List: USA: Best & Worst Airlines

As the airlines have cut about 10% of their flights (according to NY Times), have been going out of business and charging as much as 16% more for tickets this year, fur us passengers, this means getting from point A to point B is a hassle.

I, as any respected traveler, book my tickets online using kayak, hotwire, travelocity, orbitz, cheap tickets and sometimes, priceline. Even with these discounted prices, the cheapest non-stop ticket San Francisco- Chicago I found in June was $435, this is up about $150 compared to previous years.

When I searched for the airline I used to use to fly SFO-ORD, ATA, I discovered that this airline went out of business and officially announced their stop of operation at the end of May.

When I looked online for a ticket to Kiev, Ukraine in July, it came to $1500, which my travel agent based in Los Altos, told me is a “great deal”. In response to my big “awe” she said “oh yeah, the gas prices” explaining that the oil buyers hold prices high because “they can”.

With the ticket prices going up, the services are going down. This is the notion we have been observing ever since 9/11. Ironically, the worst airlines voted (unofficially) by my friends and random strangers that I decided to interview on the subject, are the two involved in 9/11 – United and American Airlines. United being the worst. But both airlines have been awarded this “prize” for old planes, little leg room, frequent delays and crappy service. I, still, if faced a choice, would fly American rather than United.

But we still need to get from point A to point B, remember? So who’s making it easier, and, perhaps, pleasurable?

Virgin Airlines. This new airline based out of Brisbane, California might do just that. While they are expanding the list of destinations, the currently offered flights to LA, DC, Seattle, Las Vegas and San Diego are equipped with new personal touch screen allowing you to watch movies or order food with a tip of your finger. Just swipe your card and you are all set. And yes, it does look like a night club inside with neon lights making your clothes glow in the dark.

For the international travel, the order of best airlines in my list is as follows:

KLM – (mmm, free ice cream on board)
British Airways (I still have those free socks they gave me)
Air France (great food & service)
Lufthansa (if nothing listed above is available)