In the past several weeks, there have been significant major announcements made by airline executives regarding the future of the passenger experience onboard aircraft worldwide. These announcements represent some noteworthy improvements in terms of comfort and amenities that will soon be available in the coming years, and mark a small but vital paradigm shift.

For years, the U. S. airline business model has lagged behind international airlines, in large part due to those foreign carriers’ access to their government subsidies that the free market U.S. businesses have limited access to.  As reflective of the latest downturn in the U. S. economy, and still reeling from the devastating effects of the 9/11 attacks in 2001, the U. S. airline business model has produced billions of dollars in losses, several high-profile bankruptcy reorganizations, and the loss of several airline companies altogether.  Add to that massive increases in jet fuel that have made profit margins razor thin, if anything at all, thus preventing these companies from reinvesting in their own product offerings.

After the mergers of US Airways to America West, Delta to Northwest and United to Continental, it appears that a moderate but fragile turnaround is beginning to take shape and modest profit margins have begun to give these airlines the reinvestment capital needed to make vital upgrades in their products.

Shortly after the Delta-Northwest combination, the new Delta began installing WiFi services on its entire fleet. Right after Southwest combined with AirTran, they too announced plans to offer WiFi services on selected flights within their fleet. Both Continental and United had announced the acquisition of brand new aircraft orders for both the Boeing 787 Dreamliner and the Airbus AWB-350 wide-body planes, equipped with all the latest in-flight entertainment systems, as well as newly re-designed seating and overhead bins. These orders have now been combined to represent the single largest new aircraft order for an American carrier, allowing the new United to virtually upgrade its entire wide-body fleet within 10 years. And just last week, United announced the implementation of Internet access worldwide through a new collaboration with Panasonic that will give UAL an unprecedented WiFi and streaming video entertainment system in its fleet that will be accessible worldwide.[1]

While these improvements are encouraging, the foreign carriers are not sitting idly by.  A similar arrangement with Panasonic was just announced by Emirates.   Combined with such amenities as luxury first class suites, butler services and private quarters for those who can afford them, it may never be practical for any U. S. airline to follow suit.

With more and more demands being lodged by the airlines’ most loyal customers, executives are beginning to take note and base future business forecasts on the gamble that upgrading their amenities in the near future will help solidify their positions as the most recognized airline brands in the world.

From live TV to video conferencing calls to something as basic as power outlets to help keep electronic devices charged on long flights, the future comfort factors among frequent airline passengers isn’t too far off.

Currently, Delta Airlines offers in-flight WiFi service on its entire fleet via the Gogo Inflight Internet service for a nominal fee.  Other carriers which offer this airplane-to-ground uplink include Virgin America, Alaska, Frontier and U.S. Airways.  United Airlines offers this service on its “P.S.” branded transcontinental flights between New York City and San Francisco or Los Angeles.

As mentioned earlier, United recently entered into a mutual collaboration with Panasonic Avionics Corporation to equip its entire fleet with a “Ku-band” air-to-satellite ultra-high-speed internet and streaming service that will allow its passengers some exciting new options during flight, including streaming video and “voice over IP” (VoIP) services.  Since this technology doesn’t rely on ground relay technology, United customers will be able to utilize this new service from anywhere in the world UAL flies, including long-haul transoceanic flights, without interruption.  United expects to have the refit completed by 2015.[2]

As the decade marches forward, travelers can look forward to the airlines fighting harder for your travel dollar by upgrading other aspects of their business models, including upgraded club facilities, express lanes at airport security checkpoints and continued redesign and upgraded airline seats.

As long as the airline sector continues to improve, the future of airline travel is beginning to brighten a bit.

[1] CNN Travel, Out of the Office, “Wi-Fi coming to international flights,” Brett Snyder, November 14, 2011: http://bit.ly/sCcYTb

[2] United Airlines (United.com), Press Releases, “United Continental Holdings Selects Panasonic To Install Wi-Fi,” November 4, 2011: http://bit.ly/ucIJBM

Before I begin this entry, I want to state for the record that my desire to post this doesn’t come from some inner need to have a spotlight pointed on me.  I realize that there are countless memorials and accounts of the attacks of September 11, 2001.  I wish not for this entry to be considered more important, or more poignant than those who were directly effected by the loss of a loved one or someone close to them on that fateful day.  I only hope that sharing my experiences of that day and the days that followed will serve as a testament to honor the fallen and the brave souls who fought to stop what was happening…

My recollection of those events actually began late in the evening of September 10, 2001.  My partner and I had just wrapped up a family visit on vacation, and we were heading back to New York City, where we were both stationed at our airline.  Our flight to La Guardia was the last of the night, coming from Denver.  Strangely, there were very few passengers on our flight that evening and we found ourselves occupying our own rows, one directly behind the other.

