If you've purchased a plane ticket lately you may have noticed the same inconsistency that I did. Why is it that the cheapest tickets are those that take the most circuitous route, thereby using the greatest amount of fuel? Understandably, one pays for convenience, and non-stop flights are more convenient. But still, there is a gross disconnect between the airlines' lament over fuel prices, and their using them to justify increased fares, and their irresponsible wastage when creating crazily roundabout routes.

Case and point: On a recent trip to London I saved $800 US (at least) by purchasing a ticket that required three stops. But consider that the total distance from start to London was 5000 if flown directly. Instead, I flew 1200 miles west, and then 6200 miles east, adding 2400 miles (at least) to the trip. if amortized across the many people who also purchased this "cut-rate" ticket, the amount of wasted fuel numbers in the hundreds of thousands of liters.

How can this pricing structure be justified (or this route--EVER)?