The Supposedly Unfriendly Skies

USAir charged me a dollar for a cup of coffee yesterday morning. I know this is supposed to make me angry, what with the evil airline industry coming up with ever-more-nefarious schemes to suck money from my wallet even as the flying experience deteriorates to levels formerly unknown outside of various former Soviet republics. But I just can't get worked up about it. Most of the whinging is unjustified, I think.

I fly fairly often, probably twice a month on average, short flights and long, national and international, for business and pleasure. It's usually fine. Yes, there's the occasional Kafkaesque nightmare of delays, brought in part by overscheduling. But there are ways to minimize the risk of this (i.e. never, ever connect through O'Hare in the summer, particularly in the afternoon). The seats are a little cramped, but I'm 6'2" and have broad shoulders, so I imagine it's not as bad for most people. Plus, technology is making some things better -- nifty noice-cancelling headphones, for example, and they're going to have wi-fi any day now. The food and coffee they sell in the airport to bring on board is a lot better. Plus, people can't smoke anymore.

So I'd say the experience is a wash, then add on the fact that airline travel is (A) much cheaper than it used to be, and (B) phenomenally safe. Those two things are all most people really care about, and the market has reacted accordingly. It's not like USAir is Exxon/Mobil and they're reaping windfall profits by charging for soft drinks; most of the airlines either went bankrupt recently or are getting there soon. It's properlyiregulated capitalism, and in the long run things tend to work out.

For example, on my return flight, the flight attendant came down the aisle with the beverage cart. "Soft drinks? Coffee? Anyone?" There were probably 60 people on the plane and I don't think a single person bought a drink. So there you have it: for decades airlines have been spending a not-inconsiderable amount of money providing free drinks and snacks that people actually don't want very much, but overconsumed because that's what people do when things are free. And of course they weren't free; the cost just got rolled into the ticket. Now tickets will be a little less expensive, people will only drink cheap coffee or soda if they really want to, and the world will be a slightly more efficient and productive place. That's progress.