When we made our decent into the NYC area, the captain informed us that we’d be coming into LGA on a direct heading, and that anyone on the left-side of the airplane would have a perfect view of Manhattan as we landed.  We moved over to the windows to watch the spectacle that is always New York City at night, and that night was no exception.

We passed over the Statue of Liberty and then made our way past the twin monoliths of the World Trade Center.  As we passed by, I recall the conversation I had with my partner:  how we had lived in the area for four years up to then, and had still never made it to the observation deck of the Twin Towers.  I remember making sort of a pact that we would make an attempt to visit that vantage point in the very near future.  It was that last time he and I ever saw those buildings intact…

We lived in Richmond Hill, which is a small suburb of Queens, approximately 9 miles (as the crow flies) from the WTC.  Sometimes, on a good, clear day, you could make out the silhouette of the Towers from the elevated train, just a block from our building.  It was always fun to see them jutting out from the horizon, and we often commented on how far apart they were from the Empire State Building, something you could definitely make out from the La Guardia Airport.

We had gone to bed late that night since our arrival was just before midnight, and it was nearly 1:30 a.m. before we found ourselves nestled into our bed, with our two cats lying across us on top of the covers.  We both fell sound asleep and what we dreamt of that night, I’ll never know…

Our slumber was rudely awakened to the obnoxious sound of the house phone, ringing impatiently.  I got up to answer the call and my younger sister was on the other end of the line, panicked.  Since I was still trying to shake the sleep from my brain, I didn’t quite grasp what she was so upset over.  “I am soooo glad you picked up!  Are you watching the news?”

“No…are you crazy?  I just woke up!”

“Go turn on your TV!!!  NOW!”

Reluctantly, I walked into the living room and turned my set on…I have been a news junky all of my life, so not surprisingly, the television was already tuned to CNN.  There on the screen sat the WTC, with smoke billowing from one of the towers.  I didn’t know what to make of it.

“Wow, that looks like quite a fire,” I said to her.

“The news says they think an airplane crashed into it!  That’s why I was calling you to see if you two were okay!” she replied.

“Well, yeah, we just got in late last night.  What makes them think this is a commercial jet?”

“That’s just what they were saying…that’s all I know.  I’m gonna hang up now…I’ll let mom and dad know you guys are alright, ok?”

“Sure,” I said and unconsciously hung up the phone.  I quickly went back into the bedroom and awakened my partner.  “Hey, you need to come take a look at this.  The news is reporting that a commercial jet crashed into the World Trade Center!”  A muffled “huh?” is what I got in return as I headed back into the living room to watch the events unfold.

As I listened to the ‘talking heads’ make commentary and speculation about what had happened, and as my other half walked into the room to see what I was yammering on about, it happened.  The most horrific thing I had ever witnessed up to that point in my life, and the moment everything in our lives changed.  We sat in silent horror as we watched the end of United Airlines Flight 175 disintegrate into the side of #2 World Trade Center.

A sudden numbness fell upon me.  At that very moment, I found myself in a state of suspended animation…I know what I saw, but my brain wasn’t processing it the way it should have.  All I could do was hold myself and listen to the continuing conjecture and supposition that the news anchors were spewing, constantly updating and trying to disseminate information as the event unfolded and as news reporters around the area were checking in.

Within minutes of the attacks, the video of the crashes were being repeated over and again, each time the images burning hurtful and damaging memories into my subconscious.  As reports of an additional plane being crashed into the Pentagon and  a fourth one missing and presumed lost in the lower part of Pennsylvania came in, I felt paralyzed…I wouldn’t move and I couldn’t either…I was a dry sponge, absorbing every tidbit and scrap of new information that came over the air.

Before long, the FAA reported that all planes in U.S. airspace were being grounded.  There were planes coming in from Asia and Europe that were diverted to various airports in Canada.  Later, the word came down that all airline traffic was suspended for five days until these things could be sorted out.  My partner and I were scheduled to fly during those days…we were told to stay home.

