There was a big deal yesterday about how dissatisfied people are with their experiences on airplanes due to the release of a new travel survey. It always makes me think back to the 80's when the popular response was that people will be infinitely more happy once the government fully deregulates the airline industry. People were complaining of the same problems back then when the airline industry was a semi-regulated monopoly industry. Flights were late. Flights were expensive. People were unhappy with that. Then Reagan de-regulated the industry.
Now after 20 some odd years of airline deregulation what do we have? We have more late flights. We have consumers so dissatisfied with the service they receive they are yelling for a passenger bill of rights. We have smaller aisles, less leg room, decrepit unsafe planes, and an industry where most companies are perpetually bankrupt. Why doesn't anyone bring this up? Airplanes, especially post September 11'th, have proven to be a very vital industry, which is why it used to be regulated. I think this is one instance where the government stepping in and vigorously enforcing a bunch of regulations down the throat of airlines would be welcome by the American people for their safety and sanity. It may cost a little more, but some things, like personal safety, are worth more than a buck. The airline business as it stands is all about an extra buck, just go read that article about how the southwest fleet was flying dirty.
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