Air Travel: Too Many Empty Seats

I'm like most travelers my age: I cheer when I find an empty seat next to me on a plane. But as this photo indicates, some flights today have too many empty seats.

For perhaps 5 years, I saw nothing but full and over-full flights—routinely. In 2008 (to date), I have been on at least 4 flights with "elbow room," meaning I've had an empty seat next to me. And on 2 flights, now, I've seen more than half of seats on the plane empty. Half of my flights this year have been full but I don't recall that any of them were over-sold.

As a flight attendant said to me on the plane seen above, "I enjoy a light flight but I'd rather see my company making money."

By the way, the plane was heading to Orlando. In 22 years of flying in and out of Orlando, I have never seen a flight less than full, until this week.

© 2008 Mary Bold, PhD, CFLE. The content of this blog or related web sites created by Mary Bold (www.marybold.com, www.boldproductions.com, College Intern Blog) is not under any circumstances to be regarded as professional, legal, financial, or medical advice. Or education advice. Or marital advice. Or even a tip.