Flying 30 Years Ago vs. Today: The Evolution of Long-Haul Travel

On a long-haul flight, reaching your destination is only part of the challenge. The other part is finding something to do until you get there. Books, conversations, a shared film—or a personal screen offering so much choice that selecting the entertainment becomes an activity in itself. Flying has changed, but making the hours pass remains a familiar occupation.

In-flight entertainment, passed from row to row

I remember trying to watch a screen several metres away, with a small forest of heads between me and the film. The headphones were terrible. The sound was hollow, and following the story required a certain amount of optimism.

Then there was my Garuda Indonesia flight from Frankfurt to Bangkok in 1992.

Instead of the moving map we now expect on a screen in front of us, a sheet of paper was sometimes passed from row to row with information about what was below the aircraft.

A lovely idea. In theory.

By the time the paper reached us, we might already have been hundreds of miles beyond the place it described. We were receiving a geographical update about somewhere we had successfully left behind.

Perhaps it was an experiment. I never quite worked that out. But it remains one of the strangest examples of in-flight information I remember: a moving map whose progress depended on how quickly the passengers passed it along.

And people still smoked on the aeroplane.

So, while I was trying to see past somebody’s head and understand the hollow soundtrack through my headphones, the cabin could also provide cigarette smoke. Entertainment for several senses, although not necessarily the ones I had requested.

When I look at today’s personal screens and moving maps, I sometimes think of that sheet of paper making its way down the cabin. At least nobody now needs to hand the geography to the next row.

The 1990s Flying Experience

In-Flight Entertainment: Limited and Shared

The shared screen was a remarkably democratic arrangement. Everyone watched the same thing, whether they wanted to or not. If somebody tall sat in front of you, the film acquired a supporting character: the back of their head. The audio channels gave us a little choice, although those headphones did not always seem entirely committed to sound.

Reading Materials: Bring Your Own

A book required no charging cable, no menu and no announcement that the system was restarting. You brought your entertainment with you and hoped it would last. Finishing a good book too early on a long flight was a small tragedy. There was still the safety card, of course, but the plot rarely improved on a second reading.

Socializing and Conversation

Without a personal screen to disappear into, a conversation with the person beside you was another possibility. Sometimes a lovely one. Sometimes you discovered quite early in the flight that your book deserved your undivided attention.

Physical Comfort and Amenities

Comfort in the early 1990s depended on the airline, aircraft and cabin class, much as it does now. There was no single experience of legroom or reclining seats. On my long-haul flights, meals were another welcome interruption: something to do, something to eat, and a brief break from wondering how much longer we had to go.

The Modern Flying Experience

In-Flight Entertainment: Personalized and Abundant

Now, when a flight has a personal screen, choosing what to watch can occupy a respectable part of the journey. I can hardly complain about having more choice. I do sometimes wonder whether I could have finished an entire film in the time spent considering the alternatives. Availability still depends on the airline and aircraft; the screen is not guaranteed merely because I have turned up with expectations.

Digital Devices: Endless Possibilities

Then there are our own phones, tablets and laptops. Music, books, films: an impressive amount of entertainment fits into the hand luggage. Whether the battery lasts, the download worked or the onboard connection cooperates is a separate little adventure. I would still rather have something saved before boarding than negotiate with a loading symbol somewhere above the clouds.

Comfort and Sophistication

Modern aircraft can offer features such as mood lighting and different cabin conditions, while some premium cabins provide lie-flat beds. But comfort still depends on the airline, aircraft and class you book. A better entertainment system does not automatically mean more legroom in economy. You can have hundreds of films to choose from and still spend part of the flight negotiating with your knees.

The Quiet Revolution of Personal Time

There is another option, although it rarely appears among the advertised cabin features: doing very little. Read a few pages, write something down, look out of the window or simply sit there. After all the effort of reaching the airport, occasionally it is rather pleasant to be temporarily unavailable.

Conclusion

Long-haul entertainment has changed enormously since my flights in the early 1990s. Personal screens and digital devices offer far more choice, although comfort still depends on what you fly and where you sit. I can remember the shared films with a certain affection. The hollow headphones and cigarette smoke, rather less so. And if I want to know where we are, I am quite happy for the map to arrive without being passed through half the cabin first.

For music that travelled with me after landing, read the soundtrack of my 1993 Hawaii trip. And for something to keep you company on the next flight, explore Books Along the Way.