The TechMobility Podcast
Welcome to The TechMobility Podcast, your ultimate source for authentic insights, news, and perspectives at the nexus of mobility and technology. We're all about REAL FACTS, REAL OPINIONS, and REAL TALK! From personal privacy to space hotels, if it moves or moves you, we're discussing it! Our weekly episodes venture beyond the conventional, offering a unique, unfiltered take on the topics that matter. We're not afraid to color outside the lines, and we believe you'll appreciate our bold approach!
The TechMobility Podcast
Resilience Amidst Chaos, GM's Legacy $52M Automation Quest, and Black Women Redefining RV Culture
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Revisiting the devastating impact of Hurricane Helene, I share a poignant story of resilience featuring Maria True and Mark Lackey, owners of a radio station that stood strong amid the chaos. Reflecting on the reopening of Interstate 26, a crucial link between North Carolina and Tennessee, we explore how this event brought an entire community together in the face of adversity. From here, we leap into the realm of innovation as General Motors embarked on an ambitious $52 million journey towards automated manufacturing, so many years ago, proving that the challenge to match the efficiency of world-class Japanese factories has been going on for years.
Switching lanes to the evolution of family vehicles and the challenges that aging farmers face, it's a glimpse into shifting American lifestyles and the financial hurdles of sustaining generational farms. We journey through time from the station wagon era to the rise of SUVs, and connect with the struggles of older farmers echoing the 1980s farm crisis. These stories of perseverance and adaptability reveal the enduring spirit required to keep family-owned farms thriving in today’s volatile economy.
Finally, we take a detour into the world of nomadic living and RV culture, where a youthful and diverse crowd is redefining the great American road trip. The allure of freedom has resonated with many, particularly among black women, creating vibrant communities and fostering an authentic connection to nature. As a curious twist, we also unpack the phenomenon of "gate lice" in air travel, sparked by baggage fees pioneered by American Airlines. This chapter traces how these fees have transformed passenger behavior and reshaped the airline experience, weaving a narrative of adaptation and innovation across varied landscapes.
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Speaker 2:I'm Ken Chester. I want to start with kind of a quasi-personal note here and it comes in the way of a magazine article and I'll explain why it's personal. Interstate 26, connecting North Carolina and Tennessee reopens. Now that doesn't sound too personal, but bear with me a minute. Hurricane Helene washed out two spans of the structure, closing it in September and that was September 27th and it took out a couple of spans. Where the interstate crosses the Nolichucky River it connects North Carolina and Tennessee. They just reopened it.
Speaker 2:The Tennessee Department of Transportation created a temporary roadway by filling the area on the westbound side with 33,000 tons of stone and paving over it. Under normal processes this work would have taken months, said TDOT spokesperson Mark Nagy, but because it's such an important connection for East Tennesseans, we're able to think outside the box and get this back open in just a few weeks. Traffic will shift and the temporary road will be replaced with a new westbound bridge. After the eastbound span is rebuilt. I-26 will be reduced to one lane where it crosses the Nolichucky River in Erwin, tennessee. Vehicles more than 12 feet long with wide lows will be prohibited. Trucks will continue to be sent on a detour using Interstates 81 and 77.
Speaker 2:Here's the personal part, one of our longtime radio affiliates. That's Maria True, she's the owner and Mark Lackey, he's the program director of WEMB AM and WXIS FM in Erwin. They had a studio and antenna along the banks of the Nolichucky River and when Hurricane Helene came through and the floodwaters from Asheville came through, it took the antenna, the radio station. It took everything, including the mug. I sent them on her desk and I've been in contact with them to encourage them. And I want to tell her from me Maria, it may have taken the building, but it did not take the soul and spirit of the station. And having talked to them, she pointed out a number of what she calls radio angels that have stepped up to help Because, honestly, in situations like this it's all hands on deck and truly, after such a disaster, it's the right thing to do so. I wanted to point that out because, while the only thing they could find left at the station I mean building everything's gone, everything like it was never there is a piece of a broken record, but sometimes it's the pieces that you use to put things back together and considering that her dad gave her that station, it made a lot to her and I want her to know we're all in it for you and with you. So be encouraged. They can take the building, but they can't take your soul or spirit. So much for that Much. The same way the interstate was rebuilt, so will that radio station be rebuilt. The river can only take so much.
