I’ve been up since five trying to figure out a way to get my mom from SEA to FNT before noon tomorrow. Yes, that’s right, she’s got a confirmed flight reservation, and yet as of 5a today, we knew she wasn’t going to make her connection in ATL, and thus wouldn’t get in to FNT before 2p tomorrow.
As this article in WaPo notes, this hasn’t exactly been the summer of love for the airlines. Weather, overburdened infrastructure [explain to me again, Port of Seattle, how having a second airport in the Puget Sound hurts travelers?], labor unrest, etc., have all played their part, but to me, the real reason why this summer has been such a fiasco is due to the irresponsibility of the airlines themselves. Planes are full to the point of busting, which means that when the inevitable “act of god” type delays happen, there’s simply no way to move stranded passengers efficiently.
So I’m just going to say it — the Feds need to step in and reintroduce some additional oversight on this industry. Specifically, I’m calling for the Feds to mandate that airlines sell no more than 95% of the seats on any one flight. Thus, there’s legally required spare seat capacity to help passengers get where they’re going.
Will this lead to higher prices? Sure it will, inasmuch as it reduces total capacity. But it will also reduce the overall strain on the system and allow passengers more opportunities to reach their destinations in something approaching a timely fashion.
Seriously, the system is obviously about to explode. The Feds need to do something before it’s too late.
[edit]
In response to the first comment … good point. You inspired me to do a little research.
Actually, the Feds do regulate overbooking … in the sense that there’s a law dating from 1978 (pre-deregulation) that limits the damages payable to passengers for travel disruption due to overbooking to $400. Clearly this number is not indexed to inflation; while $400 must’ve seemed like a reasonable amount of money in 1978, you can also very plainly see the economic incentive for airlines to overbook.
Since the economics work out best for the airlines to overbook, and since their ability to do so hinges on information asymmetries vis a vis their passengers, this is a clear example of market failure and thus there’s a clear case for government regulation.
Thanks for the comment.
Now Playing: Episode 349
Troops needed in Afghanistan end up in Iraq, Obama punts on the FISA bill, and finally: the Supremes rule on the 2nd amendment.
Links Mentioned: The hunt for Bin Laden … the new Army Iraq report … the FISA bill … the Prof references Chinua Achebe and The Lives of Others … the Genarlow Wilson aftermath.
Why did televangelist, Jim Baker, go to jail? Was it for cheating his viewers? No. It was for overbooking his timeshare resort. You mentioned airlines overbooking on the show. Isn’t that already illegal? I think Jim Baker would agree.
Even if you anticipate X% cancellations, ad did PTL, anticipating cancellations still sent him to jail. My pastor had a timeshare and went there often. Never had a complaint. There was always a room available. Nonetheless, I learned that year that the government takes overbooking very seriously… or so I thought.