Erik Helmerson: Therefore tortured we are by the airlines

Say what you want about christmas, but it may not be the Green party favorithögtid. We light all of the lighting that can fit in the mains, ordering a myriad of toxic plastsaker from China and will be flying the length and breadth of the country and the world together to eat animals of all possible species.

not only of the earth but also of ourselves. The older reader may recall how the the flight was an exclusive experience, an opportunity to stretch out and light a cigarette after eating their gratismåltid visited the valley with an equally free gin tonic. You dressed up before the flight, for a visit to the opera or a fussy relative.

today it is different. Boardingen is a war with kabinväskor as a weapon, your legs had been clean for a smurf, the food and the drink costs extra and the only people who are dressed up are the ones whose all other items of clothing disappeared in a anslutningsflight.

gone backwards? Why have we gone from civilization into barbarism right in the air?

the Answer is quite simple: It's the economy, stupid.

A declaration was four years ago in a much-publicized article in the New Yorker. Under the heading ”Why airlines want to torment you,” wrote Tim Wu, american law professor, about the phenomenon of ”calculated suffering”. It is about the phenomenon to draw in on the obvious – food, bags and the place where you can have your feet – and then call them extra services and charge fees for them. Fees are very lucrative for the airlines.

the Behaviour towards the passengers simply acknowledge what cartoon character Dilberts head of human resources says about their employees: ”Torture them less, and they see it as a reward”.

development is troublesome. Why create the relatively free air not more well-being for our customers, but more discomfort and irritation?

the Answer is probably quite simple and have also been put forward in the controversy with Tim Wu: It's the economy, stupid. Customers are generally willing to forego all possible convenience in order to save money. If only the journey is cheap, we can withstand anything, including that in the eight hours be printed together as in a mangle and refrain from other food than fingernails.

This, that we are willing to put up with almost anything as long as it is cheap, is in many ways bad news for the environment. Secondly, it means that the flight will never be made so uncomfortable that we refrain – the only thing that bites is the price, which would require substantial taxes and fees from the players other than the industry itself.

applies on a larger scale: We have easier to stand out with an all obekvämare and ogästvänligare climate than to pay to improve it.