Speaker 2:I want to read this to you, and it's got a twist at the end. But I do want to read this to you because I want to give you some background. Here's the title, and it was in the New York Times GM plans $52 million computerized plant. I'm going to read this article as time permits, and then I'll explain why.
Speaker 2:Technologically speaking, the automobile has ridden both the crown of the road and the shoulder. It's been high tech and low tech, and what has been mostly a middle tech, wallowing along as conventional product until the need for greater fuel economy prompted new materials and new ideas, giving that impetus. Today's automobile in some ways what it was in its infancy a device on the forward edge of innovation. Its sophisticated collection of parts, electronics of onboard computers and intricate engine controls, and it's among the more complex items available to the consumer. Mass-producing it, of course, is the real trick, and enormous amounts of money have been spent to infuse the product with the best quality while keeping costs competitive. To that end, detroit has followed the Japanese lead in automation and inventory control and is soliciting ideas and mutually beneficial assistance from the labor force.
Speaker 2:Cars now are built here in pretty much the same way they are in Japan, but one facet of manufacture shows that you still have to be up very early to beat the Japanese. They have computerized plants that can run at night without any workforce on the factory floor at all. The first such factory to go into operation was the internal combustion factory of the Nagata Engineering Company, according to an Ohio executive who recently spoke on the subject at a London conference on world trends and prospects in manufacturing technology. The executive, m Eugene Merchant, director of advanced manufacturing research at Metcut Research Associates, a metals testing company in Cincinnati, told Delegates that the Japanese company's system has been running for 21 hours a day, machining cylinder heads for diesel engines. The number of workers have been reduced to four from 31, he said, and the number of machines required to make parts was cut to six from 31. And it talks about another company which makes robots. Finuck Limited has also become wholly unstaffed night operations as productive of robots and other tools. According to Merchant, the unattended system included 22 machining centers served by robots that load and unload parts from pallets. Now I'm going to skip down a little bit. Obviously, productivity has increased dramatically and the factory now turns out 100 more robots, 75 more machining centers and 74 more wire cut machines per month than it did before the technology.
Speaker 2:In Michigan, meanwhile, General Motors is moving ahead with its own plans for Factory of the Future, a completely automated and computer-based plant. Dan Stainforth, the manager of the $52 million project for GM's Saginaw Steering Gear Division, said the factory would assemble front-wheel drive axles, beginning with a pilot facility. The plant adjacent to the division's headquarter in Saginaw, Michigan, will reach full computerization and production two years later. We think we have a competitive problem in the world market. He said so. The driving force here is a need to be competitive and the thing that makes the factory the future is tying together the various elements of the factory through computer integration. He said the plan is a joint venture of Saginaw and GM's Advanced Product and Manufacturing Services staff and has been underway for a bit. We are now at the point of having much equipment out for bid and the next two or three months we'll be making some of the significant purchases while laying plans for training the people who will be involved. He says, as conceived, the project will adapt an existing product line as a learning laboratory. The output will be in addition to our current output. So we see it as being part of our plan to preserve our place in the market and to preserve our employment. He thinks there's a broad application for this and not only the corporation, and in the automotive industry there is wide application for computer coordinating, for use of technology to handle repetitive jobs and to take over those jobs that are in less than ideal environmental areas.
Speaker 2:Why did I read that to you? Because really, for most of it it could sound like it's today. Right, yeah, it would be, except the article originally appeared in the New York Times in February 10, 1985. I want that to sink in for a minute. If you think computers, if you think this race to computerize, automate, mechanize is a recent phenomenon with AI, you would be sadly mistaken. This Saginaw plant was being designed to run without, with just one operator to turn out steering assemblies in Saginaw Steer Division at General Motors in 1985. And this was not GM's first attempt. GM's first attempt was actually at their Lordstown Ohio assembly plant. The problem is that would have happened some 13 years before and it was not received well by the workers, so much so they closed the plant down.
Speaker 2:A book was written, called the Lordstown Rebellion, how the workers rebelled against automation, believing they would take their jobs, and while it would increase line speeds and improve quality, they wanted nothing of the sort. This is an age-old battle that we're still fighting. It is nothing new. In the auto industry they spend billions upon billions of dollars and, to a point, computers and machines do a lot of the complicated, dangerous jobs that employees used to have to do, and they do the dirty, gritty, nasty stuff Not. So workers don't have to. So there's less stress, less injury and, honestly, less death in automobile factories 1985. I wanted to share that with you because I thought it was profound, just to give you some context of how long this has been going on. What can an older farmer do when time and health are against them? You are listening to the Tech Mobility Show.
