A Stitch in Haste

The core lesson of the Broken Window Fallacy is that benefits are often more visible than costs.

But when the costs aren't particularly invisible, then whom do you blame for your failure to comprehend?

Airline passengers willing to put up with aggressive new airport security measures are enjoying the unexpected serenity that comes from boarding flights with considerably less carry-on luggage.

Travelers and flight crew report faster boarding, less competition for overhead storage and frictionless deplaning in the seven weeks since a foiled terror plot in Britain prompted the U.S. government to crack down on carry-on items.

Many travelers responded by checking all their bags. ... The result has been that 20 percent more bags are checked and boarding times are five to 10 minutes faster[.]

This is, of course, utter nonsense.

Serenity? A flight with no infants is serenity. Enough space to open my laptop and play a DVD is serenity. Pretzels instead of trail mix is serenity. Diet Dr. Pepper on the beverage cart is serenity.

Five fewer minutes of boarding time is not serenity.

And besides, that's just the visible benefit — what about the (equally visible) cost?

[D]elays during boarding have moved to baggage claim and check-in. "It's taken the stress to a different section of the travel experience," [a flight attendant] said.

My experience is that baggage claim adds a minimum of 20 minutes to the total travel time; at a major airport like JFK 30-40 minutes is more typical. And it comes at the absolute worst point of the trip — the end, when all you want is to get to your hotel, or home. And baggage claim is the closest law-abiding equivalent to prison: no amenities, no civilities, usually no seats, typically no vending machines, often no restrooms — and no escape, until your sentence has been served.

Five minutes less boarding time in exchange for that? No thanks.

And by the way, how long do you think the (unionized) baggage handlers are going to tolerate this increase in workload without a corresponding increase in their wages? Which, of course, will be passed on to flyers (since most airlines have no profits to eat into)? That cost will become all too visible all too soon.

Buh-Bye.