What Are They Thinking?

Less than a month ago this BLOG reported amazement that the airlines were increasing capacity. We are more amazed today. I just bought a ticket roundtrip from Huntsville, AL—we are not a major hub and have no discount airline service—to fit my schedule, on a legacy carrier, for a grand total (including fees and taxes) of $258.19! I also got a quote from here to Boston and return for an all-up total of $296.60—again, to fit my schedule, on a legacy carrier. (I didn’t buy that one yet. I’m waiting on prices to go down!) Is there any hope for the airline industry? What is their competition? Not driving, that’s for sure. Gas alone on the Phoenix trip would be more than the airline ticket. Gas plus a few meals would cost more than the Boston trip. Throw in a little insurance, tolls, motels, and other costs and it gets even more ridiculous. Obviously, the only competition is with other airlines. Is memory so short that they can’t remember where this downward spiral of ticket prices quickly leads them? If "one swallow doth not a summer make," then surely one summer of (slightly) higher ticket prices doth not a turnaround make for an entire industry. But so help me, that’s the way the industry acts. The airline industry proved this summer that the traveling public will not quit flying if airfare goes up a little. Having proved that, they bought more airplanes and lowered prices. What are they thinking?  We'd love to post your comments. Click on the comment box at the top.