News and notes from around the interweb:
- Uber used to take a flat 20% of fares and drivers got the rest. Surge pricing meant drivers made more, and were encouraged to come onto the platform during times of scarcity.
When they moved to flat fares and upfront pricing instead of surge pricing that people ‘hated’ they started figuring out (1) how much individual riders were willing to pay, and (2) the least a driver would accept and by 2022 they’d increased their take to 32% and Uber now keeps 42% of fares.
The ridersharing platform has been in a downward spiral gouging riders and squeezing drivers at the same time.
- Travellers Were Just Heading To Their Rooms At This Hilton Hotel, When Suddenly They Received A Shaq Attack (HT: Paul H)
@chasinchelsea This was a choice for sure. #hilton #shaq #decorating #art #hotel #asethetic #why ♬ sonido original – Vibes by Ley - United Airlines ‘performance art’
@united, after 4 hours of delays at SFO, I finally boarded my “Premium Econ Plus” seat to find… no seat. Just a ripped, detached chair base, just vibes.
Is this performance art or punishment for being a Premier Gold?@unitedairCEO this chair belongs in a museum, not on a flight pic.twitter.com/8D76s8VC6P
— Neda Razavi (@NedaRazaviJoon) August 7, 2025
- Horrible Woman On Flight Forcefully Made Another Passenger Get Out Of Her Seat, So This Passenger Kept Farting On The Flight (HT: Paul H)
Relatedly, < ahref="https://viewfromthewing.com/this-airport-food-trend-could-ruin-your-next-flight-the-chili-catastrophe/" target=_blank>putting chili restaurants in airports just seems like a really bad idea.
- I mean, they were inert… (HT: Joe R)
- Dutch King Willem-Alexander is a guest pilot at KLM flying 737s. One-term former congressman Kai Kahele (D-HI) flew for Hawaiian Airlines. So why not?
When your pilot is also Maryland’s Mount Airy Mayor Larry Hushour — you know it’s gonna be a perfectly greased landing with @SouthwestAir. ✈️ pic.twitter.com/AdU5K3PJjF
— Aruna K. Miller (@arunamiller) August 8, 2025
‘How many times old man…’ (Spongebob meme, @L737?)
I just want workers (drivers, here) and consumers (passengers, here) to be treated better, so, yes, pay drivers more (they’re the ones taking all the risk, doing the work) and don’t harm consumers either (don’t charge us more than necessary, don’t pay games with prices to an excessive level).
As usual, it’s corporate greed (ride-share companies, like Uber, Lyft, etc., those behind the apps) that are taking more than their fair share here (and not providing much to the actual drivers). Enough with this exploitation.
And for those in NYC, if it weren’t for the $10, $15, etc., per month in ‘Uber Cash’ from the Gold/Platinum Amex, and the $10 ride-share credit via Delta Reserve Amex, I’d probably never use Uber. They price-gauge. JFK-Manhattan should be a flat $75-85, like the Yellow cab, depending on time of day, peak, etc. Uber will be $150-250… for a Camry. Absurd. Lyft still somewhat has more reasonable prices, but they’ll be like $100-125 at a similar time. At those rates, I’m taking the Yellow cab, or the A train. Same for LGA, E train to the bus; EWR, PATH to Newark, then bus or ride-share ($15-25). Otherwise, it’s getting nuts out there. And at $250, might as well take the helicopter (didn’t @Gary Leff do Blade recently?)
@1990 — that’s a throwback! SpongeBob memes are a whole new world as an adult. And yes. Agreed on Uber, seems like it’s getting out of control
The big decoration! I approve. Surprised Shaq doesn’t have a hotel sponsorship yet.
” has been in a downward spiral ”
Seems like they are in an upward spiral. You’d rather they go back to unprofitability? If drivers don’t like it they are welcome to start their own ridesharing platform.
BTW, those are artillery shells, not RPGs.
@L737 — ‘I’m ready…’ for workers and consumers to not get screwed by big companies… also, ‘is mayonnaise an instrument’?
@Mantis — So, are you admitting that there are anti-competitive practices and realities in this space, or… merely disparaging the workers, yet again, like you usually do… hmm… I wonder…
@L737 — Hi again, which reminds me: “I’ll start my own (ride share app)… with blackjack and hookers! …you know, forget the (ride share app)!”
We have HUM as a rideshare alternative here (not sure where they operate) – flat subscription fee for the driver and he keeps the rest.
Unfortunately, they always charge more than Uber/Lyft. Good that the driver keeps a higher % so every ride creates more $ in her/his pocket. But charging more is just greedy.