I've talked to a bunch of people that get flown around by their company for 2h meetings at airports within Germany every day. If these wouldn't happen and would be done via video conferencing or other means that would be an improvement. Business will find a way to make it work.

It is a Boeing 737-200 and it has been in service for 43.7 years.

There are still DC-3's in commercial operation, and production of those ended in 1942.

http://www.buffaloairways.com/ is one operator.

Common definition of a "commercial operation" for airlines is scheduled operation, not charters.

So... That boeing just may be the oldest flying airliner on scheduled routes.

Are there any such planes used for regular scheduled (passenger) airline services? It appears to me that Buffalo Airways is charter and cargo only.

Jets don’t like that.

For back country missions the only thing maybe better than a DC-3 is a Basler... and that is a modernized DC-3 with reinforcements and turboprops for more power. They suck a lot more fuel than a plain DC3 though, which can be problematic as some of these fields they have to fly fuel in.

Competition makes those companies use any cost-saving they can. If the government takes an option away, they'll just all not use it anymore and settle down on a higher price.

Competition between governments is also a thing, and I think we’re already seeing it matter as part of a pullback on globalization with respect to China.

And let's not resort to the No True Scotsman fallacy ...

Is it? Why? Frequent air travel is super recent.

The world changes. I travel all over the world for business. Contracts that I couldn't do without that travel. Just because 50 years ago I wouldn't be able to do it, doesn't mean it isn't necessary now. (Same as internet, just because 50 years ago you didn't need, or have, the internet, doesn't mean nowadays is an integral part of business)

Then the business world can pay for it through ticket prices.

If air travel is essential to operate the economy itself, people will pay for it without subsidies, and cut down on non essentials, if need be.

Apple, the posterchild of high margins, reported profits of $14bn on $62bn revenues for Q4 2018... that's 22%. If you want low margins, look at retailers.

I wish it was mandatory for every student to visit two or three very different countries during their studies.

I understand the emissions are problematic and we need to cut them down. I like the idea of forbidding or de-incentivizing air travel on short trips when a rail alternative exists. I just wish we put that at the bottom of the priority list. Remove coal plants and fuel cars first.

That was common in the 80s & 90s but we did it wearing a backpack and hopping on buses and coaches and sleeper trains; air travel was much too expensive back then.

That's in contrast to modern Ryanair-style stag-party 'tourism' where students descend on a city for a few days and then zip back home.