Why Fly to Stockholm When You Can Be Held Hostage Right Here.

I'm going to take a break from my usual practice of complaining about the post office and doctors, and for a change I'm going to complain about airlines, specifically airlines flying to Alaska. Leah is traveling next week, and she wanted to buy a ticket. The airlines charge almost six times as much per mile for travel in the so-called continental US as for travel to and from Alaska. One possibility might be that jet fuel costs more up here, but that's not it since a state investigation found that Anchorage gas prices are the highest in the nation because the two refineries up here sell jet fuel below cost to be competitive and subsidize that by gouging Alaska drivers.
Maybe you think it's because it's more expensive to fly north because you're always going up, but then the return flight down the map should be free. I'm beginning to think it's because airlines are run by venal accountants who know exactly what our choices are.