Will Air Travel Hit Tipping Point?
May 13, 2008. Author Malcolm Gladwell popularized the sociological term "tipping point" as that moment when a phenomenom hits a certain threshold. Could we be hitting a tipping point in air travel, especially with the effect it will have on the luxury vacation rental industry, business travel, and overall tourism this summer?
Every week, more news stories and columns examine a new angle on this story. As the economy bottoms out, hurting the summer travel season, the One-Two Punch might be just what it takes.
As Joe Brancatelli noted in Conde Nast's Portfolio.com, there are compelling arguments on both sides of the aisle as to how bumpy the ride will be this summer. Pessimists point out rising costs all around, from airfares to extra fees, marching in lockstep with increasing delays and cancellations. Optimists could say the recent mergers will alleviate some of the sky-high congestion, and all this pessimism might scare the airlines into dropping prices.
Either way, something needs to be done.
The new book "Terminal Chaos: Why U.S. Air Travel Is Broken and How to Fix It," offers a few solutions. To begin with, airlines should have to bid for a limited number of slots at America's busiest airports, a move that could force them to increase efficiency and end wasteful cancellations and delays. It's an interesting start to a tough problem.
