Some ideas

[Kip Powick]

Taken from the Miami Herald...food for thought

With air travel so stressful for passengers and flight attendants alike, we decided to ask everyone from frequent fliers to airline executives for ideas to make things better. Some suggestions were obvious, such as cutting back on carry-ons, but we were surprised by others (should airlines sell their seats like a four-course dinner?). Here are eight intriguing -- and controversial -- proposals.

• Toss the food carts

We're amazed it hasn't happened already. Even though having passengers grab ''snack pack'' food boxes on the jetway while boarding is easier, most airlines continue to dish up mediocre meals on trays -- that is, if they serve food at all. This is one change that airlines can afford: When American instituted ''bistro service'' on short flights seven years ago, it helped cut food-service costs nearly 8 percent in just three months.

• Better seat, bigger price

Broadway theaters charge more for a prime seat, so why can't the airlines offer travelers some a la carte seating options? Sure, there's first class, but plenty of travelers would pay extra -- maybe 10 percent more -- to sit in the front rows or ''bulkhead'' seats and skip the free drinks and extra service. ''For business travelers, there's no question that an aisle seat is more valuable,'' says airline consultant Thom Nulty.

• Turn on the tube

Putting a TV set at every seat sounds like a no-brainer for keeping passengers relaxed, and, indeed, it has won raves for upstart JetBlue. But big airlines have been slow to catch on, saying they can't afford frills these days. How much does it really cost? LiveTV, the company that makes the systems (and happens to be owned by JetBlue), says it's about $1 per passenger. Either way, think how quiet the cabin would get. ''Give my kids a TV, and they'll stop screaming,'' says former flight attendant Beth Daniels.

• Keep expanding -- even now

Everybody knows travel is down, so it might sound crazy to keep building up the infrastructure of airports and runways. Wrong: Experts estimate that air traffic will surpass pre-9/11 levels by mid-decade. Yet scores of airport projects face delays, such as San Francisco's $3 billion runway expansion and a $6.6 billion project at Chicago's O'Hare. Because airport construction takes years to complete, waiting until business picks up will be too late, says Woodie Woodward, associate administrator at the Federal Aviation Administration. ''This is a chance to play catch-up,'' she says.

• Get pilots talking

When you're rattling around in bumpy weather, it's nice to get an update from the cockpit -- but passengers usually hear more about the scenery. Indeed, while airlines say they encourage pilots to give updates, Northwest, America West and other big carriers don't actually require it. Pilots aren't fans of this, though, and say sometimes they're too busy to talk.

• Security fast lanes

After 9/11, there was a lot of talk about ''trusted traveler'' programs to whisk business travelers through the added security. The idea: a combination of background checks and high-tech scanners to vet frequent fliers faster. It's not as futuristic as you might think -- Dallas just installed a handful of face scanners last month in a test (though they're not cheap at $25,000 each). ''I'm not asking to bypass security,'' says former FAA chief Allan McArtor, now a senior Airbus executive. ``I'm just asking to get over in the fast lane.''

• Less booze

As the Association of Flight Attendants president Pat Friend says, ''sobering up the cabin'' would go a long way to easing tensions. One idea: Raise drink prices to rein in demand. (By some estimates, alcohol figures in three-quarters of all air-rage incidents -- and some big airlines serve more than four million drinks a year.) Some airlines are doing exactly that: Delta now charges for alcohol on international business-class flights, while United just raised coach cocktails $1.

• More gatekeepers

There's a new line at the airport. Most of the attention goes to the crowds at security, but the wait at the gate can be just as annoying. Between extra ID checks and pulling travelers aside for special screening, boarding the plane means lining up one more time, a cattle call that sets the mood for the entire flight. Airlines may be strapped, but when it comes to the gate, face it: You need more people.

[ChicoChico]

Kip fer CEO!

[handyman]

I suggest the "majors" get together (possibly the first problem with my plan) and raise all economy fares 20-30% or more for an agreed length of time (ie 2 years). Return to the old days of premium food service and refresher courses on customer service for all employees. Alchohol would not be available in economy and complimentary in Business/First class.

I am against any Government bail-outs and feel it is the responsibility of the passengers and management to work out the problems. This would probably result in a reduction of fleet size but it would create a healthier industry.