George S. May Business Blog

This winter I’m going Greyhound

The cost to fly may take off much more than usual this winter. Meanwhile the amount of flights in/out/around the U.S. should see a massive decrease. Who’s to blame?

Oil companies? Guess again.

It seems that those traveling this winter will be at hands of Canadian potassium miners.

Ninety-nine days of striking on behalf of Canadian potash miners has been the cause of a halt in the production of runway deicing fluid, which uses potash as its main ingredient. While there are alternative de-icing methods, the chemicals used are A) more expensive and B) far worse for the environment.

Although major airport representatives have “vowed to keep flights moving” the fact remains that major manufactures of potassium-acetate, (de-icing fluid), will be physically unable to produce even a third of what is normally manufactured.

So, already cash-strapped airports have two options and neither of them fair well for the American public.

1) Keep using potassium-acetate and cut back on about two-thirds of their flights. But how will they make the lost money back? We can only assume they would try to break even (try is the key word) by increasing the price of things at airports (parking for example) and firing, well, two-thirds of their staff. If this were to happen we can only predict that the fallout would be enormous. Airports can not keep their regular number of flights coming in and out, so airlines will not be able to book those flights. Now airlines are not making enough money to stay afloat. Do you see where I’m going? This could get very ugly. Plus, imagine waiting in line at an airport that only has a third of the staff working…Bring your sleeping bag…

2) They use the alternative substances, which will more than likely happen. Financially this will be a better option, as although they will be spending more at least they will be able to keep their regular number of flights coming through the airport. We can still assume that there will be an increase in prices, on both flights themselves and items at the airport, as well as ‘budget cuts’ (i.e. lay-offs) for those working for the airlines/airports, however. What’s more, is now they will have a new struggle with the tree-huggers of America.

Either way, as if the American workforce needed another hit.

Do you work for an airline/airport? Is job security seeming to be an issue? What other industries do you think will be experiencing a hit this winter?  

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