I love capitalism
Did I shock anyone 
Just been to Berlin for a few days to stockpile some chocolate, see the Guggenheim* and generally just hang out.
But the main difference this time was my choice of transportation. Normally I take the bus from here (Copenhagen). It costs $80 both ways and take appr. seven hours. But lately a lot of smaller internet based airline companies have emerged and now flying europe is a complety new ballgame.
I flew with Easyjet and managed to buy a ticket for almost HALF THE PRICE the bus costs. Yes its a introduction thing where I only pay for taxes and handling fees. But $50 to fly two times 500 miles is incredible. And it took less than one hour each way.The ferry normally takes three hours. We crossed the water in less than four minutes.
This is wild! Untill january I have booked myself another three trips to Berlin, one to Barcelona, one to London and one to Stockholm. Six holidays for the price of $440 (luckily I know people in those cities or have friends going there as excahange students, so staying is accounted for).
Take that SAS, BA, SwissAir and all the other national airline companies who have kept the rates high all those years with special foods, buisness class, special designed uniforms, special everything.
*for the first time a disappointment. It was video art by Nam June Paik and normally I like the "genre" but first of all it was a "best of/remix" of some old work and secondly I have seen an exhibition by Bill Viola in the same room and to be honest nothing will ever compare to that)
Comments
I think capitalism is generally a good thing. I have taken beatings on several different boards for espousing that opinion, however. So I am glad to hear of the joy you are experiencing from the benefits of capitalism.
Like anything else, it can be taken too far. But a well-monitored capitalistic system provides so many benefits for so many people. ('Some' oversight is always good for any political system, I would venture to say.)
Yum. That chocolate sounds sooo good.
Obviously you are the problem since you use price to determine the quality of your experience and nothing else.
Nick
Originally posted by trumptman
Obviously those airlines used Indian labor to create the website you accessed. Likewise they are probably using non-union labor to offer such low price points.
Obviously you are the problem since you use price to determine the quality of your experience and nothing else.
Nick
The thing is, he is spending $440 that he probably would 'not' have spent at all. He will be spending money in all those places for food and entertainment - money he would 'not' have spent, had it not been for the good airline prices. He will be travelling much more in the future than he would have, because he is getting such value for his money. It's like a dream come true for the consumer, and many countries and their workers will benefit from his travel.
Plus, his excitement will spread to his friends, who will also increase their travel expenditures. A huge domino effect that is good for everyone will occur. Maybe the big airlines could cut costs by not paying their executives such exorbitant bonuses.
I didn't go to the website, but if they used Indian labor, what's wrong with that? If the Indian web designers can offer a service that benefits themselves, the small airline, *and* the consumer, I see nothing wrong with that.
When *you* read newspaper ads to buy a new sofa, do you look for sofas on sale? Do you ever buy at warehouse clubs (Costco) because they offer fantastic prices? I would think any rational person would seek the best value for his money.
Maybe I'm naive, Nick; but seeking the best value makes sense to me. In any case, why do you seem so hostile about all this? Just wondering.
Carol
Originally posted by trumptman
Obviously those airlines used Indian labor to create the website you accessed.
None problem with me whatsoever. Actually I find it hard to believe that people really care about the mexican, indian or chinese worker when they say "Oh no we don´t want to protect our markeds, we just want fair trade"
Originally posted by trumptman
Likewise they are probably using non-union labor to offer such low price points.
Actually not. Excact same training and same pay as the old airliners. Its not like you can´t tell they cut the service: No free food or drinks, no ticket (just a booking number I never used. Passport was enough), no lounge, no extra baggage (25 kg max), ultrahigh load factor, ultrafast turnaround, no free rebooking, no films, no fancy uniform, etc etc etc. The only thing they hadn´t cut was the friendly attitude and security. Look here for easyjets own pop-explanation.
It is like being a passager in a bus, they don´t serve a three course meal there. And I´ll rather be a bus passager in a plane for 45 minutes and pay less than 7 hours in a bus for more.
Originally posted by ColanderOfDeath
OK I'm confused. You've discovered cheap airfare and thus have scheduled six trips of which half are to Berlin?
I love Berlin. Berlin still has a special vibe from being divided for so many years.The eastern part still have room for people just doing things like they want to without someone telling them how to do it. And from that it has become very diverse with a lot of different cultures. So there is a lot to experience there. And it always helps knowing people there.
But you are right. Right now I am working more than attending classes. Despite my high level of travelling I am saving up for next year when I am writing my dissertation and I plan to make longer trips then to get my heads out of the books occationally.
Originally posted by segovius
Ander's, your premise doesn't quite make sense - if cheap airfares are a defense of capitalism then you could fly from one end of Iran to the other (far greater distances than those cited) for roughly $10.
Does this mean that Shi'ism is even better ?
No that mean I will see more of Iran when this travelling Matt gets around to visit that country (after I get a new passport. Israeli stamps don´t make the boarder crossing process easier in most middle eastern countries).
More seriously. National prides like national airlines and national telecoms is expensive as hell for the tax payers or to use. Yes its a good idea to have the infrastructure (like airports, rails, phone lines) under common control to ensure that one operator isn´t favored on behalf of others. But the operators should be free agents. Airline companies in Europe is one very good example of that.
Originally posted by trumptman
Obviously those airlines used Indian labor to create the website you accessed. Likewise they are probably using non-union labor to offer such low price points.
Obviously you are the problem since you use price to determine the quality of your experience and nothing else.
How about you explain, in detail, what the "problem" is, since it's obvious to you.