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American Airlines: Nothing Special in the Air
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What the hell is up with air travel these days?
Another day, another 850 flights canceled because government officials have failed us yet again. Yes, we blame the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA[IIL]). And so does American Airlines:
American is cancelling several hundred flights starting on April 8 to conduct additional inspections of its MD-80 fleet. These inspections are to ensure precise and complete compliance with the FAA's directive related to wiring in the aircraft's wheel wells... -- AA.com
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Because the FAA neglected to effectively order timely inspections, thousands of passenger flights have been grounded in the past couple weeks -- at least 1,350 American Airlines flights in the past two days alone. Other airlines have also ceased operations on a moments notice recently -- no Bear Stearns-style federal bailouts here.
How is it that the U.S. government can spend hundreds of billions of dollars exploring space (albeit in 30 year-old vehicles that we've grown to expect will explode upon each takeoff/reentry) but can't get regular citizens into the air to fly to their own weddings?
Think driving is an alternative? Not so much, with Oil prices poised to break through $110/barrel today, with the government sucking more and more money from our deficit-ridden pockets and into the trillion dollar war
"Fuel is hurting people," the president said this week, before blessing away millions of "relief" dollars to small businesses to inspire job growth further automate their sausage machines and layoff more employees.
Are we pissed off yet? 850 American flights grounded today. Are you?
Photo by The Number 27 via flickr.
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