Passengers taking flights out of Dublin Airport will from now on be charged another unnecessary and unfair fee, for a 'service' equally needless and useless, invented by goons to make the lives of air travellers more difficult, unpleasant and costly. Resealable plastic bags in which passengers have now to carry all permitted liquids on board their aeroplanes (see photo) will no longer be provided free to the travelling public.
Idiotic and restrictive 'security' measures, apparently "to combat terrorism", were introduced in November 2006 after a massive (and totally unsubstantiated) hype at London's main airport Heathrow.
Since then air travellers are prohibited from carrying liquids and gels on board their aeroplanes in containers greater than 100 ml. Containers which are permitted have to be placed in a clear plastic bag for inspection by 'security' staff.
Until now the Dublin Airport Authority (DAA) provided passengers with these bags free of charge, at an operational cost for the company of € 70,000 per annum.
But as air travel world-wide is becoming ever more weird, irrational and inhumane, airlines and airport operators alike are turning ever more ruthless and greedy, trying to squeeze more and more money out of the gullible air travellers who were lured into flying by an apparently "cheap flight".
After adding all the taxes, fees and levies, plus a dozen extra charges by the airlines for this and that (from having a bag to paying by credit card), the actual prices people have to pay these days for flights are quite high.
The DAA's attitude is obviously that fools who are willing to pay that much for a 'cheap' flight can easily be squeezed even a bit more, especially if there is no choice or alternative. So from now on the compulsory plastic bags will only be available from vending machines, at a cost of € 1 for two bags!
As material value and production costs of the bags are less than 5 cents per item, the DAA will be making a nice and easy 900% profit from this latest extortion idea.
The DAA says that "Dublin is one of the last airports in Europe to introduce such a charge", but this is neither an argument for it, nor an excuse.
It is just the usual way of weaseling around with words and concepts. A bit like the little boy who urinates into the public swimming pool "because all the other boys do it"...
"Passengers can avoid the expense if they plan ahead," a DAA spokeswoman said.
Well, I have an even better idea: You can avoid that expense, plus all the other extortionist charges for air travel and the many extras and add-ons it now has. Just don't fly!
I have not used an aeroplane in more than 20 years, and I am still happy and get around to any place I have to travel to.
Even on an island one has still a choice, and there are very good and reliable ferries, you know... where one is not charged for everything extra, where one is not treated by staff as if one were a cross-breed between cattle and morons, where one does not have to follow dozens of equally silly and sadistic 'security' rules, and where one does not need special plastic bags to carry tooth paste and hair tonic.
I am sure that before long, once the air-travelling masses get used to the idea of paying now for their silly plastic bags as well, the price for each bag (now set at 50 cents) will rise to € 1 and eventually € 2. And those foolish enough to travel by air will pay it, most of them even without a moment of thought or reflection. Despite all the talk of financial hardship, crisis and recession there are still way too many people with more money than brains.
But there are also those who will not be conned, milked, exploited and taken up the garden path by state-licensed street robbers and highwaymen. Among them you'll always find - yours truly -
The Emerald Islander
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