Taxi!
Cidu Bill on Jun 25th 2008
Beside the obvious huh??… Doesn’t it appear, based on the view out the window, that this plane is on the freeway?Or is that the joke?
Filed in Bill Bickel, CIDU, LAX, Pardon My Planet, airplanes, comic strips, comics, humor | 16 responses so far
Arthur Jun 25th 2008 at 12:32 am 1
And the airplane causing the heavy traffic is none other than the one they’re on.
Frank Jun 25th 2008 at 12:48 am 2
I am not familiar with California but I’d venture that a section of I405 runs by LAX and whereever John Wayne Airport is located.
Kit Jun 25th 2008 at 04:13 am 3
CIDU for me too, but I just wanted to comment that I’m not real happy with the stylistic change by whoever draws PMP.
Ladybird Jun 25th 2008 at 04:38 am 4
Definitely yes and yes.
Amberosia Jun 25th 2008 at 06:47 am 5
Yes, the 405 is most direct route between the two, but as someone who has flown into John Wayne airport several times, (it’s the closest one to Disneyland,) I can tell you that it’s a long way from LAX. At least an hour, and with traffic, probably closer to two.
With the cost of jet fuel these days it seems to me like a fantastic waste of money. But then again, since they’re still offering beverage service, maybe money is no object.
Susan T-O Jun 25th 2008 at 07:53 am 6
John Wayne airport is in Orange County (right by Irvine/Costa Mesa) and is a bit over 40 miles from LAX. Depending on the time of day, figure 45 minutes no-traffic, 2 hours with traffic, or somewhere in between with a bit of traffic.
But no, I don’t quite get the joke either.
Lola Jun 25th 2008 at 09:05 am 7
I’m sure that a jet uses huge amounts less fuel while taxiing than during any part of flight, except maybe the actual landing part. Sooooooo, maybe the joke is that airlines are trying to save money any way they can and becoming essentially a ground based bus service seemed like a good idea to somebody. And yes, it would appear that the pictured plane is the culprit.
Erica Bickel Jun 25th 2008 at 12:29 pm 8
I agree with Lola, Ithink it’s probably a look at rising fuel prices, planes are just driving down the highway instead of flying, because it’s cheaper.
Keera Jun 25th 2008 at 03:32 pm 9
I thought taxiing –> taxi, and a lightbulb moment (probably a warning light) in the cockpit: Hey, if we’re just driving this thing down some pavement, why not just get on the darned freeway like a real taxi? 2 hours in traffic beats a 6-hour delay waiting to take off, right?
Catlover Jun 25th 2008 at 04:04 pm 10
But if the plane is itself causing the backup, wouldn’t the traffic be BEHIND the place, and therefore not affecting the plane’s ability to taxi? As planes tend to taxi at 20 knots or so, it wouldn’t be pushing a car at 65 mph.
pepperjackcandy Jun 25th 2008 at 08:02 pm 11
Am I the only person who immediately thought of 405: The Movie?
eeyore19 Jun 25th 2008 at 08:09 pm 12
Nope, the 405 movie was the first thing that came to my mind, too.
And isn’t it possible that the traffic is backed up because of *another* plane doing the same thing up ahead?
Ladybird Jun 25th 2008 at 09:59 pm 13
I figured that there was so much of a backup for takeoffs at the airport that it was just faster for the plane to drive it (even though this slowed the highway traffic down).
This reminds me of one time when I flew out of the Chattanooga airport (that was a 110-mile drive from home) so I could avoid a 3-hour layover on the return trip and arrive home earlier on a Sunday night (I only lived about 10 expressway miles from the Knoxville, TN airport). On the trip out I ended up breaking about even. But on the return trip we sat in the plane on the runway in Atlanta for 3 hours (breathing that horrible exhaust-laden recycled air), so I still took off from Atlanta at the time I would’ve on the original flight - and still had a 90-minute drive home when I landed! I probably would’ve made better time if we’d taxied the whole way on the interstate.
Charlene Jun 25th 2008 at 11:45 pm 14
“I agree with Lola, Ithink it’s probably a look at rising fuel prices, planes are just driving down the highway instead of flying, because it’s cheaper.”
Except that jet aircraft expend FAR more fuel per mile on the ground as compared to in the air, up to fifty times as much for some aircraft.
Ladybird Jun 26th 2008 at 08:29 am 15
Even if the plane’s mileage was only 1/50th of a car’s mileage, as long as there are more than 50 people on the plane it would be cheaper.
LC Jul 19th 2008 at 12:52 am 16
This was in response to several airlines announcing a couple weeks ago that they would be “slowing planes down” to save fuel IE trim 35MPH off crusing speeds, trips go up by 15-20 minutes but total fuel prices drop by millions; as well as avoiding idling on the runway waiting for takeoff - if your engine’s on you are moving. Thiis comic is probably pointing out that planes were meant to be FAST and better than cars, but now they are more like busses.