The democratisation of air travel
Low-cost companies are here to stay. That is what a lot of people think, and I believe there is some truth in that. Now, sometimes I buy stuff and I think to myself how come this company can sell these goods for such a low price? Well, I believe that there are countries where the large corporations pay miserable salaries to their workers, and working conditions are practically nonexistent. So, every time we buy goods manufactured in such countries we are somehow encouraging this economic model in which some live very well while others have to struggle. Life is not fair; I have heard that a million times. The thing is do we accept this statement and learn to live with it or do we try to do something about it?
Common sense tells us that we need to change the trend, but all of us have needs to cover and we are constantly looking for savings. That is why IKEA, Decathlon, Carrefour, McDonald's, Pizza-Hut, and Home Depot are such successful businesses. Their business philosophy is simple: sell goods at the lowest possible price. The aviation industry is not an exception to the rule.
Low-cost airlines have somehow democratized air traveling. Now, I find it hard to believe that some of these so-called low-cost airlines offer tickets at ridiculous prices. I mean, it is more expensive to travel by bus locally than to another country, especially here in Europe. Some people argue that there are only a few seats that are sold at those low prices. I think it is irresponsible and unfair. An airplane ticket has a determined value, and you can either afford it or not. The low-cost policy has allowed millions of people to travel, and this is indeed something positive. However, there are places like Paris, where the local people are just sick of so many tourists even if that means profits for the city.
The pollution produced by an ever-increasing number of planes in the sky has only led to higher levels of air pollution. Another important aspect to highlight is the kind of tourist these low-cost flights bring. Here in Spain, there are places on the coast devoted to attracting tourists, whose only intention is to get drunk, take as many drugs as possible, and end up getting in trouble. I don’t mean to be rude, but there are people who are much better off staying in their own countries. And something even more important: don’t be surprised when your salary becomes a low-cost salary. We need to rethink the economic model we are going to pass on to future generations. We need to produce things locally and help local businesses to prosper.
Comments