Later in the afternoon, the telephone rang again.  This time, it was an unexpected and worrisome call:  it was my nine year old son, calling from California.  He was crying and yet happy that he had finally been able to reach me on the phone.  He said that he had been trying for hours to get through, but the phone systems across the country were jammed.  It felt good to reassure him that I was okay and that he and his younger sister could rest easy this night, knowing that daddy was home and safe.  Many others would not have the same fate as I that night.

For three solid days and nights, I sat electrified to the couch, eating very little and saying very little.  One peculiar thing happened during this time at home.  A year earlier, we had adopted a Short-haired domestic grey Tabby cat named Chloe.  It was evident early on that she suffered from anxiety and separation issues, and that she had been somehow abused as a kitten.  Afraid of her own shadow, she would rarely sit in a lap, or nuzzle up close to either of us.  On the afternoon of Sept. 11th, however, she started doing something she had never done before, but to this day, she still does:  she hopped up onto my partner’s lap and began to nuzzle and ‘paw dance’ on his arm, purring deeply.  Amazingly, 9-11 affected even our cat!

Near the end of the third day of non-stop news coverage, the flood gates opened in my mind.  I suddenly turned off the TV and began sobbing; my body heaved with fear and sorrow and I couldn’t control the tears.  The reality of a life-changing event crashed down upon and around me and I had trouble breathing…it was like this never before experienced anxiety swept over me and I, for the very first time in my life, felt real fear.

On the fifth day following the attacks on the US, I was asked to work a flight to London out of JFK…the first one to London my airline was able to operate after the events that shut down our nation’s transportation system.  It had been difficult for the airline to find crew members who were willing to fly then, but somehow, I mustered up the courage to say ‘yes’ and I headed to the airport.

The flight over was surreal.  The passengers were quiet and somber.  Many wept the entire flight.  I found myself handing out tissues all across the Atlantic, and I caught myself weeping in the lavatory on several occasions, not wanting my passengers to feel any further anxiety than they already had.  The flight attendants performed there duties, albeit we were staffed at the minimum allowed by the FAA because no one else was emotionally ready to return to work.  Meal services went by rapidly, and many refused to eat as most had lost their appetites.

When I arrived at Heathrow, I was met by an airline supervisor, who was desperate to find crew members willing to work the flight the next day to San Francisco.  I said ‘yes’ without hesitating, but I knew that I was doing so without thought or consideration of my own fears and anxieties.  I was literally mentally numb and it would take months to fully get back to my typical, jovial self on board the airplane.

That first trip back on the line ended up stretching into a seven-day stint for me, flying back and forth between LHR and SFO with minimum rest in-between flights, the airlines were all so desperate to get people where they needed to be.  The time past like a flash to me; somehow I just really don’t remember much of the trip or the crew I worked with at all.

In the weeks that followed, I worked on flights that brought in fire fighters, policemen and Search & Rescue teams from around the world to New York City.  I’ll never forget the day I worked the flight from Los Angeles to JFK when the fire brigade from Disneyland came to New York to help in the rescue efforts.  The leader of the group honored my crew with tee-shirts and lapel pins of Mickey Mouse in a fireman’s outfit with a crash axe in hand, the official pin of the Disneyland Fire Department.  In honor of all the volunteers who helped during those trying and extremely difficult days that followed, I continue to wear “Mickey in Uniform” on my own flight attendant uniform.

Tomorrow, it will have been ten years since the nightmare began.  I will never be able to relate to those who perished on the four flights of 9-11-01 nor can I comprehend the sense of loss that those who lost anyone in the Trade Center or the Pentagon or Shanksville, including the police, firemen, search & rescue volunteers and even the cadaver dogs.

As the coverage on this event ramp up, I’m sure that many of the old feelings will return.  As an example, the NBC Nightly News reported a couple of days ago that the audio tapes from the emergency 911 calls and the air traffic controller audio tapes had just been released and they played some of that audio on the news.  A chill went down my spine and I could feel a sickness develop in my stomach again.  Had the report lasted a further 30 seconds, I would have turned off the television.  To this day, I have never been able to watch the film “United 93″ and I doubt I ever will.

