We work hard and, generally, take advantage of vacation time which is offered to us. We've become accustomed to good customer service and immediately expect some sort of compensation when it is not offered to us.

These two items have been put to the test recently with the troubles that have plagued the airline industry. Amid swirls of accusations that federal safety officials looked the other way during inspections, two major airlines grounded planes they believed to be unsafe. Between American and Southwest airlines, 300,000 passengers were stranded when more than 3,000 flights were canceled because of safety concerns.

Flying has been around since the Wright brothers invented the airplane in 1903. Commercial aviation is a bit younger, having inaugurated its first flight in the early 1950s. Today, more than 50 years later, we've come to depend on the airline industry to fulfill various aspects of both our professional and personal lives.

Looking at the industry, the forecast for passengers looks even worse. Bring a second bag on a plane and you'll be charged for it. Want an exit row or even a window seat? Be ready to pay up. Flight delayed or canceled but not because of weather? Too bad.

In a society where we value customer service, we grumble but accept these conditions because there is no other alternative. Even when the public tries to change the way they are treated, it's met with a futile response. For instance, what was thought to be a major victory for passengers turned out to be a win for the airline industry last month when a New York federal appeals court struck down a law which would have required the airlines to treat passengers to food, water, clean toilets and fresh air when trapped on planes delayed on the tarmac.

With the vacation season looming, travelers have just reasons to be weary of traveling by air. That leaves the alternative of driving - and the immediate financial impact of a tank of gas. It may just be easier to stay at home this summer.