What Do Travel Agents Miss Most About The 'Good Old Days?'

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Ah the good ol' days. At one point in time, back around the 1950s, travelers would get all dressed up for their flight, whether it was across the country or across the globe. Meals were served without an additional charge and you had a lot of leg room. Passengers were also allowed to smoke and you simply walked on the plane with a ticket - no identification, no paperwork, and no name checks.

Times have obviously changed, especially thanks to the need for increased security. However, when it comes to some of the other aspects of travel, passengers put the suits and ties away and now wear extremely relaxing clothes and flip flops. Meals and snacks are served, but at a cost, and leg room, well, let's just say that the folks who get enough of room to stretch out pay for that luxury.

We asked some travel agents what they, or their clients, miss about the good ol' days of airline travel:

Andrea Crowther, Susan Peavey Travel: "I miss Eastern Airlines. When I was a college student, they used to have a $79 hourly shuttle between New York and Boston. Back then there wasn't TSA. I could walk into the terminal at 3:45pm, buy a ticket and get on the 4pm flight and be walking in the front door at home in New York by 6pm."

Jill Petrowsky, Travel Advisor, Cruise Planners: "I think one of the biggest things that my clients say that they miss, and I have to agree, is the free snacks and meals that used to be complimentary on a flight. Whether it was a short or long flight, there was always some type of snack given. People really miss this as they often have to pay for even just a snack now. Might seem small, but it made a huge impact on flight travel."

Greg Antonelle, Managing Director, MickeyTravels, LLC: "The one thing I miss about travel in the past that isn't around anymore is the anticipation you had during and after your travel of getting your photographs developed. It used to be that you would go away and take a bunch of photos. You had to wait until you got home to bring the film in to get processed. Then you had to wait another day or two to get the film developed. Once you finally had the chance to review your photos you could relive the great time you had while you were away. The advancement of technology has taken that cool sense of anticipation away. Everything is immediate. You take a photo and you see it right away. There are plenty of positives with this, but I miss the feeling of thumbing through the stack of photos like we did yesteryear."

Pam Walker, affiliate of Travel Experts, Walker Adventures, LTD: "I miss the easy days of airline fares. It used to be that there were four main categories; First Class, Business Class, Coach, and Group Fares. Now there are millions of fares and the rules change daily. That is why I don't book air anymore. I always let those who deal with it on a 24/7 basis handle it for me."

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