We Loved That Airline To Death

Independence Air fliers say that, sure, they search, sometimes obsessively, for the lowest fare, but they recognize that this scrappy little airline's fares were preposterously, even stupidly, low.

"I loved this airline," said Gretchen Davis, who flew Independence regularly between Tampa and Dulles. "But I never understood why they cut their fares so much. Yes, everyone wants a bargain, but we would have paid $130 instead of $79. Good service means more than a few dollars."

In some countries, many consumers look upon discount stores with suspicion, associating low prices with unfair treatment of workers who might be customers' friends or neighbors. But I've noticed that residents of those countries are only too happy to come here on vacation with empty suitcases so they can load up on our cheap clothes, gadgets and entertainment.

So even if airline workers' frustration leads them to blame passengers for their unemployment, many of them embraced their customers this week.

After all, there are contradictions in all our lives.

"Some of us are getting out of airlines because moving to another airline would mean taking a pay cut," said Bartleso, who is going into banking because "banks don't go bankrupt." But some Independence workers are willing to take the cut, "just to keep the flight benefits." After all, who wouldn't want to fly free? The lure of the bargain wins again.

But there is more to life than the dollar. Concerned passengers kept asking Bartleso why she was in such good spirits in these final hours. "There's people a lot worse off, from hurricanes or whatever, people without shelter or family," she said. "That's real hardship. This is a job; that's it." And as she finishes up the last paperwork at Gate C42, sweeps the desk clean and turns off her walkie-talkie, she's still smiling. Laughing, even.

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