You have captured my exact experience trying to book a cheap flight from London to Dublin next week
It is becoming less and less simple and accessible to try and fulfil these very basic tasks, something you and Fialka have both tackled well — highly recommend her piece “the slow extinction of budget travel”!
Brilliant breakdown of choice architecture in action. The progression from Normal to Basic really captures how airlines weaponize our own self-perception. I've been throuh the exact same loop, especially the "are you sure you don't want to be Normal" guilt trip. It's wild how much they profit from that momentary doubt.
I wonder what would happen in their sales if they flipped this the other way.
Thanks for buying your fare, friend, we're glad you're with us.
Would you like to be a bit more comfortable? How about trying a seat with more leg room?
OR
We'd be glad t help you lift your bag into the overhead, but it's often nice to have it waiting for you at the baggage claim. Would you like to do that?
Oh yeh, I hear you brother. Flying tmrw and in the stress zone....i remember when flying was fun not an anxiety filled existential test of endurance, patience courage or basic humanity...
Such a fun piece to read 😂
Thank you, glad you enjoyed it.
The simple solution then: we all stop flying!
This is when being more centrally located in Europe would have extra benefit.
If only the trains went to Dublin (technically I could get a train, ferry/channel tunnel, another train, then a ferry…)
Thankfully they export Irish lit and Guinness
I was just looking into a quick visit in the spring and as soon as I go to Ryanair website my head gets cloudy and I can feel a migraine coming on.
You have captured my exact experience trying to book a cheap flight from London to Dublin next week
It is becoming less and less simple and accessible to try and fulfil these very basic tasks, something you and Fialka have both tackled well — highly recommend her piece “the slow extinction of budget travel”!
I feel pretty confident you might have booked the same budget airline as I. Enjoy your trip tho and yes that is a good piece too!
I think we definitely have! The fact they managed to ask four separate times if I wanted to upgrade my bag was honestly impressive
So true the airlines price shown on google flights is never the actual price to fly
Brilliant breakdown of choice architecture in action. The progression from Normal to Basic really captures how airlines weaponize our own self-perception. I've been throuh the exact same loop, especially the "are you sure you don't want to be Normal" guilt trip. It's wild how much they profit from that momentary doubt.
Thanks yes, exactly!
I wonder what would happen in their sales if they flipped this the other way.
Thanks for buying your fare, friend, we're glad you're with us.
Would you like to be a bit more comfortable? How about trying a seat with more leg room?
OR
We'd be glad t help you lift your bag into the overhead, but it's often nice to have it waiting for you at the baggage claim. Would you like to do that?
Would be very interesting to see if one changed and saw gains if others would follow.
Oh yeh, I hear you brother. Flying tmrw and in the stress zone....i remember when flying was fun not an anxiety filled existential test of endurance, patience courage or basic humanity...
Frog in a boiling pot at this point. Fly well today.
😂