Newsstand - WSJ: Now Boarding: Illegal Immigrants on One-Way Tickets Home

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122244477368779127.html


KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- While U.S. airlines downsize and scrimp on amenities, one carrier is offering its passengers leather seats, ample legroom and free food. But frequent fliers probably don't want a ticket on what may be the fastest growing "airline" serving Central America.

This carrier is run by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the federal agency responsible for finding and deporting undocumented immigrants. A crackdown on illegal immigration has led to a spike in deportations and the creation of a de facto airline to send all the deportees home.

If i could only have such service when i fly.

The unmentioned is that many undocumented aliens are turning themselves in for voluntary deportation so they can get back home at government expense. Even they are hurting for money given the economic meltdown that followed from years of government deregulation and poor oversight of the financial markets and the collapse of the housing -- and construction -- industry.

The unmentioned is that many undocumented aliens are turning themselves in for voluntary deportation so they can get back home at government expense. Even they are hurting for money given the economic meltdown that followed from years of government deregulation and poor oversight of the financial markets and the collapse of the housing -- and construction -- industry.

maybe we can leave too...

"... The swanky Boeing 737-800, leased from Miami Air International, had 172 brown leather seats and a single-class configuration... Halfway through the flight, security agents handed out box lunches: a bologna sandwich, potato chips, orange juice and a bag of carrots. When asked about the food quality, passenger Veronica Garcia grimaced and shook her head..."

172 seats sounds like 31" pitch to me, but a free bologna sandwich... that sure beats BOB! :D

maybe we can leave too...

Free one-way vacation to your favorite Central American country. Maybe one has deportation flights back to the US.

172 seats sounds like 31" pitch to me, but a free bologna sandwich... that sure beats BOB! :D

Ryanair seats 189 - 17 more seats (or three more rows) - means three fewer inches of pitch throughout; ICE Air sounds palatial in comparison.

BTW - get rid of the bologna sandwich and one has my lunch . . .

A Guatemalan foreign-ministry official declared, "Welcome home," and informed the arrivals that they had free access to a phone, a money-changing service and vans to the central bus station. "If you used a different name in the U.S., please give us your real name," the official told the crowd. "There is no problem."

wow!...I don't think United even has a lounge with this sort of treatment for Y customers hehehe....maybe its time for me to go back to Afghanistan.......hmm...or maybe NOT!

"... The swanky Boeing 737-800, leased from Miami Air International, had 172 brown leather seats and a single-class configuration... Halfway through the flight, security agents handed out box lunches: a bologna sandwich, potato chips, orange juice and a bag of carrots. When asked about the food quality, passenger Veronica Garcia grimaced and shook her head..."

172 seats sounds like 31" pitch to me, but a free bologna sandwich... that sure beats BOB! :D

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boeing_737#737-800
The 737-800 seats 162 passengers in a two class layout, or 189 in one class,

That means three fewer rows than standard configuration, so most likely better that 31" pitch.

If a sizable proportion of US illegal residents leave, what happens to the economies of the border states who rely on underpaying such workers?

It's an interesting story which I noted from that day's WSJ e-mail.

[QUOTE=BiziBB;10543145]If a sizable proportion of US illegal residents leave, what happens to the economies of the border states who rely on underpaying such workers?
/QUOTE]

Maybe they could pay decent wages and hire Americans?:mad:

[QUOTE=BiziBB;10543145]If a sizable proportion of US illegal residents leave, what happens to the economies of the border states who rely on underpaying such workers?
/QUOTE]

Maybe they could pay decent wages and hire Americans?:mad:

I figured a suffificent number had been offered amnesties that the deportation of a proportion would still allow such businesses to carry on paying ex-illegals a similar but slightly higher wage.

I suppose it could be a lot worse, like contracting it out to a Mesa / Taco Bell consortium. :p

[

I figured a suffificent number had been offered amnesties that the deportation of a proportion would still allow such businesses to carry on paying ex-illegals a similar but slightly higher wage.
p

Man, ya gotta proofread these things before you post.;)

[QUOTE=thebat;10544710]

I figured a suffificent number had been offered amnesties that the deportation of a proportion would still allow such businesses to carry on paying ex-illegals a similar but slightly higher wage.

I suppose it could be a lot worse, like contracting it out to a Mesa / Taco Bell consortium. :p

i do not understand what you said.

what are you saying about amnesties?? are you famaliar with the situation?

Who can you earn miles on? :)

Tade advantage of a free flight, why not? Goes with the free in-state college tuition, free healthcare via the emergency room and OB wards (after which they disappear sin pagando), and free schooling for their kids in our already overstuffed public schools. All so we can save a quarter on a wal-mart t-shirt or a dime on some OJ.

Tade advantage of a free flight, why not? Goes with the free in-state college tuition, free healthcare via the emergency room and OB wards (after which they disappear sin pagando), and free schooling for their kids in our already overstuffed public schools. All so we can save a quarter on a wal-mart t-shirt or a dime on some OJ.

makes "underpaid" seem pretty good...

especially when "underpaid" is after-tax since the effective tax rate is 0%...

