Ross: What will airlines give travelers in exchange for bailout?

The President is now ready to send direct cash payments to Americans to help stave off a recession, that according to the Treasury Secretary could send the unemployment rate to nearly 20 percent.

The President also promised to bail out the airlines, which are going to need it.

I just flew across the country, Seattle to Pittsburgh via Chicago. No security lines anywhere. I walked right up to scanner, got the pat-down, and had no trouble staying six feet away from everyone else.

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The flight to Chicago had about 179 seats – there were 56 passengers. The gate agent stuck to the script, went through the usual caste system, but there were so few people that all of us basically boarded at once, from first class through the untouchables in basic economy.

Infinite overhead bin space.

The last time I was on a plane that empty was flying from New York to DC on the first anniversary of 9/11.

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So yes, the airlines will need help. I notice a lot of commentary demanding the airlines give us something in exchange because of the way some of them squandered the last bailout. People have asked for things like fewer fees, or maybe even a place to put your legs.

But it’ll never work. Because they know how to fly, and we don’t, and there are enough of us who live far away from the places we like to visit that once this crisis passes, I’m pretty sure we’ll go back to being cargo.

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