Comments on: A translation of the airlines’ “open letter” to customers http://www.consumertraveler.com/today/a-translation-of-the-airlines-open-letter-to-customers/ The last honest travel site Thu, 09 Feb 2012 23:47:00 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: hank jeffries http://www.consumertraveler.com/today/a-translation-of-the-airlines-open-letter-to-customers/comment-page-1/#comment-4438 hank jeffries Tue, 15 Jul 2008 22:20:29 +0000 http://www.tripso.com/?p=5026#comment-4438 The only time the U.S. Congress ever regulated the futures market, the commodity in question was onions. Have you checked the pricing of corn lately - half of the corn is going into the Congressional ethanol boondoggle - that's why there's no corn left over to feed the chickens or the pigs or the cattle or to make corn syrup, etc. The result is that the price of food is climbing every day, thanks to Congress! And now Congress wants to push compact fluorescent lightbulbs and outlaw incandescent ones - of course the CFL's contain mercury which will contaminate our waste dumpsites for millenia, but not to worry - our Congress is looking out for us every day! And meanwhile, the Brazilians, who are clearing the Amazon jungle at a rate of 100's of acres per day (and thereby contributing to global warming), just bought Budweiser. Can I get somebody to freshen up this Bloody Mary - just ring for a cabin attendant, and pray you don't get one with attitude! The only time the U.S. Congress ever regulated the futures market, the commodity in question was onions. Have you checked the pricing of corn lately – half of the corn is going into the Congressional ethanol boondoggle – that’s why there’s no corn left over to feed the chickens or the pigs or the cattle or to make corn syrup, etc. The result is that the price of food is climbing every day, thanks to Congress!
And now Congress wants to push compact fluorescent lightbulbs and outlaw incandescent ones – of course the CFL’s contain mercury which will contaminate our waste dumpsites for millenia, but not to worry – our Congress is looking out for us every day!
And meanwhile, the Brazilians, who are clearing the Amazon jungle at a rate of 100′s of acres per day (and thereby contributing to global warming), just bought Budweiser.
Can I get somebody to freshen up this Bloody Mary – just ring for a cabin attendant, and pray you don’t get one with attitude!

]]> By: North Carolina Vacations » Blog Archive » Great Travel Links for 14 July 2008 http://www.consumertraveler.com/today/a-translation-of-the-airlines-open-letter-to-customers/comment-page-1/#comment-4396 North Carolina Vacations » Blog Archive » Great Travel Links for 14 July 2008 Mon, 14 Jul 2008 12:06:31 +0000 http://www.tripso.com/?p=5026#comment-4396 [...] agree with Chris Elliott’s translation/analysis of what’s really being said to airline customers:  “High fuel costs are going to push half of us into bankruptcy. We need you to bail us [...] [...] agree with Chris Elliott’s translation/analysis of what’s really being said to airline customers:  “High fuel costs are going to push half of us into bankruptcy. We need you to bail us [...]

]]> By: Great Travel Links for 14 July 2008 : Internet Architect http://www.consumertraveler.com/today/a-translation-of-the-airlines-open-letter-to-customers/comment-page-1/#comment-4390 Great Travel Links for 14 July 2008 : Internet Architect Mon, 14 Jul 2008 11:14:08 +0000 http://www.tripso.com/?p=5026#comment-4390 [...] agree with Chris Elliott’s translation/analysis of what’s really being said to airline customers:  “High fuel costs are going to push half of us into bankruptcy. We need you to bail us [...] [...] agree with Chris Elliott’s translation/analysis of what’s really being said to airline customers:  “High fuel costs are going to push half of us into bankruptcy. We need you to bail us [...]

]]> By: Great Travel Links for 14 July 2008 » TravelBlog Archive » Family Travel http://www.consumertraveler.com/today/a-translation-of-the-airlines-open-letter-to-customers/comment-page-1/#comment-4388 Great Travel Links for 14 July 2008 » TravelBlog Archive » Family Travel Mon, 14 Jul 2008 05:05:53 +0000 http://www.tripso.com/?p=5026#comment-4388 [...] agree with Chris Elliott’s translation/analysis of what’s really being said to airline customers:  “High fuel costs are going to push half of us into bankruptcy. We need you to bail us [...] [...] agree with Chris Elliott’s translation/analysis of what’s really being said to airline customers:  “High fuel costs are going to push half of us into bankruptcy. We need you to bail us [...]

]]> By: Globe Merchant Travel Blog » Blog Archive » A translation of the airlines’ “open letter” to customers http://www.consumertraveler.com/today/a-translation-of-the-airlines-open-letter-to-customers/comment-page-1/#comment-4344 Globe Merchant Travel Blog » Blog Archive » A translation of the airlines’ “open letter” to customers Sat, 12 Jul 2008 13:23:04 +0000 http://www.tripso.com/?p=5026#comment-4344 [...] For feedback and more articles…. go here…. [...] [...] For feedback and more articles…. go here…. [...]

