Isn’t the real answer here to simply shut down flying altogether? No terrorist threat then!
To avoid bag check fees, travelers are routinely opting to carry on their bags, but the TSA says that the cost is just getting shifted to tax payers, to the tune of $260 million a year. That’s because the more bags that don’t get checked, the more bags the TSA has to inspect by hand at security checkpoints. Now the TSA is looking to get a cut of some of the checked baggage fees the airlines collect.
“My question is, do the taxpayers have to pick up this fee?” said Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano during testimony in Senate Appropriations subcommittee on homeland security. “Or should we be looking at the airlines for some of the profits that they make from these fees to offset the cost the taxpayer?”
The TSA has also been pushing for an increase in the airport security fee travelers currently pay. Currently passengers pay up to a $5 fee each for a one-way ticket
And you know, if they get a piece of the bag check fees, the airlines will just push the cost to travelers in the form of higher fares. The solution is clear: fly naked and bring nothing except for your patriotism.
#31–Mike==we’ll never know will we. Does raise for me the notion that Obama doesn’t know how to negotiate “or” he thinks showing good will at the start is the way to get a better deal in the long term–ie, a philosophy that works only in fairy tales. Just how much can the PUKES abuse this country and Obama before he realizes he is in a blood war for his second term? He’s really being quite silly.
but yes, I’d love to be a fly on the wall when the notion of the individual mandate came up. Obama taught constitutional law? Hard to believe. If you are going for a controversial societal change, you don’t want to base it on an iffy constitutional basis when facing a PUKE supreme court.
Makes no sense at all. And thats what I see all around me, everywhere I look: no sense at all. Even AS WE SPEAK the economic consequences of tax breaks for the rich are coming home to roost and yet STILL the PUKES maintain 50% plus/minus of the electorate’s vote.
Silly Hoomans. How do I get off this planet?
If the Homeland Security Secretary believes the Taxpayers are already picking up the baggage checking fees. Then clearly, the TSA’s job is another example of a government subsidy, for the air travel industry. But the media wags seem to act as if rail travel (Amtrak) is the only one being subsidized. And grouses about it. Who do they think foots the bill for all the nation wide air traffic monitoring? I’m sure the airlines pay some taxes. But not the whole cost of this system. So how are their special needs any less onerous of taxpayer funding, than rail travel? And they’re frequently wanting more airports built, rather than raising their rates to slow demand. Again, putting the cost of new airports (or expanded ones) on the taxpayers’ back.
Most jumps in air travel usage, are the results of airline flying incentives. Like the “Frequent Flier” discounts. After 9-11, much of this demand vanished. And so did the call for more airports. But I’ll wager it’ll be back soon. Just as soon as rail travel threaten the industry’s near monopoly, the slightest.
Actually. there once was another reason for an increase in carry-on baggage. Well before the additional baggage fees kicked it. Baggage theft! There was a significant problem with passengers loosing valuables from their checked bags. Quite a black market on cameras and such, placed in them. And this was well before people started packing laptops, PDAs and iPads. So did these baggage theft rings ever get stopped? I never heard of it. Seems the terrorist threat was the only thing the government focused on stopping. And the news has said nothing about any other air travel complication. So it wouldn’t surprise me if passengers are keeping their high-end possessions closest to them. Which can be a tidy bundle of gear, by now. And nothing is being said anymore about the thievery problem, if it still exists. And since we don’t as yet live in Utopia, I’m sure it still does.
Did the TSA Catch any “Terrorists” yet ? Then get rid of the TSA !!!