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Easy to Blame the Other Guy

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Source: Archived Content

Date: Feb 14, 2001

Have you been keeping up on all the criticism levied at U.S. airlines lately?  The public just realized that which we've noticed all along:  Traveling by plane in the United States these days simply isn't a reliable experience.  HELLO!!!!!  Ya think?

According to a recent report by the Department of Transportation that's being tooted all over the media, one in four flights were delayed, canceled or diverted last year.  Now think about that one for a minute...I'll wait.

"If you thought last summer was 'airline hell,' buckle your seat belts, because with these pending mega-mergers, you haven't see anything yet."  -- Continental Airlines Chairman Gordon Bethune

Good quote...and very true.  Those mergers would bring a new nightmare to air travel.  But the airline companies should not take the complete blame for inefficient and unreliable flights.  Check out this quote from our own UAL President:

"I would add that a meaningful impact on the issues that most impact customer satisfaction in this industry can only be attained through an integrated approach with the FAA that addresses capacity and infrastructure issues."  --- UAL President Rono Dutta

And you know something?  I agree with him on this one.  The FAA hasn't exactly done a smash up job in keeping air traffic control in pace with passenger growth.  The airports also are about 20 years behind passenger demand---many are on par with your average Greyhound bus depot.

How about that 'Passenger Bill of Rights' those attorneys can't wait to jumpstart again?  How do you feel about that?  I can understand the rationale behind, and the need for, better passenger treatment.  But you either have the airlines regulated again (the government steps in and tries to fix the situation) or you have deregulation (the airlines let the free market dictate their business decisions).

The most particularly irritating thing I've noticed about all this 'airline bashing' going on in the press right now is a lack of emphasis and consideration regarding safety issues.  If some of those criticized flights were cancelled due to bad weather or mechanical-related problems, then THANK GOD FOR THAT!  I want to get where I'm going alive.  I could give a rat's a-- about 'on-time' performance statistics, flight cancellations, and the public/attorney views on that matter.  Yes, the airlines definitely deserve some heat for being inefficient and not informing passengers about impending delays, offering tickets prices more complex than IRS code, etc., etc...  And yep, the FAA deserves some major heat for being 20 years behind the times.

But damn...the public (and the media) also deserve some heat for realizing that running an operation of speeding vessels is not like running a credit card company or a hotel.  These news reports need to ease down and stop lumping all flight delays and cancellations into one big LOOK AT THAT! criticism.  These ex-Greyhound travelers (and the media/attorneys that follow them) need to also realize that many times the flights are cancelled for valid safety reasons having nothing to do with labor issues or an inability to provide good service.  And they should thank God that the airline companies are still managing to keep flying one of the safest forms of travel available---even if it means delays and cancellations to ensure that goal.  To make certain that the traveling public gets to their destination alive.

Alive to bitch about being delayed.

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