Comments on: Is it time to boycott air travel? http://www.elliott.org/blog/is-it-time-to-boycott-air-travel/ The travel troubleshooter. Mon, 22 Mar 2010 14:17:18 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Liz Zollner http://www.elliott.org/blog/is-it-time-to-boycott-air-travel/comment-page-1/#comment-28210 Liz Zollner Fri, 04 Dec 2009 21:37:21 +0000 http://www.elliott.org/blog/is-it-time-to-boycott-air-travel/#comment-28210 I have been commenting on this for many months. We have quit flying for any travel in the US and Canada. We drive. This summer we drove a loop from Tampa to western South Dakota and back. We drove to St Pete Beach in September. Tomorrow we will drive to the beach in the Florida Panhandle for ten days. By the time we fly to Ecuador in May 2010, we will not have flown at all for 18 months, and have no other plans to fly, either. We simply will not fly domestic, and if we could drive to the Galapagos, we would. Flying is nothing but pain, hardship and brutality for passengers. It can be avoided, if not entirely, then mostly. Boycott, and make it known among your friends and on the web. I have been commenting on this for many months. We have quit flying for any travel in the US and Canada. We drive. This summer we drove a loop from Tampa to western South Dakota and back. We drove to St Pete Beach in September. Tomorrow we will drive to the beach in the Florida Panhandle for ten days. By the time we fly to Ecuador in May 2010, we will not have flown at all for 18 months, and have no other plans to fly, either. We simply will not fly domestic, and if we could drive to the Galapagos, we would. Flying is nothing but pain, hardship and brutality for passengers. It can be avoided, if not entirely, then mostly. Boycott, and make it known among your friends and on the web.

]]> By: anonymous http://www.elliott.org/blog/is-it-time-to-boycott-air-travel/comment-page-1/#comment-21920 anonymous Tue, 28 Jul 2009 04:22:14 +0000 http://www.elliott.org/blog/is-it-time-to-boycott-air-travel/#comment-21920 Boycotting airlines might work but it would have to be something huge, a nationwide boycott with national media attention. It would have to continue for a few months to really effect change and of course have a knife to the throat of any politician who utters the word bailout in relation to the airline industry. There are many people who work for this industry that would be effected. The loss of major airlines in the US would be inevitably picked up by international companies and the loss of many jobs. But here is the real kicker, Air travel is very wasteful and inefficient. It just simply isn't the best way to move man and material around the country or the world for that matter. Time and effort needs to be put into alternatives it really threaten the airlines into lowering their costs. Boycotting airlines might work but it would have to be something huge, a nationwide boycott with national media attention. It would have to continue for a few months to really effect change and of course have a knife to the throat of any politician who utters the word bailout in relation to the airline industry.

There are many people who work for this industry that would be effected. The loss of major airlines in the US would be inevitably picked up by international companies and the loss of many jobs. But here is the real kicker, Air travel is very wasteful and inefficient. It just simply isn’t the best way to move man and material around the country or the world for that matter. Time and effort needs to be put into alternatives it really threaten the airlines into lowering their costs.

]]> By: cris http://www.elliott.org/blog/is-it-time-to-boycott-air-travel/comment-page-1/#comment-20356 cris Thu, 25 Jun 2009 03:50:41 +0000 http://www.elliott.org/blog/is-it-time-to-boycott-air-travel/#comment-20356 I'm boycotting, I was going to London but it's just too much, even just to go to London, the price at FlightCenter.ca says 99* but the * means $430 in fees/taxes, so screw them I'm keeping my money until I see * meaning $100 or less. I’m boycotting, I was going to London but it’s just too much, even just to go to London, the price at FlightCenter.ca says 99* but the * means $430 in fees/taxes, so screw them I’m keeping my money until I see * meaning $100 or less.

