Terry Flanagan: Defending Delta Airlines

When I saw the story about Delta charging fees for extra baggage for soldiers returning from duty in Afghanistan, I was sure the free market proponents would take a few moments off from bashing the socialist policies of our government to praise Delta Airlines for having the courage to place capitalist ideals above any perceived obligations we might have to our soldiers. After all, Delta was not doing anything illegal. They have a right to make a profit without government meddling. And yet here was government again, albeit represented by soldiers, trying to tell the airlines how to run their business.

Despite Delta’s courageous display of all of the capitalistic principles we hold dear, no one sprang to Delta’s defense. So I guess it’s up to me.

If I know one thing, it’s that we need to trust business to make the right choices, as Delta had done, and that the free market will sort out the winners and the losers unfettered by regulations. So screw the soldiers. If they wanted their bags to fly free they should have flown Southwest Airlines. Now you might say that Southwest only does domestic flights and the soldiers had no choice. But that is the beauty of free-market economics. If there is a big enough demand, someone will step in to fill it. Until then, the soldiers pay for their extra bags or find some other way home. It couldn’t be simpler or more fair.

Yes, I’m grateful for the soldiers’ service, but there are bigger issues at play here. Such as the profit margin on that fourth bag. Do you know what it costs to run an airline? You know that airline fuel isn’t cheap and each bag adds weight to the plane, which in turn uses extra fuel. And the airlines are already allowing three bags free for soldiers. Who is going to bear the cost of that extra fuel for that extra bag? And what if there’s a fifth bag? Where does it end?

You can’t expect the airlines to pick up the tab for flying extra baggage for soldiers. Each extra bag cuts into the profits. Eventually you have no profits and you have to borrow money to pay executive bonuses. Before you know it, you’re running in the red like the government. It doesn’t make sense, and I think it’s un-American. It might even be socialist, which is even more un-American. So I applaud Delta for taking a principled stand to defend its inalienable rights to charge for its services. It’s too bad they had to cave because no on stood up for them.

A big raspberry to all of you so-called free-market believers who sat by in silence as Delta was forced to back down. Don’t blame me if this results in more government regulations. Some politician is going to take advantage of the situation to introduce legislation giving active duty personnel a break on baggage.

And then where will we be? It will be one more blow to free markets, one step closer to a complete nanny government, and a dishonor to the memory of Dagny Taggart, who, had she been a real person, would be turning over in her grave.