It should also be mentioned that the customer experience/professionalism shown by pilots is directly proportional to the environment of professional aviation. Back in the day there use to be glass plates and silverware. Now there's home made jean shorts and camo on a $49 ticket. When lowering the quality to increase the quantity as well as market demographic it's almost impossible to maintain the amount of professionalism once shown. Use to be that pilots were regarded by the public as highly skilled professionals that were admired by all. Now that we've been kicked down a few notches what's expected? I arrive at a gate and instead of being greeted with smiles and parents wanting to introduce their children to you because you're so inspiring I'm now met with a "do we really have to fly in such a small plane?", "why are we delayed my last flight went through weather?", "you people think that just because you're wearing a uniform you can cut in line", and so on. Due to the vast expansion of aviation not only has the quality of the service been deteriorated but so has the quality of the pax. The mentality has been changed from "I'm so privileged to ride on an aircraft" to "maybe if I complain hard enough I'll get comped something". We give an inch and they take a yard. The people don't respect us because they see our profession as nothing more than a bus driver now. They think technology does it all. It's easy because we are professionals. While unfortunate incidents it's events like Sioux City and Sully in the Hudson that remind the world exactly why we're there and the massive burden we're capable of carrying.

I dress as best as possible everyday and yet I was never treated as well and with such respect as I was after Sully took a drive in the drink. Go figure.