Re: Going out of business
As harsh at it might seem, it will require a major to go to the wall, for the rest of the industry to get their house in order. There is a direct analogy with the excesses of the banking industry here. Suddenly, regulators are taking a close interest in the excesses, with gross salaries and bonuses paid to the few at the expense of the many and frankly corporate cultures which were abusive to customers. The banks believed they were untouchable, and although many have been bailed out, some big names failed and this is a salutory lesson to the others.
I think the same will have to happen with some of the airlines. My vote would be for Delta. They have abused their monopoly and are abusive towards their customers and staff. Although there will be considerable pain in such a restructuring, in the long run the health of the industry is at stake. US airlines are frequently unprofitable and have an unhealthy attitude towards their own staff and customers. They are protected beyond reason and are very much in the same mould as the banks and the US auto industry. Unless a major is allowed to fail, this abuse will continue.
re: Underage drinking. I am afraid that David has a healthier attitude to alcohol consumption by his 18 - 20 year old daughters than PHX or Leatherboy. The evidence is that countries which take a prohibition stance towards alcohol use (such as Northern European countries which seek to control alcohol though very high taxation and strict regulation and the US which uses prohibition for 18-20 year olds) have a significantly greater problem with excessive consumption and binge drinking. Those societies which take a more relaxed attitude, such as the "cafe culture" countries (Spain, Italy and France for example) often introduce alcohol at a much earlier age (wine with a meal from the age of 12 for example) and have significantly less social problems as a result and certainly much lower rates of binge drinking.
It is curious anomoly that in the US, a man of 18 can go and fight in a bloody war in defence of his country, but at the end of that bloody fight the law says he is too immature to have a beer with his fellow soldiers. Nontheless, that is the law, and whilst the David's daughters might be wrong to have ordered the drink, it is incumbant upon the seller (ie the Airline in this case) and a condition of their licence to ensure that the recipient is the right age. Bars have lost their liquor licence for failing to adhere to this rule.. so why should airlines be any different?
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