This has been my busiest summer in terms of travel since I don’t know when. Three academic conferences, one vacation, and a trip or two to visit family have made for a lot of time on the road and in the air.
When it comes to air travel, it seems to me that there are a few things that could stand improvement. Okay, probably more than a few things, but I’m only going to tackle five of them here.
1. Security: I took a flight from D.C. to Atlanta less than two weeks after the 9/11 attacks, and it doesn’t seem to me that the experience for the passenger is significantly different now--almost ten years later--than it was then. The rules for how we’re screened and what we can bring into the gate area have changed, mind you, but the experience of getting in line, crowding up to the x-ray scanner for our stuff and the metal detectors (or x-ray scanners) for our bodies is no less chaotic or frustrating. Shouldn’t this have gotten easier somehow? Don’t get me wrong: it’s not a terrible experience, but it’s pretty... inelegant. Maybe it’s just me, but the worst part is the process of taking off our shoes, putting all our stuff on the conveyor belt, walking through whatever device we’ve been asked to walk through, picking up our stuff on the other side, and putting our shoes back on. It always feels to me like there should be more physical space for us to do this or that there should be plenty of seating that we could use when we’re putting our shoes back on. As things stand now at most airports, things still feel very ad hoc to me.
2. Self serve kiosks: Dear airlines, it’s great that many of you have provided these for passengers to use when checking in. They’re easy to use, and they can really speed the process. However, it would be nice if some of you spaced these out a little more: too often, a couple or a family will all cluster around a kiosk, blocking access to the unused kiosk right next to them. We’d all be on our way much faster if there was more room. Also, make up your mind as to whether you want us to use a kiosk to check ourselves in or whether you’re going to provide a staff member to do it for us. If I’ve started the process on the kiosk, for example, I’d prefer not to be interrupted by someone asking me if I need any help. I appreciate the sentiment, but all that happens as a result is that it takes longer for me to be finished. If I need help, I’ll ask. Thanks.
3. Boarding passes: Why are they shaped and sized the way they are? They don’t fit easily in a pocket or a wallet. They don’t feel “natural” in the palm of your hand. The perforated line is too easy to break, separating the two pieces that need to stay together until you board the plane. Why not make them the size of a business card or a 3" by 5" card? Why do they need to be split into two pieces at all? Better yet, would it be possible for all airlines--not just some of them--to give us the option of receiving a digital boarding pass on our smartphone or other mobile device? These are great, and they’re just as easily scanned electronically as a paper version. I’m not sure how compatible they are with the security procedures used by the TSA, however.
4. Power sources: Most of us are traveling with devices that need to be charged at some point in our travels, and some airports (like GSP or SJC) do a great job of providing places for us to get our electricity fix. In other airports--I’m looking at you, IAH--passengers squat awkwardly to access power outlets next to trash cans or just sit on the floor in the hallways, which can make getting from one gate to another a little more difficult than it needs to be for the rest of us. Providing easily accessed, well-designed charging stations (and plenty of them!) would be a significant improvement for many airports.
5. Reading materials: Outside of a library, an airport or airplane is where you’re likely to see the highest concentration of people reading, whether they’re using a print or electronic interface. How about a movement to put libraries into airports? Check out a book in Atlanta, return it in Seattle (or when you return to Atlanta). Or maybe someone could create a business that rents Kindles or other ebook devices in much the same way that airport vendors rent out DVD players and DVDs? What if the screen embedded in the airplane seat in front of you gave you the option of reading the digital edition of a newspaper or magazine in addition to the choices of tv shows, movies, and video games? As screen technologies continue to improve, we get closer to this being a viable option.
Air travel is, or course, an amazing facet of modern life, and I hope I don’t give the impression of being a crank about these things. Also, I’m aware that this is probably a fairly idiosyncratic list. How about you? Do you have any suggestions for how to improve the experience of air travel? If so, please share them in the comments!
[Creative Commons-licensed flickr photo by Cha già José]
