Air Travel

Question:

I really do. The average cost of domestic air travel in the US has decreased by 60% in the last 21 years (in constant dollars). You can Google this if you like. Here’s a start: http://www.olin.wustl.edu/faculty/gowrisankaran/pdf_papers/airline_co… For anecdotal evidence, I have this: My first ever NY-LA flight in 1984 was $660. I remember this because, as a 20-year-old punk, I had to scrimp and save and suffer to pay for this flight. I just Yahoo’ed the same flight, scheduled for mid-June 2005. The quote is $310. Looks like the statistical analysis quoted above was pretty damn accurate. $310 for RT airfare across the continent is a joke. Carriers are dropping like flies, their employees are treated shabbily and service on domestic flights is akin to that offered on Greyhound. I would gladly pay $660 RT for NY-LA (or in my case, SEA to EWR) if it meant a full meal, better seats, courteous staff and airline patrons who didn’t behave like baboons. What I won’t do, however, is pay $1058 for first class on the same flight, when what I’ve seen from "First Class" is an incremental boost in comfort and solace. If I have to abide screaming brats and obese stinko’s, I’m not going to pay extra. Demand for air travel has skyrocketed, but the childish antics of major carriers in the fare wars has eroded the cost (and value) of domestic flights to a preposterous extreme. It’s my opinion that if carriers boosted the cost of domestic flights by 40-50% across the boards, we’d go a long way in restoring sanity to air travel. Worthless "parents" with screaming brats would think twice if they had to pay an additional $1200 to haul Snotleigh and Brattyn across country to visit grandma. The sudden influx of dollars would restore air staff’s confidence in their careers and afford all of us a more civil experience when flying. Granted, business travelers (I am one) would feel the pinch and be forced to make cautious decisions about employee travel expenses. But this may be a good thing. It may accelerate network technology and aid in limiting the number of nights that employees spend away from home and their families. Critical trips would go on, but frivolous ones would stop. So, what brought on this rant? My dislike of air travel. In the 1980’s, I found air travel to be civil. I was even able to quietly read a book. Nowadays, planes are fucking zoos and if you are unlucky to be stuck in economy class, you may as well bring ear plugs and Marilyn Manson CD’s to drown out the bedlam that occurs on most domestic flights. I’m flying to Baltimore next week. I’m absolutely dreading it. I need to go on this trip, and my company benefits from cheap (practically nothing) airfare. But I think we’d have survived if my airfare was $660 and my hotel, rather than $250/night, was $150/night. I’d gladly trade a mahogany entertainment center for 6 hours of tranquil travel. – TR – worth noting: after 6-7 business trips each year, I’ve lost all interest in domestic holiday flights. Unless the trip is overseas, I’ll just drive or stay home.

Response:

>  If I have to abide > screaming brats and obese stinko’s, I’m not going to pay extra. (snip) > Worthless "parents" with screaming brats would think twice > if they had to pay an additional $1200 to haul Snotleigh and Brattyn > across country to visit grandma. (snip) > Nowadays, planes are fucking zoos and if you are unlucky > to be stuck in economy class, you may as well bring ear plugs and > Marilyn Manson CD’s to drown out the bedlam that occurs on most > domestic flights.

(snip) I’ve noticed this in the US too. Stuff that used to be found on Greyhound, now is on aeroplanes. Absolutely appalling. ant

Response:

> It’s my opinion that if carriers boosted the cost of domestic flights > by 40-50% across the boards, we’d go a long way in restoring sanity to > air travel.

Dream on.  Any airline that tries that would be undercut by a discount carrier, and have no passengers.  Why else do you think the "full service" airlines are in trouble? You might be willing to pay more, but you would be very lonely on the near-empty flight.

Response:

> What I won’t do, however, is pay $1058 for > first class on the same flight, when what I’ve seen from "First Class" > is an incremental boost in comfort and solace. If I have to abide > screaming brats and obese stinko’s, I’m not going to pay extra.

aw, just go charter your own bleeping jet!

Response:

>You might be willing to pay more, but you would be very lonely on the >near-empty flight.

And in fact, those aircraft (with higher fares and a better travel environment) already exist. They’re called charters and fractional ownership.

Response: