Thanks to all of you who have been attempting to get me to comment this week on any number of goings-on in the airline industry.

But, I am happy to say — I resisted.

Until today.

No, I said, I am on vacation, and damn it, I am going to stay offline. Until Tuesday.

Until today.

And what got me to finally break my silence? Something wickedly funny. Of course.

Most of you probably saw the recent YouTube effort in which some enterprising Boeing employee ( I would bet) did a take off on Boeing’s continued delays with the 787. The video used? A now-familiar clip from a recent Hitler made-for-television movie that seems tailor-made for such antics. In fact, there are scores of these parodies now on YouTube, including one dealing with Brett Favre’s sign-up with the Vikings. I know. Just one of those things that seems to be tailor-made for mischief.

This week das Fuhrer has made yet another appearance.

But this time it appears that a Southwest Airlines’ pilot is the one responsible for the sub-titles. And Southwest’s CEO Gary Kelly is the one barking out German invectives to his underlings.

I’ve had more than a handful of you inquire as to whether moi had anything to do with this. I think the reason is because there are some very “inside” management barbs in this new satire. So I guess the assumption is that this was something right up my alley.

But I am here to say — I am completely innocent.

That is not to say that I didn’t chuckle out loud more than once when I watched it, though. (Yeah, you know Business Select takes a hit in here, along with…..”It’s ON!”) But I think I may have laughed the loudest at the “deck party” comment.

Not sure some folks over on Denton Drive are going to be too amused, however. This one hits just a little too close to home. On more than one front.

Serious stuff? Oh of course there has been a lot of serious stuff going on in the industry this past week — including headline-grabbing FAA interventions with both American Airlines and Southwest Airlines. I mean, if this continues, the FAA should just move their headquarters to Dallas, don’t you think?

And yes, Southwest, when not feverishly repairing aircraft this week, also announced a new “fee” for passengers. I’ll be talking about this news this next week, along with a whole lot more. When my vacation finally ends on Tuesday.

Sigh.

Enjoy your Labor Day weekend everyone. Tennis in the greatest city in the world, college football at a stadium near you, and cooler temps almost everywhere.

Life simply doesn’t get any better than this. Get out there and enjoy it.