Re: When efficiency isn't efficient!

Seth Breidbart wrote:
In article <nDHLh.7977$FS5.7873@trndny09>,
Martha Adams <mhada@xxxxxxxxxxx> top-posted:

This thread, in my perception, is about us as a society and
about the dependability of certain public resources within this
society. I think that of these resources, the airline travel
resource is operated for maximum profit under conditions
that make it unable to respond in ways good for society if
unusual situations arise.

Do you believe that airlines should be required to leave 1/3 of their
seats vacant (under normal conditions) so after a weather problem
they'll have spare capacity to move people quickly? Perhaps they
should leave 1/2 or 2/3 vacant to solve the problem even faster?

Are you willing to pay the excess cost (if they sell half as many
tickets, the price has to double)?

Or do you just think that capacity should magically be created when
needed?

Personally, I favor magically creating capacity when needed. That would work wonderfully!

There are ways to create excess capacity without leaving flying seats idle; they aren't *free*, but they may not cost as much as flying empty seats. If they own 10% more planes than they need now, that should get them close to 10% reserve capacity. There are extra capital costs, some extra maintenance cost, but no extra fuel costs and little extra aircrew expense. I dunno if they'd need more employees, or if short-term overtime could cover most crunches like this one (staying within the FAA safe rest time rules of course). (I wouldn't let them sit idly in reserve, I'd rotate them through; as a side-effect I might well get improved on-time numbers, something consumers seem to care about now.) Anyway, 10% extra reserve capacity probably costs considerably less than 10% extra on each ticket.

Libertarian principles argue against requiring it by law. Liberal principles suggest that an airline shouldn't be allowed to leave people stranded 1000 miles from home.
.

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