There are events which are so pivotal, that we humans tend to reference our timelines by them: Where were you when Kennedy was shot?  Do you remember watching the first man on the moon?  What were you doing when Challenger exploded?  It’s common for us to do this.

For me, none of those events carved out such a deep knotch and such a deep emptiness like 9-11 did.  For many of you, I’m sure you feel the same.

My career was changed forever too.  Every year, new regulations, new restrictions and new warnings are passed down the pipeline for us.  We may never have the luxury of relaxed airline travel again, and perhaps an event such as this one should prevent us from letting our guard down, even for a second at this juncture.  As long as man continues to hate his fellow man, and use fear and death as a weapon against each other, our lives will never really find relief.

And that is something I wish we could all remember, and forget…

One of the better parts of my position as a purser is our annual Leadership Seminars, where we have the opportunity to catch up with colleagues and friends from all over the world.  Pursers from all over the world—London, San Francisco, Frankfurt, Tokyo, Seattle, and even Chicago, gather together to remember the good ole’ days and share our knowledge and experience with one another.  Some years, the seminars are held in local domiciles, and other years they are held in Chicago, as was the case this year.

The Purser group is an interesting dynamic of people.  I never look at them as ‘better’ than my other flight attendant friends, but these folks are definitely some of the most outspoken people I know.  As the sub-title of this blog suggests, Flight Attendants in general are a very opinionated bunch and they aren’t afraid to express themselves.  Magnify that many times over and you have the Purser group.

One of the advantages of meeting with these people on a yearly basis is that we not only have the chance to rub shoulders with our friends, but we also have the ability to share our ideas and bring up issues to the company that we sometimes feel are lost in a sea of letters, literature and forms.  When a company is as big as our airline is, you quickly realize that it takes a huge amount of effort and persuasion to get the wheels in motion with regard to change.

It gives us an occasion to vent to the company’s leaders who run various departments within the corporation—to truly let them know what is and isn’t working with regards to service, equipment and the tools we are given to do the job, along with procedure that needs fixing.  I don’t believe that change for change’s sake is usually necessary.  But it’s always great when I have the ability to speak to the people who matter, face to face, who have the power in their hands to see change happen.  And when the Purser group speaks in unison, the company tends to stand up and take notice.

For the past two days, I have enjoyed the friendship and camaraderie of people that I have worked together with and admired over the years.  It’s great to get a small feeling that we accomplished something as a collective to bring about really positive change for a company that many of us have invested our hearts and souls into.  The company honored the Purser group by throwing a nice cocktail party and mixer, and took us up to near the top of the Willis Tower (the former Sears Tower) and took our pictures on the Sky Ledge…a glass box that protrudes from the building, giving the illusion of floating over 1,300 feet in the air…don’t look down!

By no means is this group a bunch of Kool-Aid drinkers.  It’s very evident that they hold their leadership accountable for decisions that are made at the corporate level, especially those that have a direct effect on the quality of the service and support that we, in turn, give our passengers every day.  The passion that many of us feel about “upping” our game in the airline business is directly correlated to the support that these Flight Attendant leaders feel they are getting.  When we express our disappointment in not having the tools or resources needed to compete with other airlines, you can see how personal they take it.  That, to me, shows where their hearts are.

Sure, we have the clowns and the uninterested members of the group, but somehow I feel that deep inside, even they really do care and they really want what’s needed to succeed.  Every year, I hope that the decision makers are listening because this one group has a lot more power to influence the customer’s desire to return their business in the future; they have the power to excel beyond expectations, or they can completely turn away from a unified front and “do their own thing,” especially if they feel that their support system has failed them.

As I have said in the past, Flight Attendants are extremely resourceful and talented people.  They are some of the best people I know.  I am proud to be a part of this specialized group of women and men whose life’s desire is to be the very best and do so in a world class fashion.

I want to salute my friends—sisters and brothers—of the Flight Attendant community!  You guys show me each and every day that I know I made the right decision in choosing THIS career path.  I couldn’t be happier or more proud!

Thank you all!

Can you match these airline slogans to its original carrier?

(Answers at the bottom of this post)

What do all of these slogans have in common?

They belong to airlines that are now defunct.  It’s a sad but true legacy in American history.  According to Wikipedia, since the deregulation of the airline industry in the US in 1978, over 200 airlines have either merged, filed for bankruptcy or gone out of business altogether.  Warren Buffet has even been quoted as saying that the airline industry is the most difficult to manage.

