Pilots are poorer than taxi drivers.

[Trossie]

DHC2-Eater, absolutely SPOT ON!!!

The only point that I would vary is use of the word 'inteligensia' (correct spelling 'intelligentsia', sorry for the finickiness!). That implies that they are intelligent and that sector of society generally are not! 'Pseudo intelligentsia' might be a more apt term.

Trying to ham-string air travel right now is as philistine as the brainless idiots who were trying to ham-string rail travel a century-and-a-half ago. But then as you said, those will be the same brainless hypocrites who want their cheap air ticket to Tuscany. Just imagine the howls of hypocritical indignation if a Rail Passenger Duty at levels equivalent to APD was levied on rail tickets!

And the more money is stolen from the hard working companies and their customers in taxes, the less money that there is to put into building up the wealth of all involved and eventually the less money that there is left to be able to go on stealing in taxes (and hence suffocating that goose that lays those golden eggs). But, hey!, the greater good dictates that politicians and benefit claimants have a right to a living that supersedes that of real working people who help to create wealth!