With the advent of video- meetings, far fewer business trips are necessary these days. It is wonderful. And people are opting to drive further distances and even take Amtrak when before they took short flights, because of the crappy airline service in recent years.

In the past two months, for example, I have had video conferences with colleagues in Germany, Mexico, and Pakistan that involved several people each. At least two of those conferences would have been a trip in the past.

Similarly, if I rent a car and drive 8 hours on business, I am out of the office essentially the same amount of time as if I take a 2 hour flight, in most cases, if I restrict the fare I pay. Morning and late afternoon flights are always far more expensive now because those tend to be the business flights.

In case no one has noticed, planes are flown slower these days to reduce fuel consumption, so what used to be a 90 minute flight is now two hours, etc, increasing the incentive to drive.

I drive 300 miles on business now whereas in days of yesteryear I would have hopped a short flight in the morning or after work. Not any more. And Amtrak is in the cards for a trip to Washington I need to take on business next month.

@$%& the airlines. I have had enough of them. Their demise is not the fault of anything other than very poor management.

Perstare et praestare. Per aspera ad astra.