants either.
I have a friend who flies back and forth to China several times a year. He is usually drugged and asleep most of the time.
Didn’t we shame steerage out of existence?
Steerage anyone? No need for emergency exits since we will be using you as a buffer as we skid down the runway.
What about the duty of care a common carrier is responsible for? At some point, it seems that safety and injury become issues.
What about the duty of care a common carrier is responsible for? At some point this cannot be safe.
Wouldn’t be surprised if the view from a forward camera would be a lot more interesting than the view on a wing, from a real window.
OMG ………
I like this idea. Why waste the belly on transporting pets?