Deregulation push?

[captain dad]

This would make us more socialist than Europe.

Why not start with healthcare first?

Ask a Canadian about universal health care. It's like a start up airline, looks good on paper, but in real life...not so much.

 

[gutshotdraw]

Ticket prices haven't dropped as much as you think they have. There has been a marginal drop since the days of regulation, but not the major decrease that everyone thinks.

Are you high? In 1977-1981, I airlined four times a year to boarding school from Tucson to Chicago (in other words, prior to and during de-regulation). Those tickets were more than $500 each round-trip. I can do the same trip tomorrow for $360. After 31 YEARS of inflation! I was never great at math but that is a HUGE difference in price.

Economies are not static models. They are constantly evolving. De-regulation was one of the DRIVERS of economic growth through the late 80's and the 90's. I know I would not have a job flying airplanes and I doubt many of you would have jobs flying airplanes if it were not for de-regulation. De-regulation certainly hasn't been perfect but government control of the price or supply of ANY product, commodity, or service NEVER works out well for the consumer or the economy in the long run.

 

[captain dad]

:laugh: :laugh: :laugh: :laugh: :laugh: imp:

 

[PCL_128]

Are you high? In 1977-1981, I airlined four times a year to boarding school from Tucson to Chicago (in other words, prior to and during de-regulation). Those tickets were more than $500 each round-trip. I can do the same trip tomorrow for $360. After 31 YEARS of inflation! I was never great at math but that is a HUGE difference in price.

You're looking at a single example and drawing huge conclusions from it. Ridiculous. The data is out there, corrected for inflation, if you want to go look for it. Fares have not come down that much. The consumer has been screwed.

Economies are not static models. They are constantly evolving. De-regulation was one of the DRIVERS of economic growth through the late 80's and the 90's. I know I would not have a job flying airplanes and I doubt many of you would have jobs flying airplanes if it were not for de-regulation. De-regulation certainly hasn't been perfect but government control of the price or supply of ANY product, commodity, or service NEVER works out well for the consumer or the economy in the long run.

Sounds like something the Shrub would say. We know how well his ideas have worked out.

 

[PCL_128]

This would make us more socialist than Europe.

Why not start with healthcare first?

Sometimes I think 99% of the country doesn't know what the definition of socialism is. You do realize that many countries in Europe don't just regulate their airlines, they actually own them, right? Regulation is not socialism.

 

[rtmcfi]

It's called the essential air service system. Great Lakes can only handle so much.

I smell the demand for Metroliners and 1900s.

Coming to a town in B.F. Montana soon.

Are you are aware that Big Sky went tits up?

 

[cale42]

You're looking at a single example and drawing huge conclusions from it. Ridiculous. The data is out there, corrected for inflation, if you want to go look for it. Fares have not come down that much. The consumer has been screwed.

No seriously.. are you high??

An average roundtrip airline ticket in 1975 was something like $250-300 dollars.. thats average.. not even taking into account a specific city pairing. In todays dollars that is $1050 - $1250. That is not even talking into account that oil has gone up at nearly twice the inflation rate. So add in adjuster for that and the AVERAGE ticket should cost in the $1500 range.

I would love to see your data that shows otherwise.. I've looked.. can't find it.

Airfare is cheaper in real dollars now than it was 35 years ago.. that is beyond sad to me..

 

[captain dad]

Are you are aware that Big Sky went tits up?

Ah...Yeah,

That's why there is an opening in Montana.

That was the joke. Hello?

 

[The_Russian]

What about this:

Lower frequency of flights and the utilization of more efficient turboprops in a re-regulated industry will result in the lower demand of oil.

?

 

[goodgig]

It will just prevent Skybus types from starting...so they can't go out of business. Other than that it will be bad news.

I agree.

I think skybus history is the best condom for "skybus types" from starting. Credit/investors are getting scarce these days.

 

[cale42]

What about this:

Lower frequency of flights and the utilization of more efficient turboprops in a re-regulated industry will result in the lower demand of oil.

?

Wait.. that would mean less profits for people in positions of power with serious oil interests(most of them)..

guess we can scratch that idea..

 

[goodgig]

An average roundtrip airline ticket in 1975 was something like $250-300 dollars.. thats average.. not even taking into account a specific city pairing. In todays dollars that is $1050 - $1250. That is not even talking into account that oil has gone up at nearly twice the inflation rate. So add in adjuster for that and the AVERAGE ticket should cost in the $1500 range.

Sooner or later, high speed railroads are going to win.

 

[The_Russian]

Sooner or later, high speed railroads are going to win.

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!

 

[Flopgut]

If we're going to talk about what ticket prices were vs. what they are now, then let's talk about where the industry would be without deregulation. UAL would probably still have a UK base. Braniff would still be in business and probably have intl bases. NWA would be the predominant carrier in the FAR East...There would be plenty of flying jobs! Especially for Americans. Think about it: Our economy/country leads the world in air frieght and fractional operations. We lead in aircraft manufacturing, space programs and our military leads in every possible way. If we had not de-regulated our passenger airlines (or perhaps if we truly DE-reglated them) 2 or 3 US carriers would dominate the global market. But....we have to be able to fly crackheads around for cheaper than they can stay at home!? BS.

 

[Colonel Savage]

Ticket prices haven't dropped as much as you think they have. There has been a marginal drop since the days of regulation, but not the major decrease that everyone thinks.

Are you factoring in inflation? I bought a DEN-SFO-DEN UAL advanced purchase ticket in 1976 for $182, now that ticket would have to be $656 just to cover CPI inflation.