]]> By: Joe Farrell http://www.consumertraveler.com/today/a-translation-of-the-airlines-open-letter-to-customers/comment-page-1/#comment-4296 Joe Farrell Fri, 11 Jul 2008 11:44:12 +0000 http://www.tripso.com/?p=5026#comment-4296 oh, boo hoo hoo. If your financial house is so screwed up from debt and bad management then just go out of business and be done with it. Stop whining. Didn't your parents ever tell you that NO ONE ever likes to listen to whining. Basic economics works if you let it. Sometimes you find yourself on the other side of the coin and you end up going out of business. The marketplace rewards good decisions and penalizes poor ones. oh, boo hoo hoo. If your financial house is so screwed up from debt and bad management then just go out of business and be done with it. Stop whining.

Didn’t your parents ever tell you that NO ONE ever likes to listen to whining.

Basic economics works if you let it. Sometimes you find yourself on the other side of the coin and you end up going out of business. The marketplace rewards good decisions and penalizes poor ones.

]]> By: Joe Buhler http://www.consumertraveler.com/today/a-translation-of-the-airlines-open-letter-to-customers/comment-page-1/#comment-4286 Joe Buhler Fri, 11 Jul 2008 03:31:16 +0000 http://www.tripso.com/?p=5026#comment-4286 One way to start sorting out the mess we're in - both airlines and passengers - would be to prevent airlines from being able to file for Chapter 11, continue with business as usual when they come out of it. The weakest airlines should go out of business. There are too many competing for passengers at prices that no longer cover their basic cost of transporting them. Those who stay should be able to charge fares that are covering them without regulation but based on a working marketplace based on supply and demand. Combined with this, the outdated rule of limiting foreign ownership should be abandoned as well. I'd rather have fewer, but profitable and stable airlines like Singapore Airlines, Lufthansa, BA etc. compete globally than the present situation. One way to start sorting out the mess we’re in – both airlines and passengers – would be to prevent airlines from being able to file for Chapter 11, continue with business as usual when they come out of it. The weakest airlines should go out of business. There are too many competing for passengers at prices that no longer cover their basic cost of transporting them. Those who stay should be able to charge fares that are covering them without regulation but based on a working marketplace based on supply and demand. Combined with this, the outdated rule of limiting foreign ownership should be abandoned as well. I’d rather have fewer, but profitable and stable airlines like Singapore Airlines, Lufthansa, BA etc. compete globally than the present situation.

]]> By: Jasper http://www.consumertraveler.com/today/a-translation-of-the-airlines-open-letter-to-customers/comment-page-1/#comment-4268 Jasper Thu, 10 Jul 2008 21:10:35 +0000 http://www.tripso.com/?p=5026#comment-4268 @ Lyngengr: The oil doesn't go only up because of increased demand, but also by a decreased demands for US$. Have you checked your exchange rates recently? The Arabs are simply asking for more $ because those $ are worth less and less. @ Lyngengr: The oil doesn’t go only up because of increased demand, but also by a decreased demands for US$. Have you checked your exchange rates recently? The Arabs are simply asking for more $ because those $ are worth less and less.

]]> By: Lyngengr http://www.consumertraveler.com/today/a-translation-of-the-airlines-open-letter-to-customers/comment-page-1/#comment-4266 Lyngengr Thu, 10 Jul 2008 19:46:06 +0000 http://www.tripso.com/?p=5026#comment-4266 Although this letter from the airlines is certainly self-serving, they do make a good point and unfortunately the recent run-up in oil prices is affecting all of us. Whether or not clamping down on speculation will save the airlines is really not as important as eliminating the "middle men" in energy supplies. If we as a country do not do something to stop this speculation, we will all suffer, if we haven't already. This recent 40% increase in gas prices over the last six months impacts food, goods, and services. The run-up cannot be solely based on supply and demand, there are obviously other factors involved and certainly speculation is a huge part. I'm really surprised that our "Department of Energy" hasn't realized this is another Enron scenario and moved to stop it. Actually, I shouldn't be surprised they haven't done anything. Although this letter from the airlines is certainly self-serving, they do make a good point and unfortunately the recent run-up in oil prices is affecting all of us. Whether or not clamping down on speculation will save the airlines is really not as important as eliminating the “middle men” in energy supplies. If we as a country do not do something to stop this speculation, we will all suffer, if we haven’t already. This recent 40% increase in gas prices over the last six months impacts food, goods, and services. The run-up cannot be solely based on supply and demand, there are obviously other factors involved and certainly speculation is a huge part. I’m really surprised that our “Department of Energy” hasn’t realized this is another Enron scenario and moved to stop it. Actually, I shouldn’t be surprised they haven’t done anything.

]]> By: Jasper http://www.consumertraveler.com/today/a-translation-of-the-airlines-open-letter-to-customers/comment-page-1/#comment-4264 Jasper Thu, 10 Jul 2008 18:18:00 +0000 http://www.tripso.com/?p=5026#comment-4264 Hmmm. They want my signature? Of course I am willing to do that. In exchange for an end to all fees and surcharges, normal solid pricing, in-flight food, drinks and entertainment, friendly staff, and normal customer service. Oh, you don't like quid-pro-quo? Well, perhaps you should change your own business model. Hmmm. They want my signature? Of course I am willing to do that. In exchange for an end to all fees and surcharges, normal solid pricing, in-flight food, drinks and entertainment, friendly staff, and normal customer service. Oh, you don’t like quid-pro-quo? Well, perhaps you should change your own business model.

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