# Help for the Airlines



## oldman (Mar 16, 2020)

Maybe this post should go under “Financial.” The President said on TV this afternoon that the airlines will be given help by the government. He wasn’t specific, but I imagine he’s talking about tax cuts.


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## Pecos (Mar 16, 2020)

You mean help for the people who have jammed us into torture chambers with uncomfortable seats, poor air quality, sorry gate treatment, long lines, questionable food, and lost luggage.

I say, let them suffer.


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## oldman (Mar 16, 2020)

Pecos said:


> You mean help for the people who have jammed us into torture chambers with uncomfortable seats, poor air quality, sorry gate treatment, long lines, questionable food, and lost luggage.
> 
> I say, let them suffer.


I agree with everything, except poor air quality. I have read several different articles, not put out by the airlines, that the air quality on a plane is as clean as what you would expect it to be in some hospitals. I know that on most of the planes that I flew, used HEPA filters.

United has done much better with lost luggage. When that does happen, it’s not the airline’s fault. It’s the person tagging the bag with the wrong airport code or the sorter routes it to the wrong plane.


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## Lakeland living (Mar 16, 2020)

I am thankful for the cleaner air we will get while they don't fly.


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## jujube (Mar 16, 2020)

Pecos said:


> You mean help for the people who have jammed us into torture chambers with uncomfortable seats, poor air quality, sorry gate treatment, long lines, questionable food, and lost luggage.
> 
> I say, let them suffer.



 Oh, yeah, I'll be sobbing into my pillow tonight because of their sad plight...…….


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## Lakeland living (Mar 16, 2020)

Nope, not a even a crocodile tear.


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## oldman (Mar 17, 2020)

I just hope that the gov’t doesn’t give the airlines any money. They have made billions just on the fees they have charged over the years.


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## Don M. (Mar 17, 2020)

The government bailed out the Auto industry during the last crisis...I suspect the same will happen for the airlines, perhaps even the oil industry, and the entertainment world.  We will probably see a huge jump in the National Debt before this mess is over, and that will create even more problems in the future.


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## fmdog44 (Mar 17, 2020)

With travel sinking to all time lows due to the virus we may see some major carriers belly up for good.


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## Don M. (Mar 17, 2020)

Now, Washington is talking about sending every adult a check for $1000....perhaps as early as sometime in April.  They did something similar in 2008, during the last meltdown.  That will help the millions whose jobs are quickly being shut down....IF they do so.  There are just an overwhelming number of things that could tank our economy, and a lot of people may not have enough money in coming weeks and months to afford Toilet Paper.


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## gennie (Mar 17, 2020)

In a capitalistic society, why should any for-profit company - privately owned by stockholders - that pays its CEOs and top management obscene amounts of money in salary, stock options, bonuses and perks in good times qualify for government help in bad times? 

Good management of a company assures that there are reserves to keep the business going in bad times.   In a family, its called savings.  In a business, its called reserves.  Stockholders are just investors.  They are betting that a business will do well.  It's a gamble and not all gambles succeed.

JMHO


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## oldman (Mar 17, 2020)

I would be really surprised to see any money from the gov't. This is one of Mitt Romney's ideas. I heard that the airlines may receive somewhere around $50bil.


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## oldman (Mar 17, 2020)

gennie said:


> In a capitalistic society, why should any for-profit company - privately owned by stockholders - that pays its CEOs and top management obscene amounts of money in salary, stock options, bonuses and perks in good times qualify for government help in bad times?
> 
> Good management of a company assures that there are reserves to keep the business going in bad times.   In a family, its called savings.  In a business, its called reserves.  Stockholders are just investors.  They are betting that a business will do well.  It's a gamble and not all gambles succeed.
> 
> JMHO


I agree, however, to answer your question, right now just the opposite is true. They are losing money everyday like you know what through a you know what. In the last ten years, the airlines raked in a lot of cash. But, keep in mind, all of the big American airlines have been buying planes and Boeing Triple 7's (777) don't come cheap. Also, a lot of those profits went to buy back their stock, pay dividends, bonuses and high salaries. It's kind of like if you hit the lottery and all of a sudden you had ten million dollars to spend. You would probably be spending and giving away cash like there was no end to it. (Or maybe not.) But, the airlines did. 

Back when I retired, I made the most that I ever did in a single year. With salary and bonus, I topped $300K. Not bad for a pilot. Today, that kind of money is no surprise for a Senior Captain that flies to international routes. I know a few Captains that fly domestic only, like I did, making $300K.  

One thing is for sure, the U.S. needs our airlines if we want to stay in the economic global position that we hold today. Every investment banker knows that.


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## oldman (Mar 18, 2020)

I am sure that people are against the airlines receiving any money from the government's stimulus package due to the fact that they have been raking in the dough the past ten or so years. I really don't like it, either and I am all about airlines making money. As mush as many people, even on this forum, don't like planes, airports and anything associated with flying, keeping the birds in the air is essential to the U.S. economy. 

However, like everyone else, let's hope that the airlines also learn something from this experience, otherwise, we are likely to see a repeat someday and have to go through this all over again. I would hate to even imagine a do-over at this stage in my life.


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## Lakeland living (Mar 18, 2020)

I only have a problem with the tons of of jet fuel exhaust  the put in the air.


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## oldman (Mar 18, 2020)

Lakeland living said:


> I only have a problem with the tons of of jet fuel exhaust  the put in the air.


Yes, jets do add tons of greenhouse gases to the atmosphere. Something that is generally overlooked just because we want (need) to fly.


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## Don M. (Mar 18, 2020)

oldman said:


> Yes, jets do add tons of greenhouse gases to the atmosphere. Something that is generally overlooked just because we want (need) to fly.



Yes, airplanes do contribute to pollution...but then, so does virtually other human activity....cars, power plants, etc.,etc.  One of the Largest pollutants entering our atmosphere, daily, is Methane....coming from the manure and "flatulence" on our cattle, pig and poultry farms.  Should humans all become vegetarians...and how would enough of that be grown without massive amounts of agricultural machines which would certainly release far more pollutants than airplanes??? 

Transportation is one of the cornerstones of modern society, and unless we want to turn the clock back, centuries, we need it.


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## peppermint (Mar 18, 2020)

Well, we were supposed to go home by plane next month....My kids don't want us to fly...they want to come here to get us to go home...
We love our 2nd home, but I do really want to go home soon.....The kids are adamant about not going on the plane....
My husband is not happy to go by car, it's a very long trip....UGH!!!!!


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## RadishRose (Mar 18, 2020)

Think about a covered wagon ...that's really an ugh. ☺


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## oldman (Mar 19, 2020)

Don M. said:


> Yes, airplanes do contribute to pollution...but then, so does virtually other human activity....cars, power plants, etc.,etc.  One of the Largest pollutants entering our atmosphere, daily, is Methane....coming from the manure and "flatulence" on our cattle, pig and poultry farms.  Should humans all become vegetarians...and how would enough of that be grown without massive amounts of agricultural machines which would certainly release far more pollutants than airplanes???
> 
> Transportation is one of the cornerstones of modern society, and unless we want to turn the clock back, centuries, we need it.


I think maybe the op that brought up the issue about airplanes adding greenhouse gasses to the atmosphere may have been suggesting that we should seek alternate forms of energy. Just like for automobiles using gasoline. We just never investigated using alternate fuels to power combustible or jet engines.


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