You're very kind but no thanks necessary. You're clearly a very talented writer and wise analyst. This article prompted many great memories of flying on klm 747s and for a short time, on a very early model retired from South African Airways which became the sole aircraft of the short lived Alliance Air. Thanks for a stimulating article.
Thank you so much, it really means a great deal. There’s something deeply special about hearing from those who felt what these aircraft represented, beyond payload or profit. Glad the article stirred something, that was exactly the hope.
I am a big fan of airplanes and air travel, but.....this post is so full of tropes even an enthusiast such as I has to cringe. "with accountants now at the helm, preferred economics over romance." right, all the romantic airlines went out business ages ago; TWA, PanAm, BOAC, etc. Air travel is cheaper in real terms than it ever has been and yes that means crowded airports and less "glamor (damn those plebes). "crammed in nine across", hello? Canadian Pacific 12 hours to Tokyo, 9 across on a DC10 or L1011. Does the author think the A380 with 10 across in economy is the lap of luxury or can every one can afford $5,000 for business class? Has the author even flown on an A350 or 787? They are quiet and comfortable. C'mon man.
Appreciate the comment and you’re absolutely right that air travel today is cheaper, more accessible, and on paper, more efficient than ever. But that’s not quite the point I was making. The article mourns the passing not of cheap travel, but of grandeur. The Jumbo was the literal and symbolic crest of that era. Today, the industry has shifted to metrics: fuel per seat per mile, cost per passenger kilometre, load factor, all no doubt important but also bloodless.
Of course I’ve flown the 787 and A350. They’re beautiful machines, efficient, quiet, even comfortable. But if I had to pick I’d opt for an A380 anyday over them. That’s not a critique of the engineers, it’s a commentary on the moment. I’m not blind to reality, I’m just not content with it. The death of the jumbo jet isn’t just about a plane. It’s about the end of an era where we built machines that stirred the soul, not just filled the seats.
Excellent article! Perceptive and reflective.
Thank you sir!
You're very kind but no thanks necessary. You're clearly a very talented writer and wise analyst. This article prompted many great memories of flying on klm 747s and for a short time, on a very early model retired from South African Airways which became the sole aircraft of the short lived Alliance Air. Thanks for a stimulating article.
Thank you so much, it really means a great deal. There’s something deeply special about hearing from those who felt what these aircraft represented, beyond payload or profit. Glad the article stirred something, that was exactly the hope.
I am a big fan of airplanes and air travel, but.....this post is so full of tropes even an enthusiast such as I has to cringe. "with accountants now at the helm, preferred economics over romance." right, all the romantic airlines went out business ages ago; TWA, PanAm, BOAC, etc. Air travel is cheaper in real terms than it ever has been and yes that means crowded airports and less "glamor (damn those plebes). "crammed in nine across", hello? Canadian Pacific 12 hours to Tokyo, 9 across on a DC10 or L1011. Does the author think the A380 with 10 across in economy is the lap of luxury or can every one can afford $5,000 for business class? Has the author even flown on an A350 or 787? They are quiet and comfortable. C'mon man.
Appreciate the comment and you’re absolutely right that air travel today is cheaper, more accessible, and on paper, more efficient than ever. But that’s not quite the point I was making. The article mourns the passing not of cheap travel, but of grandeur. The Jumbo was the literal and symbolic crest of that era. Today, the industry has shifted to metrics: fuel per seat per mile, cost per passenger kilometre, load factor, all no doubt important but also bloodless.
Of course I’ve flown the 787 and A350. They’re beautiful machines, efficient, quiet, even comfortable. But if I had to pick I’d opt for an A380 anyday over them. That’s not a critique of the engineers, it’s a commentary on the moment. I’m not blind to reality, I’m just not content with it. The death of the jumbo jet isn’t just about a plane. It’s about the end of an era where we built machines that stirred the soul, not just filled the seats.