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Speaker 2:Social media is the main place to be these days, and we are no exception. I'm Ken Chester of the Tech Mobility Show. If you enjoy my program, then you will also enjoy my weekly Facebook videos, from my latest vehicle reviews to timely commentary of a variety of mobility and technology-related topics. These short features are designed to inform and delight. You Be sure to watch, like and follow us on Facebook. You can find us by typing the Tech Mobility Show in the search bar. Be sure to subscribe to our Facebook page.
Speaker 2:Social media is the place to be these And we're no exception. I'm Ken Chester of the TechMobility show. If you enjoy my program, then you will also enjoy my Instagram videos, from the latest vehicle reviews to timely commentary on a variety of mobility and technology related topics. These short features are designed to inform and delight. You be sure to watch, like and follow us on Instagram. You can find us by typing the Tech Mobility Show in the search bar.
Speaker 2:For those of you that listen to podcasts, we have just the one for you. Hi, I'm Ken Chester. Tech Mobility Topics is a podcast where I upload topic-specific videos each week. Shorter than a full show. These bite-sized programs are just the thing, particularly if you're interested in a particular topic covered on the weekly radio show, from Apple Podcasts to iHeartRadio and many podcast platforms in between, we got you covered. Just enter Tech Mobility Topics in the search bar, wherever you listen to podcasts.
Speaker 5:Now's an ideal time to get ready for your next trip, because Chevrolet is offering a luggage rack at no charge. Here are the details Buy or order a Chevrolet or Chevelle wagon before December 31st. You'll get a luggage rack at no charge. When you order any radio equipment, soft-ray tinted glass, white striped tires, outside remote control mirror, plus power tailgate on the Chevrolet wagon or power tailgate window on the Chevelle two-seat wagon Under the luggage racks are a lot of good reasons why your next wagon should be a Chevrolet, like the unique vanishing tailgate on the big Chevrolet wagon and the walk-in convenience of the midsize Chevelle wagon with the two-way tailgate. See your Chevrolet dealer about this luggage rack offer. Chevrolet wants your new wagon to be the best one you ever owned.
Speaker 2:Wouldn't you want to buy a 1971 Chevy station wagon? For those of you that haven't had the privilege, a couple of folks out there are probably saying what's a station wagon? Well, a station wagon, they would call it a long roof. Basically it is a how would I describe it? It's a four-door vehicle with a cargo area, but it's based on a car platform. It's not raised, and it basically got replaced nowadays by the crossover SUVs that you're probably driving now.
Speaker 2:And station wagons were a way of life for many, many years in America, particularly if you had a family, that was the only way to do it, and it was a question of what size did you want? They built small ones and midsize ones and big ones and huge ones, which were like land yachts, and they were pretty cool. But station wagons, though and that was from 71, and they were pushing a luggage rack as a reason to buy the car. Ok, so you've got a family and you're trying to haul stuff. That was the way to do it back then. The one thing I do want to point out they mentioned it in passing and it was a really cool feature the large Chevy wagons, the vanishing door, the windows went up into the roof and the bottom part of the door went into the floor, so it was kind of like a mouth opening and vanishing is right, and it was pretty cool, and they built them for a number of years that way, before everybody started going to hatchbacks, which is what we do now. Oh well, for this segment, this is a feature that I found on National Public Radio recently, and the reason why I wanted to share with you is because it strikes home for me in so many ways, and actually it's the flip side of the question I have been asking you since the days of the pandemic If you could live anywhere, where would you live? For Americans farmers, who obviously live in the rural part of the United States that decision could be dire.
Speaker 2:This is topic A. Let me read you some statistics, because, you know me, I am a geek for statistics and I think that statistics honestly help put things in perspective when we're talking about subjects like this. There are about 1.9 million farms in the United States. 40% of those farms are owned by farmers age 65 and older. Despite a trend of consolidation. As of 2022, about 75% of those farms earned $50,000 or less in sales per year, and that is according to the Department of Agriculture, I didn't know that the average farmer can afford a year or two of long-term care by using their savings selling crops, livestock and machinery. And that is according to Robert Moore, an attorney and researcher at Ohio State University's Agricultural and Resource Law Program. Let me stop right there.
