But it will never happen

I was reading an article online today. about the passengers that airline employees most dislike.  One of them was people who shout and complain, who become belligerent, when they are getting bumped.  As those it was perfectly OK for the airline to sell something they don't actually own (a seat they have sold to someone else) even though if you or I did the same thing that would be fraud.

Now it is in the airline's best interest to leave the airport full.  Actually, that is not completely true.  I have read that for many types of aircraft, they actually make more money with a couple of empty seats. The amount of additional fuel they use flying completely full is not paid for by the fares paid by those last few passengers.  But for arguments sake, let's just say full.

So they want to leave full, and they done want last minute cancellation cause them to leave half empty.  So they sell more seats than they have, and somebody gets screwed.  But let's look at it a different was.  Not completely one-sided, just different.

Have you ever bought a non-refundable airline ticket?  The airline is requiring that your travel plans be cast in stone, or you forfeit your money.  So that should work both ways.  It is simple.

If the ticket is non-refundable, then you own that seat.  If you miss the plane, the airline cannot sell it to someone else unless they are going to give you back your money.  If they only get half what you paid, you get half back.  If they get twice what you paid, you get all your money back, and the airline gets to keep the difference.  And if they can't sell it, you lose all your money and they use a little less fuel.  Isn't that fair for everyone?


And since you own the rights to that seat, you cannot be bumped.  They want to overbook, they do it only with seats that are refundable.  You buy a refundable seat, you do so knowing the risks.


How about some of the airlines that don't treat you like shit?  Even if a Southwest ticket is non-refundable, they let you change it for a different flight.  You only pay the different in the cost between the old and new ticket.  You do not want to punish a company for treating you fairly.  So let's add a couple more caveats.

Say even a refundable ticket becomes non-refundable 48 hours before your flight is due to depart.  Maybe 5 days for international flights.  And after that point, you have to pay for the ticket if you cancel and the airline does not re-sell it, and you cannot be bumped.

Yes the airlines have been screwing their customers forever, but that doesn't mean the rules should be revised to screw them.  We just need a little balance.

A modest proposal

As I was driving in to work this morning, one of the radio shows I listen to was talking about a caller who had said that $250,000 a year is not really all that much.  This from the same people that say a teacher making $50,000 is greedy and overpaid.  It is time for a small dose of reality, and I think I know how it can be accomplished.

• Members of congress and the senate would no longer be paid by the federal government, but by the states they represent.
• The salaries of U.S. Representatives would be fixed at the median income for a K-12 public school teacher in their home state.  Their benefit packages would also be the same.
• The salaries of U.S. Senators would be fixed at the median income for public high school principals in their home state.  They too would recieve the same benefit packages.
• There would be no federal retirement for members of congress or the senate, rather they would participate in the same plan as the teachers in their home state.
• In recognition of the cost of maintaining two residences, the elected representatives would qualify for Section 8 housing in our nation's capital.

OK, it will never happen.  Because if it did, then our elected representatives would have to find someone else to demonize other than teachers and the working poor.