Cost.

I am 51. When I was 16 I flew to NOLA from LAX. It was $300 - I know cuz I had to work and save to buy the ticket.

Today, if I plan ahead, I can still fly to NOLA for $351.

A lot of that came from airline efficiencies, hubs, etc. that came out of the deregulation of the 70's. But I have to believe that, if held to the rate of inflation over the last 35 years since I took that flight, today's ticket would be much more than triple the cost.

Something had to give - comfort and high paying jobs for all being only a part of it.

That said, I feel safer flying today than ever.

They should put these in the cockpit - affordable and efficient!

http://i.ebayimg.com/00/s/NzY4WDEwMj..._id=880000500F

This guy was a fruitcake!

Germanwings tragedy: Killer co-pilot Andreas Lubitz's girlfriend 'pregnant with his child' - Daily Record

What a horrible article. So much sensationalism.

I think Bild is like the National Enquirer is over here.

The pregnant girlfriend story was in the Daily Mail but both it, and Bild, are sensationalistic tabloid papers.

What I found interesting, however, is that the pregnant girl is not the same one as the stewardess who was featured in the Bild story a couple of days ago. In fact, the Mail story paints the stewardess as something of a short-term "cheap thrill" (having a fling in cheap hotels.) Though both women broke up with him for essentially the same reasons, this latest one's break up appears to be more directly related to his mental state, if the story is true.

Sort of true. I've never seen anyone actually buy a National Enquirer. In Germany you see people carrying a Bild Zeitung in every train compartment, all over the hotels, lots of people subscribe and receive it daily at home. It's a colorized, sensationalist tabloid. But, like the Nat. Enquirer, they do occasionally break a true story no one else wanted to touch first.

True, Germans aren't as gullible as most Americans.

Bild is the "Sun" of Germany. It is super aggressive in its reporting and therefore often breaks a story. They throw money and ruthless reporters / paparazzi at such a developing story. It is a horribly sensationalist tabloid and the worst comes out in tragedies like this. Generally it is read in blue color households but there are plenty of higher educated people that just can't resist to indulge for the sensational part and the fact that they are often the ones that break a story ...

G

Here is my thinking. Unfortunately, the co-pilot had a mental illness. He was probably put on medication that predisposed him to suicidal ideology. You cannot trust a mentally ill person to make rational decisions, like whether to fly a plane or not.

Hopefully the most important message of this tragedy will not get lost in the details. A person with mental illness should not be placed in a position where they are in control of other lives. A pilot with mental illness should not be the one to decide whether or not he will go to work. Hopefully, all transportation authorities will recognize this and treating physicians will be required to report such directly to the agency and not rely on the patient to do so.

I grieve for all of the victims and families, and also for the co-pilot. It was a terrible tragedy.

If it didn't happen when the kid in CT killed all those kids it's not going to start now. With HIPPA in place it will never happen in the US. We're more concerned about privacy than lives.

Clearly, the only way to end these mass homicides is to ban military-style assault planes.

Or these NASA approved wear...

http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b3...ependsNASA.jpg

More news supporting the suicide / mass murder scenario. More details on health history show that pilot was depressed in 09 and then apparently had issues with bipolar disorder. Pilot researched cockpit door mechanism on his tablet and was reading up on suicide and mental illness as well. Flight recorder also found today, so I am sure we will know more soon unless it is toast.

G