Nearly six years ago, Airbus conceptualized a vision for air travel in the year 2050.

With that being said, the following blog post will be equally awe-inspiring and depressing.

Air travel, as many might conclude, may have already experienced its “golden age” in terms of comprehensive comfort and luxury for all passengers. The 2002 film Catch Me If You Can by Steven Spielberg and the short-lived ABC television show Pan Am visualized this “golden age” of flying during the 1960s. While the “golden age” time-frame is debatable (then, now or sometime in between), travel is contingent on myriad factors. Typically, these factors are personal to each traveler, so it’s difficult to pinpoint an exact decade or time period to draw such a definitive conclusion.

To add fuel to this debate, Airbus decided to, back in June of 2011, imagine their ideal “golden age” of air travel…way, way into the future.

What do you think?

One thing is for sure: Airbus is quite savvy at creating demand, it’s just that whole “supply” part of the equation they’re missing. And, unfortunately, by the estimates predicted by Airbus, they won’t be delivering this post-modern flying experience for quite a while.

“Our research shows that passengers of 2050 will expect a seamless travel experience while also caring for the environment. The Airbus Concept Cabin is designed with that in mind, and shows that the journey can be as much a voyage of discovery as the destination. Whichever flight experience is chosen, the passenger of 2050 will step out of the Airbus Concept Cabin feeling revitalised and enriched.”
–Charles Champion, Airbus Executive Vice President Engineering in June of 2011

For now, air travelers will just have to settle for those spectacularly low fares, spacious and comfortable seating, sharp-dressed and considerate passengers, extra-large overhead compartments, on-time departures and arrivals and a bevy of complementary services that enhance the flying experience.

On second thought, how long is it until 2050?