Each time I fly it seems the airlines are more and more like other forms of public transit. A number of years ago food used to be complimentary. Then you had the option to buy it. Now it is just soda and peanuts only. The same sort of policies came along for baggage. Now all the baggage costs at least $15 per bag.

Airlines are doing everything they can to raise revenue. That is understandable given the lean economic times. Last year there I saw a Hertz Rent a Car ad hanging out of each seat pocket. I am sure the airline didn’t let those go for free. Now on this Airtran Airways flight the tray tables have ads fastened to them. Apparently I can win a cruise on the “worlds largest cruise ship” through the Mother Nature Network. Given that MNN is all about environmental news there seems to be a bit of a conflict in interest there.

All this to say is that the plane that I am now on is not all that different than the train I was on earlier this week. Ads are placed everywhere in the hopes of scoring a sale.