Animal welfare is treated through a number of agencies in North America including the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) and The Humane Society. Personally I prefer the term “humane” because it carries with it a certain Christian Positivism rather than the traditional Judaic laissez-faire, i.e. “Do unto others….” rather than “Don’t do unto others…”

Anyway, these musings about animal welfare got me thinking about the need for a new Society, possibly entitled “The Society for the Humane Treatment of Airline Passengers (SHTAP)”. It struck me that the indignities that we suffer as paying air travelers really have no parallel in any other activity in any Modern Western democracy. The only parallel I can think of is the healthcare system, where we pay (directly or indirectly) to be stripped, poked, prodded, and probed through every orifice. But let’s face it, we do not choose to face these healthcare indignities; they are forced upon us as a result of some existing or potential life-threatening urgency. Not so air travel. Here we willingly line up to be abused, all the time smiling a forced plastic smile because of the “zero tolerance” policy for any form of “aggression” should we balk at taking off our shoes and socks in order for some grade-school dropout to vette our worthiness for travel. And don’t you just love the sign that says: “No one is required to submit to a search…..unless you want to fly”.

When I hear that the airlines are in trouble because of fewer passengers as a result of the economic downturn, I say, to Hell with them! Long live video conferencing, Web-X, and low gas prices so I can take my car instead. I remember a great skit by “fat” comedian Louie Anderson about airline travel and his classic line: “The trouble with air travel today is that its too cheap….there are people on the plane that should be taking a bus!”.