We'd be better served by trains. Airplanes are not efficient, and the security theater is annoying.
Why are commercial airplanes still so slow?
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Re: Why are commercial airplanes still so slow?
#12Would it be nice if planes went faster and you could cut maybe an hour from a cross country flight? Sure. But to me at least, the speed is the smallest issues with airplane travel. The bigger issue is that it's just a miserable user experience all the way around: finding and buying tickets, going through security, boarding the plane, eating and being entertained on the plane, sitting in bad chairs, unpleasant bathroo…
They do that so you pay to upgrade whatever pain point you have. Think of all the upper class and upper middle class families that spring for Business for the whole family for their 1-2 yearly big trips. That's a huge profit for the airline. If economy was amazing and only cost a bit more, they would lose a ton.
Re: Why are commercial airplanes still so slow?
#13We'd be better served by trains. Airplanes are not efficient, and the security theater is annoying.
A train from NYC to LA would be more efficient than a modern plane?
Re: Why are commercial airplanes still so slow?
#14We'd be better served by trains. Airplanes are not efficient, and the security theater is annoying.
I wanna see those trains crossing the ocean
Re: Why are commercial airplanes still so slow?
#15Commercial airliners are plenty fast.
Flying is a nightmare due to everything that is _not_ sitting on a plane. Booking, checking-in, dealing with labyrinth airport layouts, needing to walk literally miles to your gate in some instances, your own government treating you like a career criminal ala TSA, etc.
Sitting on the plane and going to sleep for a few hours is the best part of the whole ordeal.
Re: Why are commercial airplanes still so slow?
#16We'd be better served by trains. Airplanes are not efficient, and the security theater is annoying.
A train from NYC to LA would be more efficient than a modern plane?
Not sure about that distance, but it's possible. Most flights are short to medium hops, and pretty much everything at those distances would be more efficient with trains.
Re: Why are commercial airplanes still so slow?
#17Commercial airliners are plenty fast. Flying is a nightmare due to everything that is _not_ sitting on a plane. Booking, checking-in, dealing with labyrinth airport layouts, needing to walk literally miles to your gate in some instances, your own government treating you like a career criminal ala TSA, etc. Sitting on the plane and going to sleep for a few hours is the best part of the whole ordeal.
Agreed. Would be curious on the math around slower, smaller, short-takeoff, airlines. Fast landing and takeoff is stressful and dangerous. History should have been the lesson about flying around what are effectively missiles. Sound is annoying in metro areas.
More pre-check security. Less hoopla. Many people have to drive 1hr+ to fly in the US.
Re: Why are commercial airplanes still so slow?
#18Would it be nice if planes went faster and you could cut maybe an hour from a cross country flight? Sure. But to me at least, the speed is the smallest issues with airplane travel. The bigger issue is that it's just a miserable user experience all the way around: finding and buying tickets, going through security, boarding the plane, eating and being entertained on the plane, sitting in bad chairs, unpleasant bathroo…
How many hours of driving vs flying are we talking here?
For a week long trip I'll do a 24ish hour drive each way over a flight. Able to bring everything I want, have a car, easily bring the dogs. It's a win all around for me.
Re: Why are commercial airplanes still so slow?
#19Earlier quoted context omitted.
How many hours of driving vs flying are we talking here?
My preferences might deviate significantly from the norm, but I'd gladly take a week-long cross country road trip over a hellish day traveling by air.
That sounds just outright miserable. Hellish is how I would describe a week long drive, not a few hour flight. There's surely a lot to improve on flights but it seriously isn't that bad compared to driving and having to exert mental and physical effort on it for so long.
Really what I want is a train. A good set of trains. They should travel at a fast speed and go to many different places.