Misguided Blame

Don't blame the airlines, blame the FAA.

News that American airlines had no choice but to ground the almost half of their 300 MD-80 aircraft due to "safety concerns" this week continues to dominate the media. Concerns over the aircraft's wiring caused the FAA to order mandatory safety checks.

The question is old, but it is worth repeating. When it comes to safety on board aircraft, who has more at stake--a large, government bureaucracy that has no penalty for failure, or a company's whose very existence (profit) depends on the trust of its consumers?

If you really want to increase airline efficiency and lower costs, press for the abolition of the FAA.