]]> By: Delisa http://www.elliott.org/blog/is-it-time-to-boycott-air-travel/comment-page-1/#comment-19927 Delisa Wed, 03 Jun 2009 14:54:55 +0000 http://www.elliott.org/blog/is-it-time-to-boycott-air-travel/#comment-19927 I agree, I was about to book a trip home to GA, and found out that I will not be saving as much money as I thought. The $15.00 baggage fee, the PFC, the 911 security fee, it is ridiculous. I'm driving. I have officially started my boycott, am sending this page to all my friends. I agree, I was about to book a trip home to GA, and found out that I will not be saving as much money as I thought. The $15.00 baggage fee, the PFC, the 911 security fee, it is ridiculous. I’m driving. I have officially started my boycott, am sending this page to all my friends.

]]> By: Linda http://www.elliott.org/blog/is-it-time-to-boycott-air-travel/comment-page-1/#comment-18638 Linda Tue, 07 Apr 2009 18:46:44 +0000 http://www.elliott.org/blog/is-it-time-to-boycott-air-travel/#comment-18638 Airlines are crazy! They charge high flying prices! They charge for food! They charge now for checked baggage! Yes, it's time to boycott airlines. Drive. We need to send petitions to airlines and let them know the public is fed. The truth is we need to send petitions to our politicians and let them know we are fed up and want them to experience the exact same things we, the public, experience. They get the perks! We do not! Airlines are crazy! They charge high flying prices! They charge for food! They charge now for checked baggage! Yes, it’s time to boycott airlines. Drive. We need to send petitions to airlines and let them know the public is fed.

The truth is we need to send petitions to our politicians and let them know we are fed up and want them to experience the exact same things we, the public, experience. They get the perks! We do not!

]]> By: John R. Cordner http://www.elliott.org/blog/is-it-time-to-boycott-air-travel/comment-page-1/#comment-11481 John R. Cordner Thu, 24 Apr 2008 17:26:35 +0000 http://www.elliott.org/blog/is-it-time-to-boycott-air-travel/#comment-11481 With the exception of the types of emergency travel mentioned in other posts, I started my boycott about a year ago. And I don't find myself restricted to nearby travel. The Amtrak station, nearest to my home, is about a one-day drive away--approximately 300 miles. If you opt for travel in a sleeper, the fare is the same, or sometimes higher, than first class air. Also, you need to get used to being bounced-around in your bed at night. However, all this is worth getting-away from the attitudes, cramped conditions, and scams that go with domestic air travel. With the exception of the types of emergency travel mentioned in other posts, I started my boycott about a year ago. And I don’t find myself restricted to nearby travel.

The Amtrak station, nearest to my home, is about a one-day drive away–approximately 300 miles. If you opt for travel in a sleeper, the fare is the same, or sometimes higher, than first class air. Also, you need to get used to being bounced-around in your bed at night. However, all this is worth getting-away from the attitudes, cramped conditions, and scams that go with domestic air travel.

]]> By: Carole Jonas http://www.elliott.org/blog/is-it-time-to-boycott-air-travel/comment-page-1/#comment-9261 Carole Jonas Fri, 22 Feb 2008 20:27:50 +0000 http://www.elliott.org/blog/is-it-time-to-boycott-air-travel/#comment-9261 My husband and I are definitely refusing to fly in the near future. We will be driving round trip between the Seattle area down to Southern California in March -- instead of flying. We will be going to South Carolina (and back) from Seattle to check out housing in July -- driving, not flying. All of this is because of the egregious ways we are treated as the flying public. I wouldn't call our decision a boycott, just a preference for avoiding the monumental hassles of airport entry, security screenings and the ghastly flight experience. My husband and I are definitely refusing to fly in the near future. We will be driving round trip between the Seattle area down to Southern California in March — instead of flying. We will be going to South Carolina (and back) from Seattle to check out housing in July — driving, not flying. All of this is because of the egregious ways we are treated as the flying public. I wouldn’t call our decision a boycott, just a preference for avoiding the monumental hassles of airport entry, security screenings and the ghastly flight experience.

