A New shuttle service, minus the 1980s frills

The announcement by American Airlines seemed to hark to another era: The airline would be adding shuttle service between New York and Chicago this spring — and serving free beer and wine, no less. But the American shuttle is a “shuttle” in only the narrowest definition: It will adhere to a regular, frequent schedule. In the glory days of air shuttles, a few decades ago, shuttles were more freewheeling affairs. Passengers could buy their tickets on-board, and operators kept extra planes on standby so every person who showed up could be accommodated. There was just one class on the planes — no first class or economy — and meals were served to everyone on many of the flights, even if the plane was in the air for under an hour. Today, the seating is more finite — a reservation is probably a good idea. <br/>