This is awful  We did a budget flight out of Dallas  It looked like a good deal  Paid our flight dues and then the airline asked after getting the credit card if we we were planning on sitting down They charged another 17 dollars apiece to sit down  The carry on was a bummer  The jerks progressively set up greater fines as you got closer to the gate  They had boxes outside the gate that if your carry on didnt fit it was over a hundred dollars excess
 
It was inspiring to watch the veteran flyers who knew the ropes  The flight attendant came down the rows offering a bottle of water for 5 dollars  Everyone had tanked up before and were in for a fast  Row after row of passengers with clenched fists denying a steak salad for only 30 dollars
 
Sorry only this is new to me  Where are the friendly skies What the hell happened

Unfortunately the price of jet fuel has gone up and they are trying to make money any way they can to justify the flight. Add to this the tourist season is just beginning. Never flew from Dallas. Fortunately we haven't had any terrible experiences flying. 

I'm retired military. I used to fly commercial in the early 90's but since preferred to site see. In late 2015 I flew to New York from New Orleans to attend my daughters wedding. It was Delta I believe but that doesn't matter . I couldn't believe what I was seeing. Instead of 5 seats in a row with room to move there were 6 cramped ones with barely enough room to turn in. Instead of complimentary snacks, drinks, and pillows there were EVERYTHING outrageously priced EVERYTHING! I had'd even gotten over the boarding procedures when observing this! SO I drive everywhere now

The last time we flew it was to Ireland.  I felt bad for the 6 ft. guy trying to fit into the seats. There are some benefits to being "average". I like driving in country areas. On busy multi lane interstates....not so much.

Back in Atlanta for a couple days  Same routine of excessive security  Understand the need for that  Gouging every penny that can be extracted does not compute but feel they have to make a profit  Do these people know what they are doing to their good will reputation
 
I was corrected by my better half that the cost of the water and steak salad was reported by an obese man sitting next to me trying to get comfortable in a chair that could only squash in part of him  The actual price of water and salad may have been less although there were still no takers
 
Spirit Airlines was our friendly skies provider  In all fairness the lady looked away when I was trying to squash my backpack into the box to avoid another hundred dollar charge  It fell 2 inches short of the mandatory fine as much as I was sitting on it  She waved me a blink and told me to get on board

Don't know if you seen the latest news. I guess getting from point A to point B is something to cheer about.

Yes Starise The news is anything but encouraging.
I am still having nightmares about the obese male partially parked in his chair to my left  Falling over and drooling all over me when he fell asleep  It was like being buried in a ton of whale blubber and unsanitary secretions not to mention the gasping snores that shook the plane Thank God there is Clorox to sprays myself down after the flight
My come out of mothballs retirement comeback now has several longer breaks between presentations  We are doing a rental car for the next lap No more friendly skies for now Not worth it

Jyotishvarii
Yes Starise The news is anything but encouraging.
I am still having nightmares about the obese male partially parked in his chair to my left  Falling over and drooling all over me when he fell asleep  It was like being buried in a ton of whale blubber and unsanitary secretions not to mention the gasping snores that shook the plane Thank God there is Clorox to sprays myself down after the flight
My come out of mothballs retirement comeback now has several longer breaks between presentations  We are doing a rental car for the next lap No more friendly skies for now Not worth it

You deserve a trophy. I'm not sure what to call it. Sleeping by a bulldog might have been better. Is he in the coffee house?

https://imgs.xkcd.com/comics/meteorologist.png
 

I've flown millions of miles. I have 29 unused First Class upgrades on American. And I hope to never have to board another aluminum people tube.
 
From 2004: