AIRLINES
Feds probe possible price-gouging in wake of Amtrak crash
Published July 24, 2015FoxNews.com
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Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx said Friday the government has opened a price-gouging investigation involving five airlines that allegedly raised airfares in the Northeast after a deadly Amtrak crash in Philadelphia in May disrupted rail service.
The Transportation Department released letters to five airlines — Delta, American, United, Southwest and JetBlue — seeking information on Friday.
“The idea that any business would seek to take advantage of stranded rail passengers in the wake of such a tragic event is unacceptable,” Foxx said.
DOT is exploring whether the price hikes violated federal regulations prohibiting airlines from engaging in unfair and deceptive practices and asked the airlines provide information of pricing and seat availability for a time period before and after the crash.
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The Gooferment’s “price-gouging” is the free market allocating scarce resources to those who need it the most.
If the price is artificially low versus the demand, then there are shortages, queues, and rationing.
If the price is unacceptably high, then the consumer will seek alternatives — driving for one thing, the bus for another, or delay / change / cancel your trip. Perhaps even carpool.
The free market will allocate based on price to the “neediest”.
That’s the “fairest” way to handle any allocation of a scarce resource; not with a Gooferment investigation.
And, doesn’t Amtrak belong to the Gooferment!
Argh!
Perhaps they are trying to distract us from their immoral, ineffective, and inefficient “running of a railroad” to the evil private airlines.
Argh squared!
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Reinke Faces Life 