Consumers makes choices. When I first started flying commercially, a lot of men wore coats and ties. It was expensive, my first ticket to Pittsburg was $800 coach. That would be $2500 or so today. We fly cheaper and get fewer "perks", the places are mostly full, the seats are narrower with less leg room.
If you want to pay $2500 today, you can get into first class for most domestic flights easily, often it's half that. I got first class to SF last time we went because I rate a companion ticket that is also first class. I think it was $1200 for both, one being "free". Sort of.
TANSTAAFL.
A LOT of stuff today is much cheaper than 30 years ago, even gasoline, when you adjust for inflation.