18 April 2016
Allegiant, FVCC, and high priced Democratic dinners
Allegiant Airlines is switching to Airbus jets. The Las Vegas based carrier’s MD-80s will disappear from the Flathead’s skies during the few years, reports Aviation Week, to be replaced by Airbus 319s and 320s. There’s still life left in the MD-80s, but finding replacement parts is harder, and thus maintenance is more expensive.
Most airlines try to keep their aircraft flying 24/7, but Allegiant sometimes has a utilization rate of less than five hours a day per jet. Allegiant’s business model works because the low cost of amortizing its old fleet more than offsets the extra cost of flying less fuel efficient airplanes.
The ideal aircraft would come to Allegiant just after expensive heavy maintenance, and the engine checks that usually come when the aircraft is 12-14 years old. Generally, though not always, Allegiant buys aircraft from a lessor. [Allegiant COO] Bricker said a typical used Airbus narrowbody costs about $15 million, and reported that plenty are available. “We are finding a sufficient supply to meet our replacement requirements.”
It’s disappointing that a Boeing 737 cannot meeting the needs of Allegiant. Somehow, Southwest Airlines makes do with American equipment.
Flathead Valley Community College made news recently, but not always in a good way. First, there’s the dispute over pay for adjunct professors, which is low, and lower than at other community colleges in Montana. A lot of adjuncts teach what might be called basket weaving courses, but others teach academic courses. Academic adjuncts should be first class citizens, not cost saving temporaries.
Second, there was no election for the board of trustees because there were no contested elections. Therefore, the election was called off and the people on the ballot were declared re-elected. Montana law allows this, but it should not.
Finally, the Missoulian reported that FVCC might find ways to offer more four-year degrees. That, I imagine, sent tremors throughout the state. Turning FVCC into a four-year college that grants baccalaureate degrees makes a lot more sense than having a four-year college in little Dillon, but translating that kind of good sense into public policy could take decades given how entrenched the school at Dillon has become.
A movement to improve FVCC to a four-year college might run into local opposition. FVCC functions as a vocational school, and as a center for what might be called life long learning, as well as an option for the first two years of a program leading to a bachelor’s degree. FVCC offers a lot of nonacademic courses. Disturbing the current balance might offend some members of the community.
I think FVCC should offer bachelor’s degrees in academic subjects. Flathead County is the state’s fourth most populous county, and one of Montana’s fastest growing areas. Staying a two-year school will not meet the area’s needs.
Two major Democratic dinners will be held at April’s end. Both have the same featured speaker: Denise Juneau.
The Flathead dinner is first, on Friday, 29 April, at the Red Lion Hotel. Tickets are $60 per person, increasing to $70 per person on 26 April. Purchasing a ticket online costs another two dollars.
A day later, Missoula’s Democrats hold the Williams Dinner at the Holiday Inn. Tickets for the dinner cost $45; for the reception, $35; for both, $80. But there doesn’t seem to be a penalty for using a credit card to purchase tickets online.
These are fundraising events, hence the high ticket prices. But $60 or $80 per seat is not affordable for many low income Democrats, especially senior citizens on fixed incomes. The mean monthly Social Security benefit for Montana (PDF) is just under $1,150. The Flathead dinner costs five percent of that. The Missoula affair costs from four to seven percent of Montana’s mean Social Security benefit.
Many low income Democrats work long hours stuffing envelopes, going door-to-door, making telephone calls, doing the scut work that wins elections. Being able to break bread with the party’s high and mighty at a sitdown dinner is a traditional reward for the rank and file. Holding at another time an el cheapo dinner that impoverished Democrats can afford magnifies rather than mitigates the injustice of exclusionary ticket prices.
Disclosure. I consider sitdown political dinners a punishment, not a reward. I never attend them. Therefore, I have no personal interest in the price of a ticket.