News and notes from around the interweb:
- How the TSA sells the banned items you leave behind at the checkpoint
- Can Lyft pull out an Avis? It’s hard being number 2 as a tech company. Avis “tried harder” although sadly they no longer do.
- If airlines were colluding to raise price, why have over 80% of attempted price increases failed? (Yes, the DOJ is investigating airlines colluding on capacity as an indirect way to drive up price, but it’s noteworthy they’ve been unable to collude directly to raise price.)
- American will starting flying its 787s Los Angeles – Shanghai on October 5 and Los Angeles – Sao Paulo on November 5.
- I had a great time yesterday going on Fox News Happening Now on a panel with Ben Schlappig of One Mile at a Time and Jamie Larounis of The Forward Cabin. The only problem, I suppose is that the topic was the DOJ’s investigation of airline collusion and none of us thought much of it based on currently available evidence. There just wasn’t any controversy!
- Video footage of Manfred von Richthofen, the Red Baron, the German World War I flying ace credited with 80 victories in air combat. (HT: J.K.)
Priceless to see all three of you saying there is no collusion. Either you are right and DOJ has zero evidence to open the investigation, or you are spectacularly wrong if they do have evidence. Not even a single critical word about the airlines at all.
@AAExPlat actually I’m quite careful to say over and over in everything I’ve written that there could well be damaging emails that ultimately make a case and embarrass an airline. It doesn’t amount to much though because it’s pretty much inconceivable that collusion could be the driver of prices here. And I am taking a stark position very much at odds with the major airlines: the government should eliminate foreign ownership restrictions and bring in real competition against the major domestic carriers.
Do all three of you actually need those identical looking eyeglasses or is that just the trendy “I’m on TV” look at the moment?! Swear I’ve seen pictures of both you and Ben without glasses before…
I wish Foxnews would report on this instead: http://reason.com/blog/2015/07/02/yoink-tsa-publicizes-man-traveling-with
@Andrew I started wearing glasses for reading in December. Eyes aren’t as strong as they were before I hit 40. I can’t speak to anyone else’s eyesight. And I can tell you there was no coordination.
@Nathan Drake – well, I’ve already written on that story
@Gary. I would agree that general pricing is unlikely to be driven by collusion. Capacity discipline effectively amounts to collusion though because it artificially restricts capacity at this point. Same thing with devaluations and total lack of customer service… Maybe not outright collusion but certainly the same effect in an industry with only 4 major players.
I wish you guys would speak out on consumers’ behalf when it comes to pax ex. I just flew LH on A380 long haul in Y and then a A320 in short haul Y and it is astounding how much better LH is across the board. The seats on the A380 were Recaro slim lines, but unlike the UA versions these were comfortable and my rear did not hurt after 3 hours. Food was edible and plane was spacious and clean and on time. On the short haul, I got served breakfast in the back and decent coffee and the seats were fine although less comfy than on the A380.
Why do we have to settle for the very worst in this country? It is just embarrassing. I don’t know that I advocate your foreign ownership idea, but I certainly think that additional competition is needed badly however we can get it.
@Gary Leff Wait till you hit the other “Zero” ages! LOL Just check an eyeglass stand in a pharmacy. The chart, on the eye glass stand for readers, gives you guidance as where to start checking based upon AGE. Obviously they get stronger as you get older, just a fact of life for most of us. Love your blog. It’s the first one I read everyday!
@Nathan Drake, missed that post you made. But yeah, I hope the media would shed more light on those stories.
Are those backgrounds backdrops, or were all of you actually in those places? I’ve always been curious.
@Ken the Texas State Capitol is behind me, not a backdrop.
Thanks.