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GREEDY AIRLINES

By Woody Oakes

Concerning the news that large people who cannot squeeze into a seventeen-inch wide seat on airlines may soon be required to purchase two tickets, I say GREEDY, GREEDY GREEDY.

Shortly after the WTC and Pentagon attacks on 9-11, the Federal Government gave the airlines fifteen billion dollars of taxpayer money to help keep them operating.  Unfortunately, there were no strings attached to this corporate welfare and the CEO’s of the airlines continue drawing their outrageously high salaries, stock options, golden parachutes, perks, etc.

The greedy airlines are at fault here since they determine the size and spacing of seats.  A large or near average person should not have to purchase a second seat or a seat in first class, nor should a small passenger have to tolerate the person squeezed in next to them intruding into their space.  What are needed are wider seats.  And what about a tall, skinny person?  What is needed is more spacing between the rows of seats.

If some seat switching cannot accommodate the “too large” person, then someone should be offered a voluntary “bump” and a free ticket if the flight is sold out.  If it is sold out, then the flight is probably over booked and the airlines are most likely making money on someone that is not even on the plane

And what do we do about the “sardine packed” torture imposed on a person of my size of 5 feet, 10 inches and 185 pounds?  My much smaller wife and I have flown throughout the U. S. and internationally on vacations, enough to receive 8 free round-trips, but we haven’t flown in 3 or 4 years, not because we’re afraid, but because we refuse to pay to be treated like crap!

A few days ago United Airlines ask the government for more millions to help them continue.  United Airlines is so poorly run that it cost them twice as much as Southwest Airlines to get a passenger from point A to point B.

What we need to do is elect some new U. S. Senators and Representatives who will stand up to all types of corporate greed.

Editor’s note:  Everyone is greedy, including you and I.  We want to fly at cheap prices with great service and spacious seats.  Nothing wrong with that as long as the market is allowed to work freely.

The beauty of the free market is that anyone who is not happy with one airline’s policy can choose to do business with a different airline.  The best way for elected officials to “stand up to corporate greed” is to refuse to provide bailouts or other corporate welfare, allow more airports to be built, and allow the customers to determine the winners and losers.  What we really do not need is additional government interference.

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