When you compare air travel will automobile travel, you are not comparing apples with apples. There are two flaws in your comparison:
1. What kind of friction force you have to overcome on roads and in the air? Are they of the similar magnitude? I think not.
2. You are comparing mass transport with personal transport. Do you think fuel consumption per passenger per unit distance of a bus is similar to that of a car? I think not.
[ 10 December 2001: Message edited by: casual observer ]