TRAVEL

Flying in 2025: What No One’s Talking About

⏱ Estimated Read Time: 3 minutes

Okay, flying has definitely changed quite a bit recently. It’s those small changes that you don’t really notice individually, but when you have a few flights back-to-back, they become really apparent. And I’m not entirely sure if it’s for the better.

Everyone complains about how flying has gotten more expensive. Though, I read a report recently that argues, when you account for inflation, flying has actually gotten a lot cheaper. Airlines are offering more discount options and bundling everything, so you pay extra for carry-ons and bags. If you skip all that, you can fly pretty cheap. But more than the cost, I’ve noticed a real lack of airport staff.

It used to be that every counter at the airport had people working at them. Now, it feels like there’s one counter for people with disabilities or those who need special assistance tucked away in a far corner. Everything else is self-service: check your own bags, print your own boarding passes, the whole shebang. It hit me harder this time around. I’ve always done the self-service thing, so it wasn’t a huge deal for me, but you see older folks wandering around looking confused, and you realize there are fewer people available to help them than ever before.

Even the self-check bag process – you bring your boarding pass, supposedly just put your bag on the conveyor belt – is easy enough until the belt stops and there’s no one around to help. Everyone just looks at each other like, “Uh, what do we do now?” No one is walking around saying, “Hey, it’s just stuck.” You’re stuck kicking your bag, hoping it starts up again. Last time, I was stuck for like seven minutes, and everyone was staring at me like I was doing something wrong. The belt stopped, look at the people beside me.

Aside from that, in-flight entertainment has changed completely. I have this weird habit, since high school, of bringing my own entertainment on a laptop – pre-loaded with movies and TV shows, like 40 hours’ worth, even for a short flight. Just in case I get bored. It’s weird now because if you get a screen, they’ve got everything you’d want to watch anyway. But nowadays, they don’t even give you a screen. The last few flights I had, they just had a phone holder. Like, “Here, put your phone here.” In-flight entertainment is basically just giving you Wi-Fi, which is nice. Getting Wi-Fi in the air is a plus. They’re just like, “Yeah, you’re going to end up doom-scrolling on TikTok and Instagram anyway. If that’s what you want to do, go for it.”

And airport security… I find Pearson Airport’s security super stuck in the past because they still make you take out your laptop, liquids, and separate all your bags and batteries. Calgary had this new scanner where they’re just like, “Yeah, just let it go through.” And they’re like, “Yeah, you’re good.” I’m like, “What do you mean?” They’re like, “Yeah, this new scanner, you don’t have to take anything out of your bag.” I’m like, “What the hell, man?” Especially when they’re like, “Oh, you got to take your tablet out too.” I guess I’m better off offline with any of this tech stuff, but I get paranoid that I might need something, so I pack all this stuff. Pearson, you’ve got to upgrade your game. Your lounge is bad, and your security is stuck in the past. Upgrade that!

Anyway, what’s your experience been like flying recently? Good, bad, or just always a pain? Let me know! Till next time!

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updated_at 31-07-2025
Ai Disclosure: The above posts were transcribed using AI tools. Some language may not have been accurately transcribed.
Ai Header Image Prompt: High quality, high detail image of a modern, minimalist airport terminal, designed with sleek lines and bathed in cool, ambient light. The scene subtly emphasizes the tension between human presence and pervasive automation. In the foreground, a sophisticated self-service baggage drop-off point with glowing digital interfaces. A single, ordinary luggage bag sits awkwardly on a static conveyor belt, hinting at a momentary system glitch. Distant, blurred human figures move through the space like ephemeral specters, primarily interacting with screens or kiosks rather than each other, evoking a sense of isolation amidst activity. Overlaying the scene are abstract digital art elements: shimmering data streams, fragmented geometric patterns, and subtle, ethereal network lines that glow with an internal light, representing ubiquitous connectivity and the concept of 'doom-scrolling'. A faint, almost translucent, holographic projection of a smartphone with a blank screen could be subtly integrated into the background, hinting at in-flight entertainment. The overall composition should feel contemplative and slightly disquieting, not overtly photorealistic, with a clean, sharp focus and nuanced textures. Avoid any explicit text or titles within the image.