London Banter - View Single Post - Kahn fares u-turn

JNugent[_5_] · June 22nd 16, 10:54 AM posted to uk.transport.london

On 22/06/2016 09:41, d wrote:

JNugent wrote:
On 21/06/2016 15:26, d wrote:

You *do* understand that not everyone shares your belief that only the
rich should be allowed to travel, don't you?

Straw man.

Nonsense.

Sorry pal, you can't say "your belief" and expect to get away with it when its
a lie.

There should simply be an upper limit on the number of flights in and out of
uk airports. Then its first come first served. And no , that wouldn't force
the prices up

Forcing up fares is EXACTLY what would happen in such a situation. We
got to affordable flights by increasing the capacity of the world's air
services. Restricting them again will return us to the bad old days.

How will restricting them to current levels suddenly make the price go up?
Will there be a mass surge of people who hearing about the restrictions
suddenly get the urge to fly?

I didn't say that prices would "suddenly" go up. The timescale obviously
depends on the tapering and depth of the restrictions you want imposed
on the less affluent.

The first world, despite its current woes, is getting richer. Even the
third world is gettig richer. People are becoming more affluent
worldwide. Even at the (current real terms) £80 return fare to Italy, my
grandparents never had sufficient disposable income to be able to
indulge themselves in such a way.

That increase in affluence manifests itself in increased demand for the
fruits of the industrial world, though this is obviously something which
rubs you up the wrong way.

Have you ever actually looked at (and read/understood) the first twenty
pages of an Economics GCSE textbook?

Spare me your pathetic attempt at sarcasm. Besides which, the future
enviromental considerations of unlimited air travel trump the economics.

So you claim.

Perhaps you can produce an example of a market in which restricted
supply in the face of constant or increased demand results in lower prices?

Sorry... that doesn't actually matter, does it?

After all, it's only "little people" you want priced out of travel.

Prices are low because supply is well-balanced with demand (in favour of
the consumer).

So you're saying there are too many flights?

No.

Given a lot fly half empty you're
probably right. Perhaps we should reduce them.

Or perhaps people like you should just keep your noses out of other
peoples' business?

it's a thought...

rich could travel to other continents, and where the experience of the
average UK Joe would be one charter flight a year from Luton to Alicante
if he's lucky. That's how it used to be.

Boo hoo, poor Joe. Perhaps he'll just have to have his beer and chips and
1am fight in Billericay instead.

Oh, quite, old chap.

And I don't think it should be just limited to aircraft. A number
of cities around the world have limited cars to odd or even numberplates each
day to reduce pollution. That should be done in london too.

Really?

Yes really.

I do not profess any right to circumscribe the rights of my fellow
citizens.

I'm sorry, you think they're not already in a hundred different ways? Are
you really that naive? Well, maybe you are and maybe you're happily driving
around with no drivers license in an uninsured and untaxed vehicle. Or maybe
you take a **** in the middle of the street because finding a toilet is a
hassle.

But clearly, we cannot all make that ever-so-slightly proud boast, can you?

Living in a soceity that its trying to make the future better means
occasionally you and "Joe" will have to make an ever so slightly small
sacrifice. If that means taking one flight less a year or not being able to
drive your car into a city every other day - and I feel your pain, I really
do - then I don't have a problem with that.

Jawohl, mein Fuhrer.