I hate flying. Chances are, you probably do as well. What was once considered a luxury form of travel reserved for the wealthy, has become not only a common mode of transportation for hundreds of millions across the globe, the level of care and service by airline operators has changed to reflect that change. Back in the so-called golden age of flying, passengers could expect courteous airline officials, comfy seats and tasty, nutritious meals. Now, well, you know how it is now.

I hope to fly to Israel after Yom Kippur to spend Succos in Yerushalayim. This trip has been one that my wife and I have been discussing and looking forward to for the better part of ten years. And while we are still very excited to be there for Succos, recent experiences with flying are making us dread the trip.

Just this summer, we flew to the west coast to visit family members. We had not seen this side of our family in almost a year, and reuniting with them, albeit for a short time, was to be a fun and relaxing mini-vacation.

But then came the flights.

It started off right at the airport. Our flight was scheduled for 7 AM, but didn’t take off until almost 11 AM due to “technical difficulties”. Airline officials refused to divulge any more information, provide a refund, or even give us any updates during our wait. Of course we had to sit there trying to entertain a slew of kids throughout the process.

When we finally took off, they announced that their schedule had been messed up due to the late departure time and we would be making a stop in Phoenix. Why? Well, that was none of our business either.

By the time we landed in Phoenix, the kids were ready to explode, as one can imagine. But that wasn’t all.

They then told us that some of our luggage would be coming on a separate flight heading to Phoenix. So we had to get off the plane, get our luggage, check it back in (for free this time, what a shock), and then get back on the plane to continue our trip to California. By this time, I had steam coming out of my ears. All in all, our flight which was meant to take under six hours took up the entire day.

As flying becomes more and more necessary for travelers across the globe, the airline industry has become monopolized. When you want to shop for groceries, you generally have dozens of options. But when you fly, chances are only a handful of airlines will have flights that match your criteria. The airlines know this, and they have taken advantage. From ever-shrinking seats and leg space to customer service that seems to somehow always get worse, cost-cutting has become an acceptable staple of airline management. There’s no risk in it for them because they know the next time you need to fly, you will have no choice but to choose them again.

What we need is comprehensive reform. Our politicians should be hearing from us. We should be demanding better treatment. As things are now, we are treated as cattle. And the truth is, if cattle were treated airlines treat us, PETA would be up in arms, suing everyone involved to the tune of millions of dollars. And that would be one instance in which I would support PETA.

A passengers’ bill of rights is necessary to make sure that airlines can’t take advantage of the lack of options we have when flying. If a plane is delayed for hours on end and it is the airline’s fault, we should be getting a partial refund on our tickets. If we pay hundreds of dollars to take a flight, there should be enough legroom to get through the flight without cramping up. If a piece of luggage is lost, airlines should be responsible. The list goes on and on.

But for now, my family and I hope that our trip to Israel will go as smoothly as possible. But I can’t say I’m too thrilled to be getting on a plane again. Perhaps I should just take a boat there. It would probably save me a lot of hassle.