Airlines are adding fees, cutting capacity, and just plain trying to squeeze more out of the passenger wallet. The cost of oil at $130 per barrel is causing airlines to cut back on maintenance costs, trim schedules, and merge. American Airlines wants to charge for a checked bag, reservation help, and over sized bags. American Airlines is not alone. How long will the airlines be able to keep air travel in financial reach of the consumer? How long before the cost of passenger air travel becomes prohibitive? How long before air cargo becomes cost prohibitive or before it adds significantly to the cost of goods sold for those goods shipped by air?
It isn’t like we can introduce hybrid airplanes running on electricity, unless we revert back to slower propeller travel. Could this be on the horizon? When the price of a barrel of oil reaches $200, what will the airlines do – what will the nation do? Is there a fuel alternative on the horizon for airlines or will they be priced out of common usage? Will they become the personal transportation for the rich whichs they were when airlines began passenger service? We need to understand that fast efficient transportation is what makes this country work.
If we ever come up with a national security energy plan, we must include the development of high speed rail, similar to what exists in Europe and Japan, into the plan and use eminent domain to get there, or we will be on our way to second tier country status – a country with expensive and slow transport of people and goods – a country that can’t get its goods to market – a country that has a high cost infrastructure inhibiting our world trade.
Our candidates talk about suspending the gas tax – that’s fine, but it is not the energy solution. Are we planning on how we will transport consumer goods to market by truck, rail, and air in an efficient and cost effective way? When oil reaches $200 per barrel and it will, what will our national transportation system look like? Just what is our national plan since the cost of oil is and will continue to force a change in the world business of this nation?
If we intend to be a great nation into the twenty first century, then we must accept the new realities of the world and adapt. We not only must plan for what type of fuel we use to heat and cool our homes and businesses, run our trucks, trains, and planes, but also what type of vehicles are needed to use these new fuels. We must adapt to the new world order of cost effective production and trade. I am not proposing that we solve all by conserving, wearing sweaters, riding bicycles (I should start this, as I need the exercise), and eating less as these are suggestions of a Presidential candidate. I am saying that we should want to continue to be the most prosperous and the most powerful nation in the world. Some might say that free enterprise will solve this puzzle, but I guarantee you that the time-frame and the speed of change will not allow free enterprise to sort this out in the market place in time, not without a national Federal government led plan. It is time for this plan and for our leaders, if we really have true leadership, to step up and recognize the impending change to the world fuel dynamics, and the risk it poses for the national security of the United States.
