Airlines Are Restricting Fuel To Cut Costs!

Pilots are complaining that greedy airline big wigs aren’t filling planes to a comfortable capacity for traveling. For reference, the last major crash in the US attributed to low fuel was Jan. 25, 1990, where 73 of the 178 passengers were killed. This news comes as one hell of a shock to me, considering that most of us who travel often enough typically have to resort to airlines in order to get overseas. Quite frankly, I’m looking into traveling by freight boat next time I have to cross some vast oceanography.

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This is obviously completely endangering customers. Fuel prices are high, but does that really warrant that kind of response? Companies like Frontier Airlines that have had to file for bankruptcy due to profit losses have cited rising fuel prices as a huge factor. When pilots (employees of these airlines, I might add) are complaining to federal agencies like NASA and the FAA for problems that are obviously a safety hazard, there are huge problems in the airline industry when nothing is immediately done about it.

Flying has proved to be incredibly inconvenient and sometimes downright intrusive for many people. Maybe it is time for the airline industry to suffer serious public backlash for putting customers in possible harm’s way in order to widen profit margins?

  1. Why am i not surprised by this revelation. I have to say Im sick to death of every one blaming every one else. If it’s not the rising cost of oil it’s how heavy your bag is or it’s the wrong shape you have to pay extra for that.

    Yes i agree in part the airlines should take our safety as paying (through the nose) customers seriously, but… I think we should be thinking more towards the big oil sheiks who sit there a say, “I’m bored, let’s put the price of our oil up and watch the ensuing chaos.”

  2. Elizabeth: I don’t doubt that holding back fuel for flights is plenty better for the environment, but in my opinion, a line has to be drawn between cutting costs, possibly lowering emissions, and the overall safety of the flight’s passengers.

    Very interesting read though, thank you for the comment and link.

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