@HogwartsAlum:
Don't forget your earplugs! I always have those with me at a movie.

I'm just praying they actually create this national high-speed train network they keep saying is coming into play so we can all stop using airlines. Let's face it, the airlines, the FAA, and TSA have eliminated any actual joy that comes from flying.

Don't they have better things to do? Hello, airlines...I think so!

You know what I do? I come early to get a good seat, and if I'm not with someone, I bring a book and my booklight.

@H3ion: okay, to be fair, the casino and dance club plane might be kind of fun. I hate to fly, so any distraction from that would be welcome. if only that was what they were offering.

@pecan 3.14159265: if Tony Stark was on the plane, I'd do whatever he asked, dance club and all.

@Coles_Law: I was thinking about that too. I'm thinking it's more local train travel than a major distance, but why would an airline want to sell tickets to a competing form of transportation?

This whole thing will just serve to distinguish some airlines from others. Like the ads currently running for Southwest, where the baggage handlers are scoffing at the other guy's baggage fees. I think that ad is great.

Okay, fine, it's not all of them. It's just everything that isn't a fast food place and isn't in a strip mall.

Rather than expounding for several paragraphs; which company earns more: Neiman-Marcus or Walmart?

First, airlines could negotiate for some neat exclusive offers from the tourism industry. After all they're coming to the table with a completely captive audience to exploit, why wouldn't Disney cut prices a little bit if American Airlines agreed to pitch Disney World over Universal Studios on flights going into Florida. If that's the way it happens, fine by me.

Second and far more likely the Airlines decide that they have a captive audience likely to make bad impulse purchases and start schilling a bunch of crap deals and products at intolerable mark-ups.

Short-short Flights: The flying waitresses barely have time to do the complusary safety briefing and then pass out the 1/4 can of soda to do much of a selling spiel.

Medium-short range Flights. Skip the peanuts. Might have 30 minutes to strong arm passengers to buying some crap.

Standard (medium range) flight. Skip the pseudo-meal that sometimes might happen, skip the peanuts. Got a FULL Hour, maybe even 2 hours to twist my arm.

Cross-Country. Hello, Mother-Load. 3,4 maybe even 5 or 6 hours of arm twisting, begging and pleading.

I suddenly see a number of senior flying waitresses signing up for the short-short flights.

JH: You know why? Because you're not captive on a plane.

You should read the whole thing it is great
[www.zug.com]

@floraposte: It's great that we can all sit here and complain about it, but the fact of the matter is that we can also "just say no." We can avoid flying AA, and if we have to fly AA for whatever reason, just ignore the FAs when they're selling the items, or just don't buy. Eventually AA will realize the error of their ways and stop. But, probably not until their bottom line plummets.

@bohemian: Next they'll be sure to include at least one baby on board with an ear infection who cries non-stop. And you can pay to get noice-cancelling headphones. What a deal!

By the way, The Men Who Stare at Goats was just alright, it was a good effort.

Still, tickets to Broadway shows, Disney theme parks, and such, I could see being sold on board. At the same time, I saw on an American flight from DFW to Paris-CDG that their flight attendants are not so enthused at the idea, right down to the name badges: one said that he was a "Professional Flight Attendant-NOT A WAAl-Mart Associate". (Gotta love those stuttering AAs...)

A dance club would also be a good idea. They'd have to check IDs but that shouldn't be much of a problem.

Finally, the flying casino complete with poker, slots and prostitutes.

Bet they make a fortune.

It's just not right to do this to a captive audience.

Simple rule for all businesses: Make your customers happy, don't treat them as bottomless cash dispensers.

That is the only market that American companies care about now. They'll sacrifice everything else to get it...even if the total number is far smaller, it's far more profitable.

Oh, and if they have to annoy the shit out of everyone else to do it, so be it. Hitting everyone is the only way to make sure you get the rich, the retards, and the rich retards.

So now flying will include all of the irritating things it currently does along with the added annoyance of the cash register style upsell like you get when you try to pay for something at a mall retailer.

Dear airlines, please do the ONE THING I pay you for, fly me to my destination with a minimum of kerfluffle.

No fees for the first piece of baggage, a decent meal on a 6 hour cross-country or trans-atlantic flight and some entertainment.

Make sure the pilot isn't drunk or high and is not distracted.

Thank you very much

Currently, the average amount a passenger spends with an airline after purchasing a ticket is $1, according to statistics prepared by GuestLogix. At Ryanair, by contrast, Mr. Cawley said customers spend on average about $15.

Comparison fail. RyanAir is a no frills airline. You fly with them knowing that everything is à la carte. RyanAir's customers have to spend a bit more because nothing is included.

That shouldn't be the case with AA.

I'll bet the train tickets sell REALLY well after four hours on the tarmac.

Now they want to hawk luxury items while you are trapped in their cabin.

This has to be a cruel joke.

I'm sure they're just going to emulate how those other airlines have run it.