Synopses & Reviews
Former FAA chief counsel and senior aviation policy official Mark Gerchick unravels the unseen forces and little-known facts that have reshaped our air travel experience since September 11, 2001.
Review
"Anyone who wonders why they are always in the last boarding group--regardless of seat assignment--should read ." Patricia Harris
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"An incredible, plainspoken look into the world of the airline industry. Mark Gerchick's covers everything: the people, the problems, the history, and even the 'how and why' of airline ticket pricing. Whether you travel once a year or once a week, this insider's account will both educate and fascinate you. It's a fun read, too, while you poke around 'under the cowling.'" Boston Globe
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"Intriguing... Resonant... a narrative that is part lifting of the veil and part condemnation of commercial airlines' loss of soul." J. Randolph Babbitt, former administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration and retired airline captain
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"Mark Gerchick provides an authoritative, incredibly insightful, and entertaining account about why the airlines behave the way they do. The traveling public, the airlines, and public policy decision makers should put on their 'must-read' list." Christine Thomas Miami Herald
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"Fact-packed and engaging." Kenneth Mead, general counsel and EVP, Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association, former inspector general of the U.S. Department of Transportation
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"Mark Gerchick demonstrates a comprehensive grasp of the aviation system: economics, safety, politics, and the passenger experience. His grasp of aviation safety (i.e., what should you worry about?) is especially compelling. Any air traveler will find lively, interesting, and informative reading." Wall Street Journal
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"Illuminating. . . . The insights provided will make the turbulence a little easier to bear." Carol J. Carmody, former vice-chairman of the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB)
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"I fully expect that some day soon I'll be on a flight where every passenger is reading the same book: . It won't make the plane seem any less cramped, or the pricing or schedule policies any less maddening, or the security any easier to deal with. But Mark Gerchick's clarity, knowledge, and humor will give everyone a better sense of how American air travel became such a joyless (though safe) ordeal, and what hope there is ahead." Publishers Weekly
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"A thorough disclosure on today's airlines and the passengers who use them--best read while still on the ground." James Fallows, author of China Airborne and national correspondent for The Atlantic
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"A spellbinder on the state of aviation and its discontents." Kirkus Reviews
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"Entertaining [and] full of surprises. . . . Well worth reading." Gerry Wingenbach Flyertalk.com
Synopsis
"Sit back, relax, and enjoy the flight," our pilots still intone. But who are they kidding?
About the Author
Mark Gerchick, an aviation consultant, has advised some of America's largest airlines and busiest airports over the past fifteen years. A former chief counsel of the Federal Aviation Administration and senior Department of Transportation aviation official, he lives in McLean, Virginia.