Speaker 2:In our state, in the state of Iowa, there are many families who go back generations and have kept the land for generations. In fact, we even have a designation for some of these farms called Century Farms farms that have been in families for 100 years or more, anyone of well, those of us of a certain age who've survived the farm crisis of the early to mid-1980s. And what that basically was was farmers getting overextended because of the belief that land prices would never fall and, as a result, younger farmers that did not have the capital would borrow against the increasing value of their land for operating expenses and equipment and seed and fertilizer, and all of that. Then the unthinkable happened in the early 1980s the price of land fell and it meant that many farmers and many farms were overextended because now they owed much more than the collateral they had backing those loans they took out. The older farmers, being very prudent, didn't borrow like that and it was a rough time for everybody, down to the point where banks failed, agricultural banks failed, there were moratorium on farm foreclosures. It was very ugly out here. So if you can imagine farmers now that may have been even just starting out then and the last part of the boomers, maybe they had started out maybe five, six, ten years before the farm crisis. But because of prudent stewardship and what their families had taught them down through the years, what they learned from their dads and their grandpa, they were able to keep it together and they didn't reach for the shiny thing even though their land prices were increasing. The ones that survived it were able to if they kept things modest and hunkered down. They survived. It was ugly but they survived it. Modest and hunkered down, they survived. It was ugly, but they survived it Only now, after the pandemic, after high fuel prices, low fuel prices, inflation, all this stuff down through the years that their farm and their family have endured. Now here's what they're looking at in older age.
Speaker 2:It is no secret that rural America has been shedding folk for years. Kids grow up, they leave. Most of them don't come back. So you start with that challenge, that to have somebody to take over the farm. Maybe you're fortunate you've got a child or a nephew or a niece that's come back, but more often than not you don't. So you're getting down to the end of your ability to farm. You have the land, the land's been in your family over a hundred years and you're looking at the very real possibility of the towns and cities that you do business in are shrinking. The resources that were available to you a grocery store, a feed store, the gas station, the bank no longer available in the small town that you've been trading in for 40, 50, 60 years. On top of all that, your health is failing. You're up over 65. You're almost 70. You've worked hard your whole life. You've weathered the worst of it. Did you buy long-term health insurance? You probably didn't, because you didn't feel that it was valuable, that it would have been better to put into the land, put in the farm, put aside for operating expenses for next year, keep that money tucked aside to buy seed for next year or to expand your livestock herd or to, you know, switch the mix. But here you are.
Speaker 2:Second thing I said that because of this, community can be a big help for senior citizens. It's a big challenge if there's no community. Loneliness is more deadly to family farms than anything else as folks get older, and what they're saying, too, is that those farmers who have property and land worth less than a million dollars are at the greatest risk should they get sick for a long term, are at the greatest risk should they get sick for a long term, because they estimate that one out of five Americans over the age of 65 will need some type of long-term care lasting at least a year. It's not a good time, and it's the quiet dilemma that's going on in rural America right now as our farmers and our breadwinners get older and they don't have the resources to look out for them when they need them. The number of black farmers in America have doubled in less than 10 years. We investigate.
Speaker 2:This is the Tech Mobility Show. Do you listen to podcasts? Seems that most people do. Hi, I'm Ken Chester, host of the Tech Mobility Show. If you missed any of our weekly episodes on the radio, our podcast is a great way to listen. You can find the Tech Mobility Podcast just about anywhere. You can enjoy podcasts. Be sure to follow us from Apple Podcasts, iheart Radio and many platforms in between. We are there. Just enter the Tech Mobility Podcast in the search bar. Wherever you listen to podcasts,
Speaker 2:Social media, it's the place to be. We're no exception. Hi, I'm Ken Chester, host of the Tech Mobility Show.
Speaker 2:Several times a week, I post to TikTok several of the topics that I cover on my weekly radio show. It's another way to keep up on mobility, technology news and information. I've built quite a library of short videos for your viewing pleasure, so be sure to watch, like and subscribe. That's the Tech Mobility Show on TikTok. Check it out.
