Flying? Checking two bags? Not so fast, my friend...

I view this as a tax on golfers.

 

I wonder how much it would cost to ship a suitcase to your destination. If this becomes industry standard I'd rather give the money to FedEx or DHL than the polesmokers at United or Northwest.

 

I think there's a company that already does that. I'm sure I read an article about it a year or so ago.

 

Go ahead . . . check it out . . . you pay FEARSOMELY for the privilege.

 

i remember when you got a hot meal and a shaving kit in a nice little case when you flew across the country first class on US Air

now you get pretzels

 

I have more than a few friends buying into private plane leases--guarantee you'll fly X hours in a year, call for a plane when you need one. Self-employed business owners who have had enough with the lines and waits and hassles and cancellations.

Beautiful and easy way to travel...now if someone could find a way to make it reasonably affordable.

(Waiting for Boom to weigh in...if JetBlue doesn't go there, we're not going.)

 

Boom likes those personal TV's, I'm betting.

 

One of the joys of getting upgraded on those Continental jumbos out of Houston.

 

The majors could provide something similar to private fractional service by simply splitting their timetables. You run 20 flights a day from LGA to Chicago? Make 10 flights exclusive to business travelers. 10 for civilians. Charge for each seat at the same rate you do now. I.e., businesswoman flying full-fare, short-notice coach pays $479 for the seat. College sophomore flying home for the holidays books six months in advance (or the night before on Orbitz) and pays $149.

 

Or this country could invest, heavily, in high-speed passenger rail, like every other civilized nation on earth, and particularly along the lines of Tommy Thompson's five-state Midwest network.