Questionable science turns air travel into news

When American Airlines flew a nearly empty Boeing 777 from Chicago to London recently, it became a news event.

A major airline is under fire from environmentalists for flying an aircraft across the Atlantic with only five passengers on board.

The flight from Chicago to London meant that the plane, a Boeing 777, used 22,000 gallons of fuel.

It led to American Airlines being accused of reckless behaviour by green lobby groups.

The latest "eco- scandal" flight took place on February 9 after American was forced to cancel one of its four daily services from Chicago to London.

While it was able to find places for nearly all the passengers on the fully-booked flight, five still had to be accommodated. Those who did fly were upgraded to the business class cabin.

But while they enjoyed lavish hospitality, the airline was accused of an "obscene waste of fuel" by Friends of the Earth.

Of course, this kind of thing happens all the time due to aircraft scheduling. Yet the idiots in the environmental movement make it sound as if American Airlines didn't care about losing some $60,000 on the flight. According to these know-nothings, they did it only because they don't care about the environment.

Of course, had the airline chosen to cancel the Chicago to London flight, a consumer group would have grabbed headlines over a crass, money-grubbing American corporation stranding hundreds of travelers at Heathrow because they didn't want to spend a few bucks to provide an aircraft.

All in a day's work for the blame America first crowd.