Speaker 2:Data from the RV Industry Association shows that RV owner demographics are becoming younger and more diverse. Even though the median age of RV owners is 53, the median age of first-time RV buyers in 2020 dropped to 41. By 2022, it had dropped again to 32. To 41. By 2022, it had dropped again to 32. According to Campgrounds of America, the number of black campers have doubled in less than 10 years and now accounts for 11% of the US camping community. This is topic B. So what's going on?
Speaker 2:You wouldn't think that folks of color would be all about that camping life. But you would be wrong, sir. You would be wrong Because a lot of the trends that happened in the pandemic happened to everybody and the opportunity to explore America, to basically rethink and answer that age-old question I've been asking now for three years If you could live anywhere, where would you live? An increasing number of people of color that have means either, those have retired, but, more importantly, those who are younger, who decided that the quality of life is more important than where they live, is prompting them to hit the open road, and it's a lot of single women, women with kids, not just families. And this particular piece is from National Geographic and it talks about one young lady who lived in Georgia. She's all of, I think. Well, she's 37. I thought she was younger.
Speaker 2:She packed up her camper permanently, left her apartment in Sandy Springs, Georgia. She visited 24 states in the last three years and here it is, with no plans to return to a more stationary life. In her words, there's a sense of mental freedom for me, being able to spend more time in nature. I pay attention to the stars more, the animals and things like that. There's definitely different kinds of freedom I have found in my personal journey Emotional freedom, spiritual freedom, all of it. Now I have to interject here.
Speaker 2:Obviously, not all of us can grab an RV and go. You know, if you're an essential worker where you have to be in a specific place to do your job, that's going to put a crimp in it. But for these free-spirited lifestylers, can you imagine this is the very epitome of what I've been talking about for the last few years that if you are a young professional, all you really need is a high-speed Internet access anywhere and you can go anywhere, anywhere, and what they're choosing is to basically do what Chevy commanded folks to do for the last 60 years see the USA go out there and do it. And she is a solo rv camper. She doesn't have a family with her, or spouse she's. She's living her best life on her own. But here it is. She knows that she's not alone in the movement to spend more time on the open road. She's seeing more black women and younger people join her as full time RVers. I want that to settle.
Speaker 2:Typically, rvers kind of fell into a couple of different categories. You had your weekend warriors. They'd go to the lake. They'd go to their favorite campground. They'd go to their favorite spot up in the mountains, down by the sea. Maybe they took their RV, whether it be a pop-up or a fifth wheel or a self-propelled, either class C or class A motorhome and go on vacation. Wonderful. What you're seeing now is people, a growing number of people and younger people saying you know what? This is why I want to live my life. That's how I want to do it. I don't need to be stationary, I don't need to live in one place like my parents and grandparents. I'm going to see the country. I'm going to spend the rest of my life seeing the country.
Speaker 2:This young lady even started a Facebook group for black women interested in the outdoors. It grew so fast it developed into a website. Can you believe it? 8,000 members of Adorzee Black Women connect online to recommend campsites, get together on trips and share RV tips.
Speaker 2:I'm going to throw in an aside here, full disclosure. My oldest daughter started actually because of one of her business trips as a traveling nurse actually started a hiking group in Iowa Black Iowa Outdoors kind of to investigate nature, experience nature, get that freedom from being out in nature. So it's the same kind of spirit, although she, because of her situation, she's not able to go on the open road. But honestly, I honestly believe that if she didn't have kids, a husband and was working a job, that this could very well be. My daughter Very, very well could be. Here's something to think about. She said that I think the van life movement changed the trajectory of our. For the RV life movement, they're intertwined at this point because everyone knows van life but it all falls under the umbrella that's nomadic living.
Speaker 2:The United States has been full of folks that decided to Go west young man. This country was discovered by people who went into the wilderness to discover and settle cities and towns and everything. They went out from the 13 colonies. The rest of these states got settled because people went west, went to discover people of all stripes and shades and things now in the 21st, 22nd century, still happening. Here's a cool part.
