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Over 150k Flights: Airlines Just Flew the Busiest Day in Recorded History

simpleflying.com

71–80 of 128 posts

Re: Over 150k Flights: Airlines Just Flew the Busiest Day in Recorded History

#71
post #55
post #4

Yes let's continue burning fuel. It's fine.

It’s 2.5-3% of all global emissions. People who complain about aviation do more harm than good. We would accomplish more by closing a few coal power plants and replacing them with renewables or nuclear. And no one would even notice. Can you believe it’s almost 2030 and we still haven’t reached peak coal.

> People who complain about aviation do more harm than good.

I find this a bit hard to swallow. It speaks to a sense of impunity wrt emissions for a demographic that very arguably drives much of the rest of the way energy is consumed. It is one of many choice this demographic has the privelage of making, in contrast to much of the rest of the population.

Have you ever met a coal or oil exec who was shy about flying? If anything, the latter would no doubt lobby hard against efforts to reign in flights, as it's directly tied to the interests of their industry.

Re: Over 150k Flights: Airlines Just Flew the Busiest Day in Recorded History

#72
post #71
post #55

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It’s 2.5-3% of all global emissions. People who complain about aviation do more harm than good. We would accomplish more by closing a few coal power plants and replacing them with renewables or nuclear. And no one would even notice. Can you believe it’s almost 2030 and we still haven’t reached peak coal.

> People who complain about aviation do more harm than good. I find this a bit hard to swallow. It speaks to a sense of impunity wrt emissions for a demographic that very arguably drives much of the rest of the way energy is consumed. It is one of many choice this demographic has the privelage of making, in contrast to much of the rest of the population. Have you ever met a coal or oil exec who was shy about flying?…

Who cares. Fix the big problems first. The general public is already complaining about subsidizing EVs, renewables, etc.

It’s ridiculous the amount of fossil fuels we still burn for electricity.

This “shame, shame” garbage that people did never worked.

Re: Over 150k Flights: Airlines Just Flew the Busiest Day in Recorded History

#73
i don't understand how we can be setting new records on airflights at a time when there is a major oil crisis unfolding. oil isn't at 200$/barrel yet but you'd think even at 100$/barrel the price signals would cause at least some demand destruction.

and wasn't there talk in europe of jet fuel shortages. and governments everywhere are supposed to run out of emergency oil supplies in the next 1 to 6 months?

i'm a bit confused.

Re: Over 150k Flights: Airlines Just Flew the Busiest Day in Recorded History

#74
post #53
post #25

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Yes, we need to shut down the power plants. People lived without electricity for millions of years, they can always get back to it. /s

To summarize, this is the equivalent of someone putting their fingers in their ear and going, "lalalalalala I'm not listening" while someone tells them to stop being a consumption monster.

Yes, please turn off your computer and stop killing the planet.

Re: Over 150k Flights: Airlines Just Flew the Busiest Day in Recorded History

#75
post #3

With numbers like that I guess they have no reason to make flights more comfortable or convenient. I just did a cross country flight and back 2 weeks ago and I'm still recovering from it. I really hate flying now.

The real cost of air travel continues to go down as customers really only discriminate on price. Airlines have tried before to compete on other facets but everything failed. The best you can do is look at specific carriers, and more importantly specifically what aircraft you'll be flying on. A cross country flight in economy is going to be more comfortable in a Delta A220 than a United 737 Max. However, because of hu…

Im not sure airline history agrees with you. My cursory knowledge from prior posts on HN like this had mentioned regulation/deregulation played a huge part in shaping the ways that airlines competed. I've heard that airlines don't compete on price/feature as much anymore because they don't have to, and kickbacks from all the credit card offerings/deals. Anecdotally I've noticed this year major airlines pulling out of certain hubs (southwest) so there is even less competition, but prices still seemed to go down among the remaining options!

Im not sure how accurate this is, so willing to be shown differently!

Re: Over 150k Flights: Airlines Just Flew the Busiest Day in Recorded History

#76
post #4

Yes let's continue burning fuel. It's fine.

I think the way airline tickets are priced is a big factor, and needs to change. It is often cheaper to take a connecting flight to an airport and flying from there than to start from that airport. That disincentivises taking a low-carbon-emission train to the airport and experiencing more of (and spending more in) the city near the airport than just its airport. Often, for longer flights, the more stops, the cheaper…

But the bureaucrats and NGO employees who tell the rest of how to live will still be able to take unlimited flights to climate change conferences, right?

Re: Over 150k Flights: Airlines Just Flew the Busiest Day in Recorded History

#77

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Even hot air balloons burn fuel....How do you propose we cross great distances: horse, sailboat, or walk?

I guess the suggestion is to not travel at all. How much of all air travel is for fun and leisure?

Right, people should just sit at home and be miserable. Fun is sinful.

Re: Over 150k Flights: Airlines Just Flew the Busiest Day in Recorded History

#78
post #3

With numbers like that I guess they have no reason to make flights more comfortable or convenient. I just did a cross country flight and back 2 weeks ago and I'm still recovering from it. I really hate flying now.

The real cost of air travel continues to go down as customers really only discriminate on price. Airlines have tried before to compete on other facets but everything failed. The best you can do is look at specific carriers, and more importantly specifically what aircraft you'll be flying on. A cross country flight in economy is going to be more comfortable in a Delta A220 than a United 737 Max. However, because of hu…

That's not completely true. Delta Airlines became the most profitable of the four major US carriers specifically by focusing on an improved customer experience. This allowed them to charge slightly higher ticket prices, and led to increased usage of their branded credit card. United Airlines is now trying to mimic that model. Of course we've all had some bad experiences on Delta but the statistics show that on average their performance and customer satisfaction is higher.

Re: Over 150k Flights: Airlines Just Flew the Busiest Day in Recorded History

#79
post #8

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Flying is a bit unique in that there aren't really viable alternatives. It also accounts for a fairly small portion of emissions. Land transport (cars and trucks), power generation, and heating are where the big wins exist with viable alternatives.

What?? In Europe there are lots of viable alternatives. Same as Asia!!

if people prefer flying even if alternatives exist, like what's going on in Europe and Asia, then the alternatives aren't good enough -- price, convenience, availability, comfort, whatever reasons.

Re: Over 150k Flights: Airlines Just Flew the Busiest Day in Recorded History

#80

i don't understand how we can be setting new records on airflights at a time when there is a major oil crisis unfolding. oil isn't at 200$/barrel yet but you'd think even at 100$/barrel the price signals would cause at least some demand destruction. and wasn't there talk in europe of jet fuel shortages. and governments everywhere are supposed to run out of emergency oil supplies in the next 1 to 6 months? i'm a bit c…

If a price of a ticket goes up 10/20/50 euros it's not gonna deter me a bit if I have to fly.

Most people fly because they have to, family gatherings, planned vacations, business trips.

The number of people genuinely deterred by a small amount in price is still going to be small.

Also, inflation adjusted, fuel isn't that expensive. 80/90$ a barrel are prices we've seen already decades ago.

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