This Just In...

As an alternative, of course, the airlines could simply go BK and stop flying altogether, right?

Of COURSE they are adding charges.  You may have noted that IRS made the almost-unprecedented move of increasing the mileage deduction MID-YEAR due to the price of fuel.

OTOH, there will be no arguments about "privatizing" Mitchell Field when there are no scheduled flights.

"stick it to the passenger mode" could also be considered, "passing fuel cost increases on to the passenger mode".  Every business in the world is doing this right now and rightfully so.  

$3 for a soda?

A big tacked on fee because you talked to a live person?

Some of this junk is unreasonable. If other businesses in the private sector operated this badly, they'd be bankrupt.

You can pay $0.00 for a soda if A)  you don't order one, or B) you pay a LOT more for the ticket in the first place.

The airlines are operating just as the FAA wants them to:  frequently, and to destinations which are ridiculous (Stevens Point/Wausau, e.g.)

You want better service?  Get the friggin' Gummint OUT of mandating flights.

Kevin, I worry about you.  You may have been in Madistan for too long...

Dad29, you're defending the most screwed up industry in the world?

If these were taxes, you'd be screaming bloody murder. No justification for these inflated charges.

Worry about yourself, my friend.

They are NOT taxes--which means that the airlines can/should do anything they want to survive (or not survive.)

They don't take your money at the point of a gun, do they?  You can drive; you can bus; you can take the train.  

Remember that FAA regs (and GWB's "security" regimen) make the airlines do a great deal of silly, costly, and non-productive things.

So yah, they deserve a defense.  Do I like what I see?  Nope.  But that doesn't mean that the airlines, all by themselves, are screwing customers.

Right on the money DAD29.  Nothing to add.  

Dad29, if you read my last comment, I never said they were taxes. I said IF we were discussing taxes and they were going up this way, you'd be screaming bloody murder.

Not a very strong argument that businesses can do whatever they want when it comes to pricing.

DUH!

Of course they can. They can also choose to do the wrong thing and I believe they most certainly have.

So it's George Bush's fault? You forgot Reagan and El Nino.

Dad29 and Josh Strupp together running their own business. Can you picture it?

Come check out our 40% price increase specials!

Ay yay yay.

You need some Bach to settle you down, Dad29.

If I could increase my prices by 40% with minimal consequences I would in a heart beat.  

Did any of you political-science guys ever step into a business classroom?