Speaker 2:A list of black-owned campsites Is one of the biggest resources that she shares of the members of Outdoorsy Black Women. Other black camper community groups Crowdsource similar directories, which emphasizes the need For shaved spaces in the outdoors. She calls these Listing the Green Book of Black campers and says that they are, they're growing, they really are. And if you're not familiar with the green book, quick aside little education it is a book that was published up through the 1960s for black motorists that let them know of safe places to go, because not everywhere back in the day was safe for people of color to travel, and this book gave you safe places to go, where you could get gasoline, you could get your vehicle fixed, where you could spend the night, because not every city was welcoming, not every locale had a place where you would feel safe. Locale had a place where you would feel safe. I give you this one. This is in Georgia. One of the black owned campgrounds listed in many such directories was Worthen RV Park, a rural park with full hookups for 49 lots located halfway between Macon and Augusta, georgia, and this is real special for two reasons.
Speaker 2:Josh Gordy and you might recognize that last name bought the land in his hometown in 2011. This acreage was most significant to his maternal grandfather's legacy because when his grandfather was young, he worked that land as a sharecropper and the grandfather wanted to buy the land but was never allowed to fulfill that dream. And he was able to buy the land and do that. Josh Gordy is a former NFL player and he's related to Motown legend Barry Gordy on his dad's side. If you recognize the name, I'll make the connection for you. But it wasn't until Gordy tapped into existing black RV and camping communities that he noted he'd find a long-term success on the land his grandfather cared for, and while a majority of his short-term campers are black, he's starting to see more black families his primary customer base move to the camp full time. This is a movement. As things become more affordable, as people become more upwardly mobile, they're deciding that the stationary life isn't for them. And if they have a job where again technology allows them to travel internet connection and I'm gone you can do it anywhere. And that is the beauty of technology it allows you to be as independent and live your best life wherever you want to. And this is still happening. This is still happening as a result of the pandemic that gave that boost One airline's quest to resolve the issue of gate lights crowding.
Speaker 2:We are the Tech Mobility Show. To learn more about the Tech Mobility Show, start by visiting our website. Hi, I'm Ken Chester, host of the Tech Mobility Show. The website is a treasure trove of information about me and the show, as well as where to find it on the radio across the country. Keep up with the happenings of the Tech Mobility Show by visiting techmobility. show. That's techmobility. show. You can also drop us a line at talk at techmobilityshow.
Speaker 2:Short videos of some of the hot topics that I cover during my weekly radio program. I've designed these videos to be informative and entertaining. It's another way to keep up on current mobility and technology news and information. Be sure to watch, like and subscribe to my channel. That's the Tech Mobility Show on YouTube. Check it out.
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Speaker 2:Social media is the place to be these days, and we're no exception. I'm Ken Chester of the Tech Mobility Show. If you enjoy my program, then you will also enjoy my weekly Instagram videos From the latest vehicle reviews to timely commentary on a variety of mobility and technology-related topics. These short features are designed to inform and delight you. Be sure to watch, like and follow us on Instagram. You can find us by typing the Tech Mobility Show in the search bar.
Speaker 2:Gate lice. It's how the airline industry identifies people who crowd the gate at departure time, determine to board the plane before the group is called and avoid the checked baggage fees. The airline that created the problem initially is now trying to solve it. This is topic C. Why am I not surprised it's American Airlines? Why am I not surprised? Me and American have what you might call a difficult or a complicated relationship? I'm to the point where I vowed I'd never fly them, because I've had some very bad experiences in a very compressed time over the last couple of years, with canceled flights, getting stranded, equipment problems, you name it. I've had the problem on American and I used to fly a lot Different airlines. Didn't have all the problems. That was compressed into this two year period I had at American. So no, no. So what are we talking about?
Speaker 2:Gate lice this parasitic name is ascribed to over eager individuals who crowd the gate, impatiently nudging and pushing to board the plane before their group is called . C alling on the lice to retreat and sit down until it's their turn, to do little to dissuade the species. Instead, they remain steadfast in their efforts to hop line, sneak in with a more desirable boarding group or keep their elbows sharp to plow through obstacles and board before others. So what are they doing? Variety of reasons. You know if you're the last on the plane in some airlines, you know you may not have a place to put your carry on. Now, full disclosure for me. I've flown. I've flown a lot, not so much in recent years, but when I used to fly a lot.
Speaker 2:If you were going to a smaller plane and you ran into that say, a Canadian Regional Aircraft or something small like that, chances are if they got filled with the overhead bins, they would ask you to check your bags. But typically at the gate. For me, you didn't have to pay checked baggage fees. Gate for me, you didn't have to pay checked baggage fees. The problem is, though, if you happen to be one of the last on the plane trying to get seated situated, dealing with it. It's a grief, it's drama, it's awful. So, yeah, I can understand why folks would want to crowd the line, but still not fair. I mean, if you're in your group, then stick with your group, because you crowding the gate makes it tough for everybody.
