Online Public Relations Thoughts

My colleague, Peter Shinbach, sent me this column on "Doublespeak" used by airlines. It would be hilarious, if it weren't infuriating. Is it impossible for airlines to tell passengers the facts? The airline business is tough and barely profitable. There is overcapacity. There are employee problems and bad morale. There are escalating fuel costs. The airlines have responded by making travel ever more difficult for passengers and extracting revenue from them through smaller planes, cramped seats, deleted services and extra charges. It is past time for an airline CEO who is plain-speaking and for airline marketers who explain why travel is so miserable.