No fear here either, but I do object to, as you say, being packed onboard like cattle. That and the incessant talking on cellphones, squawking children, and folks who don't stay in their damn seats (while sitting). Sorry, I don't want some 300+ pounder in half of my seat as well as his/her own, lol.

As far as cost, I recall paying $800+ for a flight from Friendship (pre-BWI) to Miami in the late 1970s, and that was real money. Eastern Airlines on Boeing 727s; man, those were the good ol' days.