The Travel Industry News - Editorial Archives

June 15, 2001

Flights of Fancy...

Who said one person can’t make a difference? Mention Sen. James Jeffords to any Republican and stand back. Bad for travel agents? I think not!

I say it’s time to re-regulate the airlines...I doubt if it will happen as long as ‘the lobbyist’ system exists...but I’ll say it anyway. AND, so will Democrat Sen. Fritz Hollings who will replace Republican (?) John McCain as chair of the powerful Senate Commerce Committee.

So what? Well, ‘Hollings’ has called himself a ‘born-again regulator’ and I don’t think the airlines are going to like ‘the gentleman from South Carolina’.

I don’t believe that Governments should control everything, even the ones we vote in to do just that. However...I do believe that there are certain basic fundamental needs in a country...needs that should not be left to the vagrancies, and oft times greed, of ‘free enterprise’.

I suppose it has something to do with that old fashioned notion of ‘ a government for ALL the people’.

Health, education and transportation are the very breath of a country’s ability to potentially build a good life and future for its people.

Let’s look at a few airline related things that have appeared in recent weeks...food for thought perhaps.

I love this one!!! The FAA has a ten-year plan to cut delays! Of course they estimate that it will cost $11.5 billion to ‘possibly’ do this. How the heck can they even dream of what will be in 10 years? I’m not even sure I have that much time to wait...how about you?

PLEASE FAA...let’s start at the beginning! During the first three months of this year, the 10 largest airlines scheduled 1.4 million flights.

Nearly 300,000 were late...and...45,000 were cancelled! Could there be just too many flights? You need 10 years to know that?

Despite all the money “the flyboys” saved by reducing commissions and by going direct to the public & commercial accounts...Southwest was the only one to report gains in the first quarter of ’01. American, United, America West, Delta, Northwest and US Airways all reported losses.

THEREFORE...airlines recently reported “cuts” were in their plans.

United announced no more grapefruit juice or linens or hot towels would be available on some domestic flights. Oh dear, the shame of it all. I also love this one...Northwest is “ deferring its top executives merit salary increases until February. I would have thought that if they are losing money, perhaps, the “merit” increases should fly away.

Meanwhile at ‘Delta’....“Hirings of non-essential employees has halted” Non-essential? When did you last hire a non-essential employee? Let’s see what else I have here in my ‘Airline’ folder.

For those of you who think that one airline in a market is OK...check out the airfare between Fairbanks and Dutch Harbor.

When ‘de-regulation’ was introduced the cry was that more airlines would appear, competition would increase and all would be at peace in the heavens. Well, for a brief time there were more airlines AND more crazy fares than you could shake a stick at... but all those airlines...and some of the old ones, have gone. Do you think the service is better now? Are you better off?

Airlines have now introduced ORBITZ and United’s wholly owned subsidiary.. “Premier Group” (est 1997).. has now got its feet even wetter by moving from ‘cruise sales’ to all employees of all airlines, to also e-mailing cruise info to ‘frequent flyers’. The future???

I do not mean to depress you...just to give you food for thought. Delta and United are apparently considering purchasing ‘Biz Jets’ from Boeing with the thought in mind of chartering direct to Corporate accounts. The fact of the matter is that there has been some movement by large corporations...& in some cases...individuals, to purchase jets themselves... not a plus for the airlines. Can one find solace in other’s misfortunes? In some cases...YES!

The travel agencies who have borne the brunt of the airlines’ whims, surely cannot help but smile at reports that read: “ Consumers Vent Air Rage”, “Airlines Turn Frugal”, “Biz Travel Drops Airlines in the Red”, “No more Godiva Chocolates in First Class”.

AND...the airlines may be facing things they hadn’t thought of! An airline in Japan...and everything starts somewhere...has now designated a “Women’s Only” section on its domestic flights.

SKYMARK AIRLINES did it in response to complaints from women who felt uncomfortable seated next to men!

OH dear, oh dear, the mind boggles with the possible ‘special’ sections on flights of the future...especially ten years from now.

David (Dreamers Section) Bond

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