Time for a change in the airline business...

[Larry Gude]

My Way News - American Cancels More Than 1,000 Flights

Airline officials said the flights would have averaged more than 100 passengers, meaning that more than 100,000 travelers could have been left scrambling to book new flights.

There are simply too many eggs in one basket with airlines. We need far, far more airlines with more and smaller capacity planes, more airports and smaller ones at that so that when something is wrong with a given aircraft it doesn't ground 1/3 of someones fleet or you're not stuck driving an hour to get to THE airport.

Imagine, if you will, walking up to a taxi stand and finding that 1/3 of the taxi's from a given company, the main company that has the routes where you are going, are in the shop because of concerns about a wire repair.

You grab another cab and on your way. You're not stuck there for the next day. You're not left hanging in limbo. You get another cab.

 

[cwo_ghwebb]

I'll experiment with growing wings. Until then, maybe I'll just drive.


You got a point though.

 

[Larry Gude]

There's...

I'll experiment with growing wings. Until then, maybe I'll just drive.


You got a point though.

...obviously an efficiency in a given size plane using x amount of fuel to move y amount of people and z amount of luggage, but, damn, would you pay $400 a round trip out of St. Mary's (assuming you live near there) over, say $200 round trip from BWI or Reagan?

I'm curious about the economics of, say, a 25 seater, or a 50 seater vs. 100 or 150

 

[Larry Gude]

You go...

I'll experiment with growing wings. Until then, maybe I'll just drive.

...get 'em, Icarus!

 

[Ken King]

It seems the issue is one of why the companies have not kept the maintenance and inspections of the fleets up to required standards. having more smaller aircraft would mean that they would have more to meet the standards that they aren't meeting already.

Not to mention that more airplanes with smaller capacity results in more traffic to contend with. Given the archaic nature of the air traffic control systems and failure to upgrade and enhance control capabilities would increase the likelihood of more incidents/accidents.

With today's communication technology reduction of travel with virtual meetings would seem more prudent a path. How much of the traveling capacity is really all that necessary?