"The guy in the back of the cabin doesn't pay for the flight," he said. "Flights wouldn't exist without business class."
In the future, economy-class passengers can expect fewer flights and fewer available seats. That will translate to more crowded conditions and less flexibility in terms of when people can fly.
Here's something else: No one is predicting that there will be fewer business-class passengers. If anything, they'll account for more seats on the average flight.
Yet as the cost of those seats continues to rise in tandem with oil prices, it's a fairly safe bet that companies flying their execs here and there will pass along the expense to customers, resulting in higher costs for a wide variety of goods and services.
Think about that the next time you're folding yourself into a coach seat and stealing glimpses through the curtain at those lucky, leg-room-enjoying folk in business class.
I asked Neidl what choice people have.
"You can go Greyhound," he replied.
The way things are going, that could soon represent an improvement.
Consumer Confidential runs Wednesdays and Sundays. Send your tips or feedback to david.lazarus@latimes.com.
