Matt Stoller: How To Fix The Airline Industry's Structural Problems | Breaking Points

Matt Stoller breaks down the structural problems in the airline industry creating the current dysfunction and how to fix them

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[breakingpoints]

Matt Stoller wants your feedback! Drop a comment below!

[catgolfer]

In the 'old days' of journalism, Matt's report would be a feature on 60 Minutes or Nightline. Sadly, those days are no more.😺

[currerij]

Supposed to fly to Vietnam in 2 weeks and had flights cancelled by Air Canada. After hours on the phone I was told I could reschedule my departure trip but there was nothing available for me to fly home. Ended up having to re-book with a different airline for twice the cost. I cancelled my first booking and they even kept the money I paid to select my seat on the plane. I wish there were better mechanisms to hold these companies accountable.

[joe.oneill]

We should let all these of these major corporations operate the same as small businesses do in this country. Sink or swim.

The Airline industry, in particular, has become an industry addicted to bailouts. They have no incentive to reinvest if they can simply put their hand out for free money, while handing a good chunk of it over to their stockholders as dividends.

If our government would stop enabling them, they would get their act together in a hurry.

[bilosdiogee]

Informative video, even for someone like me who does not fly.
Bringing Matt onboard with breaking points seems to be a very smart and good move for both parties.
Looking forward to next one.
I’d like a break down of the opioid crisis that is realistic and recognizes the millions of people who legitimately need these opiate medications for daily life.
And how the crack down has really hurt those people, many of whom have died from fentynol as a result of government crack downs.

[socialanarchy]

Monopolies from internet providers to electric companies to airlines need to either be nationalized, or they need to be excluded from ever being able to accept public bailouts.

[philh]

You have a wonderful way of breaking down complex stories so dumb people like me can understand. I appreciate all you do. I love your videos

[mikekelly]

I love this kind of content - history/context/factual!

[quintessenceSL]

I think prosecuting CEOs for fraud and racketeering would do the trick (really, this sounds like district attorneys should be involved), but that is essentially regulation, which the government has no desire to do, so you are back to square one.

Also remove their corporate charter, and let the personal lawsuits begin.

[logicalVerne]

Rather than bailing out existing companies for decades of poor practice, our government should be finding ways to diversify and fund new entities to enter the sphere. The aerospace industry is one of the most capital-prohibitive industries to enter into, no matter the sector. You stack preferrential government cost-plus contracting on top of that, and it becomes a nearly insurmountable hill to climb. Over the past decade the U.S. Space industry has undergone a paradigm shift from government cost-plus contracting to fixed price contracting programs (NASA COTS, NASA CLPS, etc.) that have provided incredible returns in terms of actual progression of humanity into space (crazy when you actually allow for competition and don't guarantee profit, innovation occurs!). I wholly believe the airline industry (and most private-government relationships for that matter) needs to undergo a similar transformation if we expect to see a dent in the issue.

[MillenniuMTerry]

Thanks Matt for this! Clear and straight forward! No bias, wish there was more videos like this...

[technicalgrowing]

This explains my experience living in a regional town and my recent bad experience with air travel so precisely. Thanks Matt.

[jopo]

I hope he explains this in plane english.

[markjharvey]

You asked for feedback so I wanted to say
Very good breakdown of what is happening in this industry. Especially the “high value routes” and the subsidies to fly to underserved areas. I’ve been hearing about things in the airline industry for years but never quite understood it from this level.
You also seem more nervous than usual. A lot of “ummm”, “you know”, “uh, so, yeah” and stammering/stuttering, much more more than usual.
Is big Airline watching? 😂 I hope so
Great work 👍

[spaceball_two]

Matt, this was a great piece. I'm loving your appearances on BP. My family was separated on our first trip post pandemic because my daughter had a birthday mid trip which required her, a baby, to buy a seat on a flight that was fully booked. If we didn't have the means to catch a flight and split up the family, we would have been stuck where we were for a few days. What does a family do who can't just buy another ticket? A single parent? And with no repercussions for the airline. I'm glad you touched on this during this piece.

[tugboatsvideoemporium]

Matt's presentation is good, but his execution needs either practice or comfort. He seems confused/panicked, but it's ok. the information was great.

[pragmaticoptimist]

Haven’t been flying a lot recently, but 3 weeks ago I had 1 cancellation 4 delays on a return trip from a small regional airport to a hub airport. The trip was confusing, constantly on the airline app, had to navigate stand-by….just nuts. Didn’t have to stay overnight in my connection city, but that’s because my connection city to the Hub airport is a major lane. This was the worst I’ve seen it ever. I don’t fly every week or even every two weeks, but I fly enough to know when it’s bad.

[benjaminjonas]

This was a very informative and phenomenal breakdown Matt! Thanks for sharing

[jeffwithmaintenance]

Stop subsidizing them. Make the sink or swim on their own. Prices will go up and they will have to actually have to compete for customers.

[jamiekelley]

Very glad to hear from Matt Stoller like this - his breakdowns are great. Hope to see more of this!