Comments

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  Ed Wetschler September 23, 2010 at 4:27pm

  Attending a press event tonight featuring a lecture by an NYU professor of classics and art history. These days, I've grown more accustomed to press events at lofts that feature Day-glo martinis. Is this lecture the new retro?
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  Charlie Leocha September 22, 2010 at 5:00pm

  Tomorrow is Mad As Hell Day. If you haven't signed the petition at www.madashellabouthiddenfees.com please do so and tell all your friends. We are into the 10s of thousands of signatures. It be a powerful message to send to DOT and the airlines.

  Men and women are different
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  Charlie Leocha September 22, 2010 at 4:59pm

  The airlines are making money again, lots of money. Try $2.1 billion last quarter from baggage fees alone. http://snipr.com/15j12d
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  Charlie Leocha September 19, 2010 at 8:42pm

  I have written and spoken to Congressional staff about both the exit-row seating issues and the taxation issues.
  
  RE: Exit rows -- Airlines assure safety regulators that anyone assigned exit row seats must be willing and able to open the emergency doors. Of course we know that is questionable whether the seats are sold or assigned randomly.
  
  RE: Excise taxes -- The federal transporation excise tax that is be discussed is assessed only on passengers. Airlines do not pay that tax, you do. It is a tax that is added to airfares and non-optional portions of the ticket. It is hidden and charged directly to passengers, bypassing the airlines.
  
  Senators and Representatives barking up that tree are only suggesting that passenger taxes be increased. The current rules issued by the IRS were issued after a letter from American Airlines asking for clarification of whether baggage fees should be taxed. IRS determined, no. That means we are only paying $35 for a bag for instance instead of $37.62 if it was taxed.
  
  Airlines pay taxes on the profits that they make from all of their fees. Those federal and state corporate taxes are not exempted.
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  Evelyn Kanter September 19, 2010 at 8:27pm

  Charlie, another issue is that airlines pay federal taxes only on the money they earn from passenger tickets and cargo. They keep all the fees for checked baggage, the the pillows and sandwiches they sell us on board. They are making zillions on these fees and bypassing federal taxes -- which could help support air traffic control and other safety improvements.
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  Dick Jordan September 19, 2010 at 7:46pm

  Thanks a lot, Allan! If the airline execs read your post they will no doubt hit upon a new way to reap additional revenue: Charge an extra fee for flying on an aircraft staffed by flight attendants, who, like those emergency row seats are there for safety purposes. (On flights without such attendants, passengers will be randomly assigned those roles).
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  Sam Scribe September 19, 2010 at 6:33pm

  Charlie, Allan's framing of this question is logical and compelling, because it underscores the hypocrisy of airline safety rules. Please include it verbatim in your remarks to the industry.
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  Allan Lynch September 19, 2010 at 6:22pm

  Charlie,
  
  I tried to send you a message about this, but apparently we have to be "friends" first. I'm done with all these cyber rules.
  
  Here's my question for US lawmakers - and airline executives - how can you charge a premium for the emergency row seats? I understand that's it's much sought after territory on a plane. But just as the industry likes to tell us that flight attendants are really there for our safety, who sits in the emergency row shouldn't be held hostage to those who will part with an additional $15-$25-$40. You need to be able and willing to open the door (or not if conditions aren't favourable) in an emergency. You need to be able to understand the working language of the flight crew. Simply being willing to pay a few extra bucks doesn't match those qualifications.
  
  Are the airlines not in violation of some sort of federal safety rules or regulations? Are the airlines not contradicting decades of policy/PR which says our safety is their first priority?
  
  I think charging extra for these seats is obscene.
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  Sam Scribe September 19, 2010 at 5:41pm

  Nepal and Tibet have just undertaken a campaign to attract 1,000,000 visitors. I don't view this as a good development. Do you?
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  Charlie Leocha September 18, 2010 at 7:46pm

  Tell me the story of your flight from hell. I am addressing all of the PR directors of all of the airlines at the ATA conference on Thursday. Who knows where stories I have will come into play. Actually, I am planning on asking them how we can work together on projects like air traffic control and easing the crazy visa problems and CBP entry problems we are having here in the US. I need to develop a good relationship with them.
  
  Yesterday, had a meeting with the director of privacy for Homeland Security. Very interesting.