Bribing Pilots


A few years ago The Wall Street Journal ran an interesting article on how airline refuelers bribe pilots of corporate jets.[2] Since corporate jets can be refueled at multiple airports along their routes, there is intense competition for their business. Normally, you might think that these refuelers would compete on price. These refuelers, however, realize that the pilots decide where to refuel, but the jets’ owners pay for the gas. The refuelers take advantage of the pilots’ sending other people’s money by bribing the pilots. One company “hands out one 8-ounce steak for every 100 gallons of fuel purchased.”[3] The steaks are given to the pilots by attractive, scantily clad women. The pilots are usually given their freebies only “if [they] forgo discounts on fuel.”[4] The refuelers are careful to give the pilots their freebies secretly, thus proving that the pilots and refuelers fully understand the game being played.

Why don’t the refuelers simply give direct cash bribes to pilots? These bribes would probably be illegal, so pilots, fearing criminal prosecution, would be reluctant to accept them. Bribing pilots with meat is more effective because it’s legal.

[2]Wall Street Journal (September 8, 1998).

[3]Ibid.

[4]Ibid.




Game Theory at Work(c) How to Use Game Theory to Outthink and Outmaneuver Your Competition
Game Theory at Work(c) How to Use Game Theory to Outthink and Outmaneuver Your Competition
ISBN: N/A
EAN: N/A
Year: 2005
Pages: 260

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