Understanding every nuance of economics, especially as it pertains to the airline industry, can be a daunting task.
However, you would think that NBC's "Today" co-host Meredith Vieira - who has elevated herself to the point where she's worth $10 million a year, according to Parade magazine - would have risen to the task at this point in her career.
In an interview with Delta Air Lines (NYSE:DAL) CEO Richard Anderson on the April 15 "Today," Vieira asked a question that showed she didn't quite get it.
"I was just going to ask if you could guarantee your consumers that you would not reduce their service or raise their fares?" Vieira asked.
However, being the CEO of airline doesn't give Anderson the ability to defy the laws of economics and maintain his commitment to the shareholders of Delta and Northwest Airlines (NYSE:NWA). Anderson explained there is more at play than airlines randomly altering their service or raising their airfares.
"Airline tickets, just like other, other services and goods in our economy, have got to reflect the full cost of the commodities to produce the product," Anderson said. "With that said, we still have an incredibly competitive U.S. and global airline business in the United States. Discount carriers have grown 60 percent the last seven years. There's free entry, there's free exit. And pricing in the airline industry will always be based upon competitive market forces."
Vieira made a similar dumb request back in August 2007 asking Northwest CEO Douglas Steenland to guarantee a flight she booked to San Francisco would not be canceled.
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Q. "...that you would not
April 15, 2008 - 17:24 ET by mattmQ. "...that you would not reduce their service or raise their fares?"
A. "Yes. And we can all ride unicorns in fairyland, and play and frolic all day long, and slide on rainbows, and go skipping tra la, and dancing hop hop, all the diddly day long and be happy for ever and ever and ever! Won't that be GREAT?!"
Q. "I was just going to
April 16, 2008 - 16:14 ET by deerjerkydaveQ. "I was just going to ask if you could guarantee your consumers that you would not reduce their service or raise their fares?"
A. "Sure, just as soon as ABC does the same to the salaries of the Today Show cast."
I think I now know why I always hear an echo when Viera speaks. This is liberalism at its finest.
And on her other show..
April 15, 2008 - 17:35 ET by EvilCon555Meredith Viera: "Again, for $50,000 and the chance to continue for the million dollars, can you guarantee no price increases or altered service? You can use a life line Rich. Let's get Rich's wife on the phone...."
"Mrs Anderson? It's Meredith from Millionaire. I am here with your husband....which answer would you give? Guarantee or no guarantee? You have 30 seconds..."
"All great change in America begins at the dinner table" Ronald Reagan, Jan 21, 1981
If Ms. Viera thinks it's her
April 15, 2008 - 17:53 ET by Chris NormanIf Ms. Viera thinks she's "representing" the "little people" when she asks questions like this, she must have the same contempt for our intelligence as Barak NMI Obama. If this inane question comes from her mind only, then I have contempt for her intelligence.
Ms. Veiera, can you
April 15, 2008 - 18:03 ET by motherbeltMs. Veiera, can you guarantee that when your next contract negotiation comes around, you won't ask for an increase in your salary?
Can CBS guarantee that they
April 15, 2008 - 18:12 ET by Chris NormanCan CBS guarantee that they won't cram ten more commercials into an hour to help pay for her breathtaking salary?
Katies replacement
April 15, 2008 - 17:57 ET by Jerry MackForget Olberwhacky as Katies' replacement. After this hard hitting educated indepth interview it is obvious that Vieira is highly qualified to replace Katie as CBS news anchor.
It's Too Bad
April 15, 2008 - 18:14 ET by geoff.galeIt's too bad that Anderson wasn't at liberty to say something snappy back to her such as "Meredith I can guarantee either service levels or fares. Which do you think I should guarantee? Which do you think would be best for the flying public? Oh, and by the way, Meredith, was it before you took the job at NBC or after you took the job at NBC that you stopped beating your children?"
It's time for the newmakers to start fighting back, innit?
"All that is necessary for the trimuph of evil is that good men do nothing."
- Edmund Burke (1729 - 1797)
www.conservativeboot...
Veira
April 15, 2008 - 21:23 ET by Emma GrumpI always liked the old Saturday Night Live line (modified) : "Meredith, you ignorant slut".
WHAT A GREAT COUNTRY!
April 15, 2008 - 18:42 ET by SgthulkaProof that even if you are retarded you can still rake in $10 million/year.
Meredith is an icon to Ditzheads everywhere.
I agree. America is a
April 15, 2008 - 21:05 ET by SmartypantsI agree. America is a great country when even morons like Merideth Viera, Rosie O'Donnell, the gang at The View, etc. all can hold extremely lucrative jobs that provide them a national forum on a daily basis.
So she can make $10 million
April 15, 2008 - 22:09 ET by HypocriteHaterSo she can make $10 million for being an on-air ditz, and people like her have the nerve to question the profits of oil companies who take considerable risks in producing and distributing a commodity that is used by everyone in this country, if not the world....It just boggles the mind. I'm speechless.
"I was just going to ask if
April 16, 2008 - 03:02 ET by fitzfong"I was just going to ask if you could guarantee your consumers that you would not reduce their service or raise their fares?"
No, Meredith, they're just going to keep raising their fares and cutting their services until they're flying empty planes. That should please the shareholders and make them a really profitable airline. There's just no beginning to her intelligence, is there?
If I were the CEO...
April 16, 2008 - 09:17 ET by mikefiskI'd tell her the truth... "Sure we can. We can either promise to not lower fares (and therefore reduce service, possibly down to zero) or we can maintain the same level of service (just be prepared to pay extra for it). Choose one."
Cheap, fast, good. Pick
April 16, 2008 - 13:46 ET by fitzfongCheap, fast, good. Pick any two.