Remember when flying used to be a pleasure? When the stewardess would light your cigarette for you and the pilot would take time to join you for a Martini at the bar?

Ok, if we're honest, we're not that old either, but we have seen pictures on the Internet so it must be true.

The fact is that air travel has been in decline for a long time - and it's getting worse, with every new 'initiative' seemingly designed to make us work harder.

Although the alleged Airbus ruse of a 'standing room' section (where passengers would be strapped in while upright) was revealed to be bogus (for now), the ever increasing list of DIYs is not.

And top newbie to add to this list is the launch of the first self-service airline (i.e., as little human contact as possible), which launches this Saturday and will operate out of Stansted.

Instead of making us do all the legwork why don't the airlines try a few more innovative ventures? Take AirTroductions.com, for example: sign-up, log-in, and choose your next plane-buddy. If an airline could automatically sit us next a non-snoring, uninquisitive person who doesn't have body odour, we'd never fly with anyone else again!