There have been loud calls among politicians to re-regulate the industry, thus placing pricing caps and fare restrictions squarely in the hands of the U.S. government.  As it stand right now, it appears that the suggestion is merely a threat and there doesn’t seem to be any momentum in Congress to move in that direction.  But is re-regulation a good idea?

Some would argue that the mere fact that so many airlines have failed in the past 30+ years indicates a flaw somewhere in the business model that airlines have come to build their business on.  Others point to the low-cost carriers (namely Southwest Airlines and jetBlue Airways) as examples of how the business should be run.  Is that a fair comparison?

When you look at the legacy carriers up against the low-costs, you will see stark differences.  In the case of Southwest, it operates a single aircraft type, the Boeing 737 series.  For an airline like United Airlines, it operates various configurations of six different aircraft models: Boeing’s 747-, 757-, 767-, and 777-series aircraft, along with Airbus’ A-319 and A-320 models.  Immediately you can surmise that United’s cost structure would be significantly higher.

One could argue that United should only operate one or two aircraft types to significantly lower its costs, but is that practical?  For instance, a B-747 cannot land in such places as Jackson, WY or Orange County, CA simply because the runways aren’t long enough to handle the size of the aircraft.  And a B-757 or A-320 certainly cannot fly non-stop from San Francisco to Sydney, Australia.  It’s obvious that the larger, international carriers have larger aircraft needs than those of their low-cost counterparts.

Yet time and again, people insist on comparing these LCCs to the larger carriers and try to make the argument that legacy carriers should be as successful and run as efficiently as LCCs.  Just this example alone should be evidence enough that the comparison is flawed and unsustainable.

In the nearly 100 years of flight, businessmen and women haven’t quite yet figured out the right formula to make an international airline completely successful, both financially or strategically.  The pending merger of United and Continental will be a significant test to see if the future “world’s largest airline” can be the new gold standard of airline travel.  The recent combination of Delta and Northwest has been a decent example of what can go mostly right in an airline merger.  The U.S. Airways/America West Airlines marriage is a prime example of what can go wrong.

Only time will tell which path the NEW United Airlines will take.

Answers to the above quiz:

A-9, B-10, C-4, D-8, E-2, F-7, G-5, H-3, I-1, J-6

WOW!

It’s crazy to read, I’m sure and somewhat silly to say here, but…WOW!  Let me tell you why…

First of all, apologies are in order.  I have been so negligent in blogging.  I have no acceptable excuse…I need to blog but I’ve either found other things to fill my time, picked up extra trips to work, or else I’ve just been plain lazy and that’s just not acceptable for a writer.  So to those who’ve been loyal readers, I reaffirm my resolve to be a better blogger.

Secondly, as if my life hasn’t been crazy enough, my world is changing before me.  Yesterday two amazing things happened.  To begin with, my employer announced a huge bombshell (although it was expected to happen for weeks): United Airlines is merging with Continental Airlines, creating the world’s largest air carrier.  It’s a daunting event, to be sure, but there is so much unknown, but excitement in all this that it’s tough to comprehend at the moment.

As it stands, the United Airlines name remains, but the Continental livery and branding will remain…a fitting tribute to a fantastic legacy airline.

In light of the events of the past 48 hours, I felt a strong urge to begin a support page for the employees of both airlines.  If you aren’t an employee of an airline, it’s really difficult to convey the feeling of family that employees feel towards their airline.  And history has a long legacy of airlines that have disappeared, fallen by the wayside, faded into memory.  It’s a painful thing to remember Pan American, Trans World, Piedmont, Eastern, Western, National and countless others.  But the casualties (the loyal employees and their families) are scattered to all four corners of the globe.

The Future of United Airlines

So I started a support group page to help employees from both carriers to be able to meet each other, express how they feel and try to cultivate a new family culture at the new combined airline.  For so long, I have been surrounded by great people who felt they were in a fog about their future.  The sacrifices they have made, financially and in the quality of their lives, have weighed heavily on all of us and we have all been demonized by our leaders, our passengers and the media.

Within 24 hours, almost 3,000 people on Facebook found and embraced the site.  At the time I am publishing this, there are over 4,370 people are now members, most of them employees of both carriers and the response they have expressed has been nothing less than fantastic!  To that end, I wish to share with you the letter I posted this morning, and some of the responses I have gotten from the general membership.

