Flight Subsidies

[ken]

Anybody catch this article in the USA Today?

http://www.usatoday.com/news/washington/2007-12-30-cheap-flights_N.htm

Any thoughts?

 

[atlcrashpad]

Macon, GA is subsidized by the Feds for DAL. Who wants to fly in or out of this dump...... Bouyyyy...

 

[NuGuy]

Anybody catch this article in the USA Today?

http://www.usatoday.com/news/washington/2007-12-30-cheap-flights_N.htm

Any thoughts?

Heyas,

I flew for an EAS carrier out in the midwest. Despite making two stops on the way, we'd hardly EVER have more than 5-6 people get off in MSP.

Despite the LARGE federal subsidy for the service (for which the communities paid nothing), not to mention the fact that there was ANY service at all, we'd get nothing but complaints from the airport manager where I was based and from all the passengers (the airplane is SOOOO small) despite running a reasonably on time operation.

They would go on and on about how North Central would run Convairs and DC-9s into these places. I finally told the airport manager to either pony up the cash, re-regulate the industry or STFU.

Nu

 

[propsarebest]

Burn Eas Down To The Ground, And Give The Taxpayers-You And I-Our Money Back.

 

[WSurf]

Burn Eas Down To The Ground, And Give The Taxpayers-You And I-Our Money Back.

LOL, like they would give you the money back! They would just spend it on some other BS operation.

No Soup For you!

 

[Poahi]

Burn Eas Down To The Ground, And Give The Taxpayers-You And I-Our Money Back.

Agreed.

EAS doesn't work, it stifles innovation and is yet another reason to increase taxes. If these folks want air service, let them pay for it.

 

[ReverseSensing]

If these folks want air service, let them pay for it.

Come now, that's just down-right un-American. :bawling:

 

[DrewBlows]

There are about a million programs like this at the federal government level. As long as the current crooks (democrats, republicans) are in power nothing will change. I'm voting for Ron Paul in the upcoming primary because I think he's the only candidate who would actually do something about government waste.

 

[CRJ puppy]

And as an airline pilot this "news" article was news to you how?

 

[Thedude]

Its been a while since I flew EAS, but......I was under the impression that taxes from foreign carriers paid the the tax that supports EAS.

 

[ultrarunner]

Most of what that article underscores is the utter stupidity of some passengers to spend the time to:

1. drive to airport and report at gate 60 minutes before departure

2. Board

3. Taxi out

4. Fly 87 miles

5. Taxi in.

6. Deplane

7. Get a taxi or rent a car

.....

Just goes to show how utter meaningless someones time is worth, and the extent the government will support that waste of time!

But like a previous poster said, this is NOT news.

 

[AceCrackshot]

To me, there is more benefit from EAS than from say, AMTRAK, not to say either are particularly beneficial.

If I were the Mayor of North America, I'd shut down AMTRAK, use the money for commuter rail service in metro areas a la the METRA in ORD, and promise the cities that lose AMTRAK, EAS for 10 years.

Then, except for AK, end EAS.

 

[F/O]

The print version of this article had a big ugly photo of JO right smack dab in the middle....