Well I like to believe the paragraph as the whole to be taken into consideration, and not just the bolded line.

The problem for myself lately hasn't been getting the newly initiated Abyssea Warriors, Black & Blues to the zones around Muhara or Selbina. Its getting them to Xacabard. Escorting through Raugmount path is getting old. I use Xacabard because its the one problem most people have probably encountered at least once.

While I can understand "The new generation has it to easy already", I don't see it any more drastic of a change than the simplification from Magian Trials or Abyssea had on attaining gear. I guess it could always be limited by making it a 2hr. 99 Zones maybe extreme also, but at least to places that currently have no fast travel.

It still fits into the lore, since I think 99.9% of the time the Atomos ability players see most is him eating them and spitting them out between current time, past time and abyssea.