Everything about the airline industry is unrelentingly awful and hostile to consumers. These companies perfectly represent the disregard this economy has toward individual people. That they continue in this fashion, year after year, shows how completely the regulatory state has failed.
I absolutely HATE flying and avoid it as much as possible. However, if I'm going to a conference on the other side of the country I can't dedicate 6 days to travel. I'm 33 hours from LA for instance, that would equate to 3 days each way of 11 hours in the car each day. Realistically, it would be more like 8 total days of travel with 4 each way.
The air inside an airplane is actually arguably more harmful today than it was in the immediate aftermath of the short-haul smoking ban. Due to smoking on planes they actually had proper air filtration while in the modern day there are no federal regulations on air filtration for planes and what air carriers elect to employ is very minimal.
Throughout a flight carbon oxides, aldehydes, and other harmful particulates are known to build up in the air up to levels known to pose immediate harm to those subjected to it.
For work: It is literally my job to interact with peers at meetings and conferences. Hard to get there if I have a week of travel for every conference.
For pleasure: Because the destination is worth it. And the hassle isn't even that bad. Even without a tsa pre-check equivalent, security is mostly fine if you know what you are doing and prepare accordingly. Liquids baggy near the top of your bag. Have a jacket you can shove your phone and watch into. And so forth. Bring a book or some headphones to keep yourself entertained on the flight. Realize that you can slide your feet under your bag to greatly increase your effective legroom. And don't hesitate to walk to the restroom, even if just to stretch a bit.
And then I get to land somewhere interesting. Whether it is visiting friends a few states over or spending a week or three in a foreign country.
I fly about once a quarter and I still absolutely love even a mediocre experience. I'd say 95% of my flights are without any issues. It's been YEARS since a bad experience. I feel it's completely worth it to explore, visit friends, etc.
Overwhelmingly for me it has been work related. I think excluding a funeral and work I have flown only two round trips the past decade. I am at the airport about 6 or so times a year.
I have flown on airlines based and operating entirely in the 3rd world that were consistently better than Delta domestic in terms of how you were treated.