Letter to the Members of the United / Continental Solidarity & Support Team

Dear Group Members,

Congratulations!

In less than 30 hours since it’s inception, the United / Continental Solidarity and Support Team Group page has grown to OVER 3,500 members! WOW!

When I contemplated creating this page, I truly didn’t know what kind of response I would see here. Airline mergers, historically, have been ugly, messy and usually ended up with many casualties, most of them Front Line employees.

When I decided to create this page, I hoped that people would see the value in putting aside our fears, prejudices and concentrate on a spirit of unity, friendship and harmony. It looks like that idea is taking hold.

Both Continental and United have great people, great strengths, and great ideas. We all know that neither are perfect, thus there are things at each company we all hope to see “go away.” WE have the power to do that!

I don’t wish to come off as Pollyanna-ish with regards to our combined futures. There will be compromises that will need to be made; further sacrifices will be required of both sides. I hope that THIS place will be a haven for us all as we begin the daunting task of integration.

We will have our differences — we are human beings, after all, and as such, our primal senses shy away from change. We are all faced with these changes — the unknown can be scary, but fear leads to mistrust, doubt and anger. Let’s not let it get to us. As a combined force, we have the power to make these changes with dignity, professionalism and we can truly become the world’s BEST airlines…not just the biggest.

Again, thank you for your encouragement, your welcome attitudes and your extended friendship.

Let’s Fly (and Work) Together!

Cheers!

Excerpts from Responses of Members

• “You did a very good thing. It is exactly what was needed by all of us. I am a Continental employee heading into 25 years.  I agree with you that most are ugly, however, I think this one will be quite different.  Both airlines have been through so much in their past histories that everybody was on edge. I look forward to working you all myself…”  Kelly C., Continental Employee
  

• “…thank you for doing this! I haven’t been so optimistic about our company in I don’t know how long, well, actually never. lol. This page has been the best thing that’s happened to us in a long time… at least for UAL.  Hopefully Continental feels the same way…” Michael M., United Employee

• “THANK YOU SO MUCH for creating the Group! …We will ROCK!! Remember that there is nothing more dreadful than the habit of doubt. Doubt separates people. It is a poison that disintegrates friendship…” Omar A., United Employee

• “Continental has gone through some ugly mergers. Even after 27 years, I just had an “old TI” (Texas International) flight attendant give me crap about being “Old CAL.”…I do not want this mentality to fester again, especially if I want to spend the end of my flying career back home in Chicago…” Rikki R., Continental Employee

• “…we fear things that we don’t know well, and sometimes we sabotage ourselves in believing the worst in things.  I think this is a positive change, at the right time place and with the right partner, after all we were cut from the same tree and we are finally together once again.  I encurrage both sides to see this as a good thing, true, casualties are posible, and we know that, let’s just hope there are not that much, so we can have a better future with the greatest, biggest, most prestigious Airline in the world…” Amilcar F., Continental Employee

• “Thanks for putting this together. I retired from UA after 40 years in ’08. What I miss most is the camaraderie with my flying partners.  FA’s from both companies can & will make a difference! Good luck to all of you! I miss all of you & I’m so proud of you!” Kitty C., Retired United Employee

• “YOU couldn’t have stated my thoughts and feelings more perfectly!!  Being a CAL F/A has been the BEST part of my Career in this Industry, but now it’s time to grow, expand, change and look forward to meeting my new brothers and sisters at UAL.  I am coming over with a fresh perspective and positive attitude that I bring with me from CAL and myself! I can truly say I am excited to start my new adventure! While I am sad to leave my past at CAL behind but, I know I will carry forth the BEST to UAL!  CAL WILL ALWAYS BE IN MY HEART AND SOUL BUT UNITED is now our future and one just needs to look up the definition of the word “UNITED”! )) in spirit!” Suzie D., Continental Employee

• “As a Southwest flight attendant it really impresses and touches me to see you guys doing this! This is also how we live as an employee group and the values we share at Southwest. I am very glad to see you guys making the most of a stressful situation. You guys should really commend yourselves on this! I wish all of you the best of luck!”  Chris K., SOUTHWEST Employee

I hope these are helpful and inspirational to all those affected by this new era.

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