For these "non-revenue passengers", baggage allowance is more lenient as well:

Each passenger is entitled to 40 pounds of luggage, which is carefully labeled. The tag on a big, black duffel bag loaded onto the flight to Guatemala listed the following contents: microwave, toys, VCR and an electric saw. "We don't charge them for bringing more because many passengers have only a couple of pounds to their name," said Pat Reilly, an ICE spokeswoman. Most people trying to sneak into the U.S. carry only a backpack.

Free tix, free food, free water, free check-in luggage, what else can you ask? ;)

"... 172 seats sounds like 31" pitch to me, but a free bologna sandwich... that sure beats BOB! :D

Battery operated boyfriend?


Or have I totally misread this acronym? :rolleyes:

Battery operated boyfriend?


Or have I totally misread this acronym? :rolleyes:

Buy-on-Board. ;)

makes "underpaid" seem pretty good...

especially when "underpaid" is after-tax since the effective tax rate is 0%...

There's a few billion in soscial security funds that don't belong to anyone (names and SSNs mismatch....) They pay in but don't get to take out.

There's a few billion in soscial security funds that don't belong to anyone (names and SSNs mismatch....) They pay in but don't get to take out.

if they are working under false social security numbers then they are being paid at least minimum wage

i was making reference to the post where they were described as "underpaid"

paying illegal workers in cash (and subsequently describing them as "underpaid") doesn't seem totally accurate based on the reasons outlined in the post i was referencing (free school through college, free health care, etc) and the fact that these workers are not paying taxes

i have no idea whether what you are saying is true, but it is irrelevant with regard to my post

this is going off-topic, so i'm sure it's destined to be closed...

Buy-on-Board. ;)

Nations divided by a common language. :eek:

Still it could have been worse.

paying illegal workers in cash (and subsequently describing them as "underpaid") doesn't seem totally accurate based on the reasons outlined in the post i was referencing (free school through college, free health care, etc) and the fact that these workers are not paying taxes


So they are underpaid which means everyone else benefits from the exploitation of these people with cheaper prices for tshirts at Wal-Mart or the ability for middle class families to have a maid.

The whole they don't pay tax they are ripping off society bit doesn't hold much water.

So they are underpaid which means everyone else benefits from the exploitation of these people with cheaper prices for tshirts at Wal-Mart or the ability for middle class families to have a maid.

The whole they don't pay tax they are ripping off society bit doesn't hold much water.

if you call exploitation: negotiated cash wages, free school through college, free health care and no taxes, then yes, they are being exploited

it's so horrible that millions of them are willingly crossing our borders illegally to participate in the exploitation

our maids get $70 each week and work about two hours - $17.50/hr (cash)

we should all be exploited this horribly

i think you have illegal workers confused with indentured servants

The whole they don't pay tax they are ripping off society bit doesn't hold much water.

they are ripping off society, and i would rather have the tax money than the wal-mart discount.

our maids get $70 each week and work about two hours - $17.50/hr (cash)

Why don't you hire a maid service that's legit and pays taxes instead of paying $70 cash ? Am i missing something? Is it because you don't want to pay the extra tax money AND and want the Wal-mart discount?

if you call exploitation: negotiated cash wages, free school through college, free health care and no taxes, then yes, they are being exploited

it's so horrible that millions of them are willingly crossing our borders illegally to participate in the exploitation

our maids get $70 each week and work about two hours - $17.50/hr (cash)

we should all be exploited this horribly

i think you have illegal workers confused with indentured servants



they are ripping off society, and i would rather have the tax money than the wal-mart discount.

So you jump up and down complaining but then pay your maids cash? Well done. :rolleyes:

So you jump up and down complaining but then pay your maids cash? Well done. :rolleyes:

fair enough. i see the irony. my point was that we pay more than fair wages to our maid.

i (subconsciously/consciously) did not lump her into the category of a pillager, and i am confident that no one would lump her into the category of an "exploited" worker

you're right. it's not logical for me to use her as an example and then argue against illegal workers.

your point was that we are exploiting workers in order to save money, and that's clearly not the case here. she's here, and i feel like we are doing her a favor by employing her. we give her food. we also give her clothes.

perhaps by generously helping her, i am exacerbating the problem. i never thought about it like that.

i would have no problem if she left the country, returned home and never came back, but on some level i view it differently if i am helping her.

Why don't you hire a maid service that's legit and pays taxes instead of paying $70 cash ? Am i missing something? Is it because you don't want to pay the extra tax money AND and want the Wal-mart discount?

it would probably be cheaper to hire a maid service out of the phone book.

you waited six months for that?

welcome to FT...

it would probably be cheaper to hire a maid service out of the phone book.

you waited six months for that?

welcome to FT...

Thanks for the welcome.
I thought I'd only contribute when I have something useful to add to the conversation (not that this was, but the quoted post was just too tempting).

Oh well, now that I have started, I might as well go to the 'Live Search Club' Thread and post every single time a mile showed up in my FF account. That should get my post count up in no time, haha.

Who can you earn miles on? :)

Umm... I don't think one gets to be a frequent flyer on that airline. :)