Airport Security is Killing Us

John Baker said:
This has nothing to do with TSA, it is just that people decided to drive this year rather than fly.
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... which may have everything to do with the TSA.

Or at least, TSA + grumpy airline employees + ticket prices + ...
 
flav8r said:
Ticket Prices?
Are you joking or smoking?
There's two things that have not gone up in price since the 1980's...
Ramen noodles and airfares.
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Yeah, but if you're talking a family of four for example, it's still way cheaper to drive, and in this economy every penny counts.
 
flyingcheesehead said:
Yeah, but if you're talking a family of four for example, it's still way cheaper to drive, and in this economy every penny counts.
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That really depends on what you are flying and where you are going. If you are lugging a family of 4 around, it can indeed be cheaper.

Edit: This cold I'm fighting has effected my reading comprehension...I was thinking you were comparing GA with flying commercially.

Still, while driving may be cheaper, unless you are doing cost-benefit analysis for a business, it is hard to put a price on the amount of time that driving takes. Also, a lot of trips just aren't possible to make driving given some time constraints.

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It's always been cheaper to drive. My guess is security plays a role, but the economy plays a bigger one.
 
steingar said:
It's always been cheaper to drive. My guess is security plays a role, but the economy plays a bigger one.
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True cost is the value of the next best alternative (sorry, I'm an economist). So if your time is worth $200+ per hour, then it's hard for airlines to compete for short hauls and cars on long hauls with your own airplane, even a piston single. The issue with airlines is the fixed cost (time): drive to airport, get through toll gate, park, lug baggage to terminal, check bag, check-in for boarding pass, stand in line for "security" screening, get undressed for TSA, empty pockets into bins for x-ray, hands up for sniffer like a criminal at a felony stop, retrieve clothing, shoes, electronics and accessories (unless treated to a "special" screening), get dressed, wait at gate for boarding call, stand in line at gate when it's your turn, wait for a hundred other people to board and get fastened, fly (OK, this part is shorter than your airplane over the same distance), land and taxi, wait on ramp because the departing flight ahead of you has not left the gate, wait for everyone in seats ahead of you to collect their carry-ons, walk 1/2 mile to baggage claim, wait for carrousel to come alive, wait for your bag (and if lost, well, you know the drill), walk outside to curb to get on rental car bus, wait in line at rental car counter, get your keys and walk 1/4 mile to car. Repeat on return leg.

vs.:

Call FBO to pull bug smasher out of hangar and gas it up, drive to FBO, pull up next to airplane and transfer bags to airplane, park in free covered parking, family hangs out in FBO lounge or theater, munching on fresh cookies, etc., while I do 15-minute pre-flight, all-aboard, fly, pull up to FBO where rental car is waiting to be pulled up to airplane, transfer bags and family and drive away.
 
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