Unfriendly Skies

How Air Travel Creates Obstacles, Especially for Older Adults

Traveling by plane has become increasingly challenging, especially if you’re older like me. United Airlines’ famous ad campaign, promoting "friendly skies" back in 1965 may have been appealing at the time, but air travel has always had its hurdles. What has changed significantly since then is the lack of knowledgeable staff available to help travelers navigate these challenges. Despite claims that travel has become more accessible, the reality is quite the opposite. Air travel remains one of the least inclusive experiences, often discriminating against age, abilities, income, and race.

During a recent trip to the East Coast, I encountered some of these disparities firsthand. For example, when my boarding pass was issued without my first name, it became my responsibility to correct the error and navigate airport security. With no human-staffed check-in counters for economy passengers—only kiosks—the task of finding an airline agent to resolve issues or answer questions became nearly impossible. Additionally, most shops in the terminal no longer accept cash and rely heavily on self-checkout, leaving those less comfortable with technology or lacking a bank card at a real disadvantage.

Travel responsibilities have shifted entirely to the consumer unless you’re willing to pay a premium. Essential principles of universal or inclusive design, such as equitable use (ensuring design doesn’t disadvantage or stigmatize any group) and flexibility of use (accommodating a wide range of preferences and abilities), are not even considered.

This situation not only stymies travelers but also affects airline staff. The few employees I encountered—from gate agents to flight attendants and airport shop workers—seemed disheartened. Working in a rigid, process-driven environment that focuses on following rules rather than offering genuine assistance or kindness is likely demoralizing.

For older adults and many other people who are not ”skilled” at navigating the obstacle course of airline travel–from booking the right flight and deciding if it is worth buying a seat to upgrade, or buying your way out of standing in line and shortening the often strenuous and stressful experience of getting through airport security—options are limited. So, the choice often boils down to not traveling, relying on a younger companion, or requesting a wheelchair, even if it’s not regularly needed. Something has gone awfully wrong here. 

It seems clear that airlines have prioritized profit over the old promise of "friendly skies." With airline industry net profits projected at $30.5 billion in 2024, the drive for financial gain has overtaken the commitment to making air travel accessible and inclusive.

To design a more universally accessible and age-friendly air travel experience, we could draw on principles of healthy aging: connection, safety, comfort, and delight. For example:

• Staffed Check-in Counters: Provide counters with staff specifically geared toward travelers over 65 and those with special needs.

• Airport Ambassadors: Employ staff who have the authority to assist and guide travelers through the airport.

• Redesign Security: Make the security process less intimidating and more efficient.

• Priority Boarding: Offer the opportunity to elders to board first, regardless of their ticket class or boarding group.

Implementing these changes would require retraining, reallocating resources, and potentially increase costs. However, the benefits—such as improved employee satisfaction, fewer emergencies, and enhanced overall efficiency—could outweigh the expense. A human-centered, universal design approach to airline travel would not only improve the travel experience for everyone but especially for older adults, who so often live on opposite sides of the country from their families. In fact, this could transform unfriendly skies into truly “friendly skies” for more people like me.