Re: Wonderful, Customer-Responsive GSR

[rwilke@have.you.got.anything.without.spam (Roy Wilke)]

On Wed, 21 Jan 1998 08:07:18 +1000, "Barry" <one@microsoft.com> wrote:

>
>Roy Wilke wrote in message <34c4b114.93766312@news.powerup.com.au>...
>>On Mon, 19 Jan 1998 10:12:04 +1000, "Barry" <one@microsoft.com> wrote:
>>
>>>
>>>Roy Wilke wrote in message <34c29212.25122969@news.powerup.com.au>...
>>>>On Mon, 19 Jan 1998 08:29:19 +1000, "Barry" <one@microsoft.com> wrote:
>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>Maurie Daly wrote in message ...
>>>>>>In article <34C11179.41C6@sleeper.apana.org.au> Matthew Geier
>>>>><matthew@sleeper.apana.org.au> writes:
>>>>>>>From: Matthew Geier <matthew@sleeper.apana.org.au>
>>>>>>>Subject: Re: Wonderful, Customer-Responsive GSR
>>>>>>>Date: Sat, 17 Jan 1998 09:15:53 -1100
>>>>>>
>>>>
>>>>(snip)
>>
>>(more snip)
>>
(yet more snip)

>My point is that airlines make profits, airport owners make profits, I know
>both of these as facts. The airlines would say that they pay for the full
>cost of navigation aids and air traffic control - that I don't know but htey
>certainly make a significant contribution. Air fares are not much more than
>rail and sometimes are less. People want to travel by air - people are paid
>to travel by train (free pensioner concessions). What is a public service?

>BC

Airlines pay for the full cost of navaids? At the risk of wandering
even further off topic, have you ever heard of something called
General Aviation?  I'd say that they bear the lion's share of air nav
charges, yet are prevented or dissuaded from using the major
facilities under the current system.

Whatever the transport mode, people are the most difficult of cargoes
to carry. Unlike coal or cattle, people expect to be seated
comfortably, be entertained and fed while en route.

It would be far more profitable to airlines, shipping companies, bus
companies and railways if we would willingly accept being transported
in cattle crates.

But I think the Germans gave that mode of transport a pretty bad
reputation during the 1940s.

What is a public service? Something which we all agree to provide for
public benefit. Most of us are able to afford to travel by air, or
drive, long distances. But some of us (like pensioners, for example)
cannot. Are you arguing that pensioners shouldn't be permitted to
travel?