]]> By: Steve Savage http://www.elliott.org/blog/is-it-time-to-boycott-air-travel/comment-page-1/#comment-9221 Steve Savage Thu, 21 Feb 2008 19:15:37 +0000 http://www.elliott.org/blog/is-it-time-to-boycott-air-travel/#comment-9221 Hey - Thanks to everyone for commenting on my boycott idea, and being polite about it. I realize it's highly unlikely to be able to be coordinated or to succeed, it was just my 2-cents' worth. And aside from all the other really good points made above, I have to admit I was really intrigued by Jasper's comment that perhaps it is the business clientele that should boycott. I think he has a good point because communication substitutes exist for them as well, at least to some extent and under some circumstances. My only final thought would be to remember that revenue, and hence profit, for the leisure and airline industry is marginal. It's the last customers whose revenue falls straight to the bottom line. Start taking them away and things could quickly get painful for the L&T industry. Hey – Thanks to everyone for commenting on my boycott idea, and being polite about it. I realize it’s highly unlikely to be able to be coordinated or to succeed, it was just my 2-cents’ worth. And aside from all the other really good points made above, I have to admit I was really intrigued by Jasper’s comment that perhaps it is the business clientele that should boycott. I think he has a good point because communication substitutes exist for them as well, at least to some extent and under some circumstances. My only final thought would be to remember that revenue, and hence profit, for the leisure and airline industry is marginal. It’s the last customers whose revenue falls straight to the bottom line. Start taking them away and things could quickly get painful for the L&T industry.

]]> By: Hoffnung http://www.elliott.org/blog/is-it-time-to-boycott-air-travel/comment-page-1/#comment-9193 Hoffnung Wed, 20 Feb 2008 20:35:27 +0000 http://www.elliott.org/blog/is-it-time-to-boycott-air-travel/#comment-9193 Agree with thrust some comments above: we can book away, but how will the airline we are avoiding realize this is a protest? Additionally, in case of checked bag fee, has UA announced what the policy is/will be for small cap RJ flites where there is no room for a roller that might ordinarily fit into overhead bin on a full-size jet Agree with thrust some comments above: we can book away, but how will the airline we are avoiding realize this is a protest? Additionally, in case of checked bag fee, has UA announced what the policy is/will be for small cap RJ flites where there is no room for a roller that might ordinarily fit into overhead bin on a full-size jet

]]> By: Karin http://www.elliott.org/blog/is-it-time-to-boycott-air-travel/comment-page-1/#comment-9192 Karin Wed, 20 Feb 2008 20:05:06 +0000 http://www.elliott.org/blog/is-it-time-to-boycott-air-travel/#comment-9192 Jasper's comment on Feb 12th was right-on-target. WELL-SAID! I completely agree with you that a boycott could only work if the business industry were the main participants in it. When you need (or simply want) to travel a longer distance, you simply cannot drive. Whenever I need to fly (usually to Europe), I simply book whatever airline is the cheapest. E.g., if Continental is cheaper than SAS, I see no reason to boycott an American airline, if it's still cheaper than the European one. If the price difference is negligble, I select the European airline. However, I believe that airlines of other countries are no more honest than our airlines here (with some notable exceptions). I also agree with the previous posting that were pointing out how the government is constantly bailing out the airline industry. Maybe it's time to let them take responsibility for themselves (although it might raise flight tickets even further). It's simply a complicated situation that doesn't have one single simple answer. Jasper’s comment on Feb 12th was right-on-target. WELL-SAID! I completely agree with you that a boycott could only work if the business industry were the main participants in it. When you need (or simply want) to travel a longer distance, you simply cannot drive. Whenever I need to fly (usually to Europe), I simply book whatever airline is the cheapest. E.g., if Continental is cheaper than SAS, I see no reason to boycott an American airline, if it’s still cheaper than the European one. If the price difference is negligble, I select the European airline. However, I believe that airlines of other countries are no more honest than our airlines here (with some notable exceptions).

I also agree with the previous posting that were pointing out how the government is constantly bailing out the airline industry. Maybe it’s time to let them take responsibility for themselves (although it might raise flight tickets even further). It’s simply a complicated situation that doesn’t have one single simple answer.

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