Here's the deal. The airline industry has decided that they want to stop losing money. That sounds reasonable, but I really don't want to help them make money either. I think that $200 is a good price for a person to pay to fly from the Midwest to Florida. I don't think that the $400 ticket that is on the way is in any way appropriate. I recently had a friend get his flight to Hawaii canceled because the airline went out of business while he was in the air. He then had to pay $2400 for a new ticket on a different airline to get to Hawaii. He had to get there to conduct business. Flying has become a very accessible mode of transportation for Americans, and that is all about to change.

Please allow me to Rube Goldberg us through this process.

-Oil is expensive for lots of political reasons.

-Therefore jetfuel prices are high

-Therefore airlines profit margins shrink

-Therefore some airlines go out of business

-Therefore other airlines have less competition

-Therefore they raise prices

-Therefore less people fly

-Therefore less people vacation

-Therefore people are more stressed

-And tourist destination cities lose money

-Therefore businesses in those cities lose money

-Therefore they lay off their already stressed out workers

-Therefore people have less money to live on

-Therefore they don't even drive due to high gas prices

-Therefore fuel demand decreases

-Therefore fuel prices fall

-Therefore jetfuel prices fall

-Therefore airline prices will fall

-Therefore people will be able to afford tickets

-Therefore airlines will have more flights

-Therefore they will hire more people

-BUT they will start losing money!

Okay, I don't have it figured out. Maybe you do. Let me know. pete@petetheplanner.com