Ryanomics
Sorry to go off at a tangent folks, but reading theses posts I begin to see at last where my view of airline economics have gone wrong! In order to fly and make a profit (as opposed to running on cash-flow, which has been a common problem with rapidly expanding airlines and travel agents), you get the manufacturer to pay you for the privilege of your using their aircraft, you get the airports to pay you for the honour of your flying people in and out and using the loos, you get the crew to pay for their training, and prove their loyalty in advance by travelling all over europe at their own expense to train, and you get the pax to pay you bonuses for such luxuries as checking in, carrying baggage, etc. You also charge them for paying you a fare! Are they also getting the fuel free? If only Freddie Laker had known all this! Next stage could be to get the pax to pay for cleaning (after all, they make the mess), the pilots to pay for landing and handling (because they fly the plane somewhere). Maybe they should have a coin op table and sick sack dispenser on seat backs?