Speaker 2:They said that America caused the problems because, in 2008, americans started charging for checked luggage. They started in 2008. And back then it was $15 a bag, starting with an additional charge for bags over 50 pounds. Now it's $35 to $50 a bag, starting with an additional charge for bags over 50 pounds. Now it's $35 to $50 a bag. And if you want to know why the airlines did it, american Airlines Move made airlines worldwide this year so far $148.4 billion, that's billion with a B Baggage fees, check bag fees and other non-ticketed charges such as seat selection, food and priority boarding All stuff they will gladly have you pay for.
Speaker 2:Oh, you want to get on early? Gee, you can pay for that. Oh, we've got some seats that that you can upgrade to. You can pay for that. Oh, you want food? Oh, my god, you want food on the airline? Yeah, you can pay for that. And yes, you can pay for wi-fi access. And yes, oh, you want to see a movie. You can pay for that.
Speaker 2:Flying used to be such a fun experience, but now they nickel and dime you for everything, hence gate lice. When checked bag fees arrived at the airport, so did the gate lice. Some lice crowd the gate because they're itching to be first to be on board, but the other 99% of gates crowders and queue cutters are trying to avoid checked bag fees. I have very rarely in my flying had to pay a checked bag fee, reason being I learned to travel light. Of course, my history goes back. My dad was a master aircraft technician for what used to be Allegheny Airlines. That ended up being US Air which, ironically, um merged with American airlines. I don't fly them anymore. I refuse to fly American. Are you getting the feeling the mean American week? No, so I'm not. I'm not, I'm just not.
Speaker 2:The biggest flaw in the American plan is that it only targets people cutting the line. Most people that are crowding are not cutting line. They're just trying to avoid these charges, and I guess it would have to be on larger planes. But honestly, a little planning, a little lightweighting. I mean, I travel around the country and I literally I have a, a, a carry on and my computer and that's kind of it. I used to carry my briefcase but I learned I'd end up paying for that, so I found a way to get rid of it and my computer case carries everything that's not going into the carry on and I just travel with that and for me, for most of what I'm doing in business, that covers it. But I can imagine if you're going on vacation you're going to see family for an extended period. That might not work for you, but it's like anything, a little planning.
Speaker 2:The airlines are trying to get it done. I've seen people crowd lines, I've seen people have a fit but honestly, in some instances the airlines really brought this on themselves. You know you're going to charge us for everything, so we're going to try to get the maximum that we can get and we can avoid spending money Absolutely, particularly since if I didn't eat before I got on the plane or it's a long flight, you're offering me food but I got to pay 10, 12, $15 for a little box lunch or something Otherwise. It's a glass of pop or a cup of coffee and either a cookie or or, or a snacks, or I didn't even know. You know kind of like a check mix or something. That's it. That's what you get, and I think the cutoff is like two hours. If the flight is two hours or less, that's all you're going to get. If it's two hours or more, you can get something, but you're going to have to pay for it. And we're not even going to talk about the cost of alcohol. I don't drink, but if you do, that's just on top of everything else.
Speaker 2:I don't know, I don't know, I don't know. It just seems like the airlines in their quest to maximize profit in a very capital-intensive business and I won't lie, it's capital-intensive. But at some point you've got to make it a value proposition for the people flying. Otherwise you're going to get stuff like this People crowding gates, people looking to beat fees, people looking to get an edge, if for no other reason, to mitigate the cost of the flight, which is not cheap either, depending on where you're going. And that's a whole nother conversation about timing and willing to go, things like that. Whole nother conversation, which has its own set of challenges depending on what you use. Whether you go to the airline's website. You use a third party website. It's crazy, it's just crazy. But I will tell you this One of my good friends just covered three million miles on one airline.
Speaker 2:25 years he pretty much, can fly wherever he wants for little or nothing. Now, 3 million miles Reminds me of George Clooney in the movie Up in the Air, where he got his little wings for flying a million miles. I know somebody that's flown 3 million miles and I'm sure he's got plenty of horror stories about gate lice, but I guarantee you at that level he doesn't have the problem.
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