Sunday flights are the way to go

As I’ve said before, there are many things I do not understand.

How can clouds be black when they consist of crystal-clear water?

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Why do ANC bigwigs get driven around in cars with tinted windows, but preach transparency?

And why do we call those who split atoms scientists, but those who split hairs fools?

One of the little theories of our time that I battle to understand came to my attention again when I wanted to visit my baby in Cape Town: the theory of supply and demand.

I can understand the broad concept. If one person has a 1954 BMW motorcycle and 20 others want to buy it, it’s going to go to the highest bidder.

Simple. You don’t have to be a scientist to figure that one out.

But the price of plane tickets from Joburg to Cape Town and back has me baffled.

On a Sunday evening a ticket to Cape Town costs just under R1 000.

Of course, you have to pay extra if you want to check in a 20kg bag of luggage… and have the luggage insured.

You can also preorder snacks and drinks and take out life insurance and extra insurance should the airline go bankrupt.

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One can also pay extra for the privilege of changing the date of your flight.

The number of add-ons is quite astonishing but at the end of the day, the plane ticket costs less than R1 000.

If you travel on the same plane, that uses the same amount of fuel, is operated by the same crew, and you eat the same snacks, you have the same luggage, but you fly on a Monday, then the ticket costs R2 600.

I can’t get my head around that one. There are absolutely no variables in the production costs.

It’s not as if aviation fuel sells at a 50% discount on Sunday evenings.

Pilots and cabin crew don’t offer their services to the airline at a discounted rated on Sunday.

In fact, I suspect that they will get paid more for working on Sundays. Perhaps the Monday flight is more of an ego trip.

Fortunately, my ego is also for sale – to the lowest bidder. So you’ll only catch me on the Sunday evening flights.