Comments on: Dump this! 7 things airlines should jettison from their planes now

By: Frank

Frank — Sat, 18 Oct 2008 14:17:36 +0000

Pilots
I’m only half kidding. But still, it’s worth noting that today’s planes practically fly themselves, or can be piloted remotely as this British test showed. Pilots take up extra space and weigh the plane down. Do we really need them onboard?
========================================================

Like many systems on an aircraft, they require TWO PILOTS onboard for safety reasons. It’s a back up system. One pilot gets sick, goes unconsious, has a heart attack, there’s another one to operate the aircraft. I doubt that pilots will be replaced in the cockpit, what if the computer that lands the plane…..goes down, what’s the back up then?

By: Frank

Frank — Fri, 17 Oct 2008 14:56:58 +0000

Flight attendants
Federal rules require a minimum number of flight attendants for every plane — for example, an aircraft with up to 50 seats has to have one attendant, and between 51 and 101 seats, it must have two. On my last flight on a 137-seat plane I counted four flight attendants. Come on. How much money could an airline save by eliminating a crewmember? I mean, they’ve stopped serving food and now we have to pay for drinks. Why not install a vending machine at the back of the plane?
==========================================================

…………….this type of ignorance never ceases to amaze me.
When an airline purchases an aircraft they must complete with the FAA several things. One, a proving run. You take the new aircraft for a flight and the FAA conducts tests with both the pilots and the flight attendants. Operation of all equipment, etc. Secondly, a mini evac. The airline must show to the FAA that it can evacuate the aircraft with passengers under 90 seconds! REMEMBER, the flight attendants are ONBOARD for safety issues. That’s WHY flight attendants are located NEXT TO most of the EXITS. Bother way, the FAA mandates the NUMBER OF FLIGHT ATTENDANTS per aircraft, NOT the union, NOT the company. Heck, if the company had their way, there would only be ONE EXIT and one or two F/A’s. Which, is ultimately—> NOT SAFE.
Also, you’re a decade late on this comment. Reducing F/A’s onboard. MOST airlines already removed what they could many years ago. Back in the 70’s and 80’s, most airlines operated with 6 or more F/A’s on, say, the 757. Today, that number is 4. Feel safer now?

By: Amy

Amy — Wed, 15 Oct 2008 08:17:44 +0000

Considering Americans continue to get heavier and heavier, planes will end up going out half-empty if they eliminate heavier people from the flights. How is that profitable for the airline? If they pay for two seats and weigh the equivalent of two people, the airlines will have saved nothing, and your comment still makes you look like a jackass.

By: Matt

Matt — Mon, 13 Oct 2008 22:05:51 +0000

People who take up two seats should pay for two seats!!!! That’s fair.

By: The Middle Seat Terminal : What Are the Seven Least Essential Items on a Plane?

The Middle Seat Terminal : What Are the Seven Least Essential Items on a Plane? — Mon, 13 Oct 2008 21:45:40 +0000

[...] Monday, travel writer Christopher Elliot, blogging at Tripso, served up seven more ideas for things airlines…. Elliot’s suggestions range from logical enough items — in-flight magazines and [...]

By: Lyngengr

Lyngengr — Mon, 13 Oct 2008 19:38:26 +0000

Cutting Air Marshalls and FAs makes a lot of sense. I don’t think the Air Marshall program makes much sense now with the armored doors on the cockpit and gun toting pilots. There does seem to be a lot of FAs on a plane, for most single-aisle aircraft, probably 3 is all that is necessary. I suspect the FA union has negotiated minimum numbers rather than the airlines.

The “fuel conservation” presentation you reference from ATA was very informative. Anyone who thinks the recent runup in fuel prices is purely supply and demand forces is an idiot.

By: john indorf

john indorf — Mon, 13 Oct 2008 19:21:39 +0000

vending machines? do you know what they weigh? in some cases they’d be the same as 2 or 3 attendants…reliability of those machines is not very good so we open up the opportunity for vending rage…bad idea all the way around. eliminate sky marshal’s? wonder how many have been on the many flights I’ve flown this year? who are they? they blend in well in the US…on El Al I could tell who they were because they were already on the jet when I boarded, they (3)were spread around the cabin and they looked like people nobody would ever want to mess with and they wore bullet proof vests under the jackets that concealed their weapons, I’m nearly 6′3″ 230 lbs with broad shoulders, long legs and nowhere near the waist size of some fellow travelers and most coach seats are very uncomfortable…I support extra fares for those who don’t fit into the seat and overflow into my space…how about a price rebate for those on the skinny side? (never happen!)…cut back on bathrooms? YGTBSM! I agree with the cutback in FA’s who have nothing to do once airborne but they are needed for takeoff and landing safety considerations so they’re not expendable. Americans need to review their lust for travel and limit themselves to vacations, business can be done efficiently over the internet thereby reducing business travel