I have a conspiracy theory.
Big Oil and the car manufacturers are paying the airlines to make air
travel as inconvenient and uncomfortable as possible. This drives consumers to get in their car
and drive to their destination rather than suffering the indignities of airline
cattle chutes, micro seats and air fare roulette.
Admittedly at 6' 2" I am a hair bigger than
average. That fact does not predispose
me to paying more than three times the average fare to fly "first
class" in order to actually get some leg room. Face it, who wouldn't want to suck on their
own knees for hours to get to destinations too far to drive their car.
While cattle prods are not used (yet) to organize the lines
at the airport, the attitude of the TSA folks and airline employees indicate
that the paying customer is an annoyance rather than the reason they have jobs.
Air fare roulette is not as fun as it sounds. Exploring air fares from Pennsylvania
to Florida
was an interesting exercise of the proverbial shell game. Not only did I find
different fares on different websites, I found different fares on different
days and I actually found different fares on the same websites with only
minutes difference in my exploration.
The "only three seats left at this fare" type of admonishment
appeared on multiple days for the same flights which leads one to never believe
what the airlines are claiming. What
adds to the fun is that some web sites show fares with all the taxes and some
don't increasing the intentional confusion.
Then there is the luggage game.
This airline says luggage flies free, the next one says our rates are
lower so even though we charge for luggage you save money. If you pay more you can get an aisle seat or
a seat on the escape row or a bulkhead or even a free pass to the restroom!
The most frustrating thing about this entire air travel
debacle is THAT WE PUT UP WITH IT! If we
the consumers just decided, we will skip flying to grandma's for Christmas this
year to make a statement to the airlines.
If we refuse to pony up big bucks to be treated as second
class citizens
for a third world experience crowded cheek to jowl in tight rows with grumpy
flight attendants, perhaps the lack of customers would make the airlines take
notice. Of course as long as they are
being subsidized by the Great Airline Conspiracy of Big Oil and car
manufacturers they will continue to pound the round consumer into their square
little seats. 
Me, I'm driving my car on my next trip with my seat back as
far as it goes and my legs stretched out and saving money as I do it.
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