I think it’s a supply and demand (for pilots) sort of thing. There are less pilots than there are available flights. Pilots are pretty limited regarding their available flying hours (at least in the US):
An airline transport pilot can fly up to 8 hours per 24 hour period and up to 10 hours if a second pilot is aboard. Pilots are required to rest a minimum of 16 hours postflight. Some variances to these regulations exist depending on the company’s operations specifications.
I agree about the cartel bit though, the prices for a lot of things are outrageous.
It’s also about repositioning of the aircraft fleet. Sometimes there’ll be flights from one airport to another not because it’s profitable but because they need to reposition an aircraft to cover a profitable route, or because they need to do scheduled maintenance and such and such airport is a primary repair site or has a free hangar.
I think it’s a supply and demand (for pilots) sort of thing. There are less pilots than there are available flights. Pilots are pretty limited regarding their available flying hours (at least in the US):
I agree about the cartel bit though, the prices for a lot of things are outrageous.
Skiplagging cuts into dividends. What it doesn’t cut into is the ruthlessly low pay of the pilots, what has been near-minimum-wage for decades now.
Yet another reason for me not to fly.
It’s also about repositioning of the aircraft fleet. Sometimes there’ll be flights from one airport to another not because it’s profitable but because they need to reposition an aircraft to cover a profitable route, or because they need to do scheduled maintenance and such and such airport is a primary repair site or has a free hangar.