Southwest FF drink free, water, cokes, energy drinks and booze. They also get more than enough coupons to give to the pretty lady or boy stranger next to them as a nice introduction. Kind of tradition for WN passengers. And King, while your enjoying that $800 PHL-BOS fare, note that WN caps its largest walkup fare at about 350 for a coach ticket and gives you a leather seat, nice legroom, free pillows, free blankets, no charge for aisle/window/exit, no fees to actually give your money to a ticket agent or phone rep (they want your money and will make it very easy to give it to them) no change fees, no sky cap fees, smile when you ask for a full can of coke, and even on a 35 minute full 737 between CRP and HOU do a full drink service, come back, look you in the eye and ask if they can get you something else. That my friend is what US has not figured out. They are not in the transportaion business, they are in the customer service business!
AA to add a la Carte pricing.
- Thread starter UPNAWAY
- Start date
Southwest FF drink free, water, cokes, energy drinks and booze. They also get more than enough coupons to give to the pretty lady or boy stranger next to them as a nice introduction. Kind of tradition for WN passengers. And King, while your enjoying that $800 PHL-BOS fare, note that WN caps its largest walkup fare at about 350 for a coach ticket and gives you a leather seat, nice legroom, free pillows, free blankets, no charge for aisle/window/exit, no fees to actually give your money to a ticket agent or phone rep (they want your money and will make it very easy to give it to them) no change fees, no sky cap fees, smile when you ask for a full can of coke, and even on a 35 minute full 737 between CRP and HOU do a full drink service, come back, look you in the eye and ask if they can get you something else. That my friend is what US has not figured out. They are not in the transportaion business, they are in the customer service business!
beetlejuice
Newbie
- Oct 5, 2008
- 13
- 0
Wow! Sounds great! Talk about providing exceptional customer service! It must be nice to work for and to travel on Southwest! But the sooner you all realize and accept that US will never be like Southwest the better off you will be. I repeat - NOT GONNA HAPPEN! I wouldn't want to give anyone false hope.
Note you may want to go to Air Canada website and book a flight to see how AA is looking for the future. AA is going more the AC model not the US model.
The Air Canada model is far better. The higher the fare class the more you get in services or perks. A full fare get 2 pcs of luggage for free, low fare you pay.
At US when you pay a full Y fare you get nothing more that the person who has an el cheapo fare.
Maybe that is why the high yield fliers are leaving????
At US when you pay a full Y fare you get nothing more that the person who has an el cheapo fare.
Maybe that is why the high yield fliers are leaving????
PB is correct. AC a-la-carte model/pricing is pretty simple. Almost like Southwest. You get what you pay for. From the Tango fare (basically just the ticket to get from A to B in econ. class) to Exec. Class fares (refundable, changeable, lounge access, adv. seat selection, luggage allowance, etc). I don't think most customers have a problem with this system - for example some will select & pay Tango fares for short haul and Latitudde or Exec. for longer flights.
The problem with US a-la-carte model is that they want to charge "Executive" fares and offer less than "Tango" service.
I think you'll see most US airlines move towards a fare structure like this in the not too distant future. The problem when they were implemented is that most airlines were in "survival mode" and they knew that they needed the revenue ASAP and simply didn't bother to restructure the whole thing at the time. I believe there will be one fare structure where everything remains bundled together; it will be similar to what the FF is used to right now (with the inclusion of drinks, of course), only it will be available to anyone who is willing to pay a higher price for that flexibility. Time will tell I guess, but there have been several hints that something like this is was in the works.
SS255
Veteran
If they are going to move to this type of business model, they must do it correctly or it will fail. The airlines have been relying on business travelers to subsidize leisure travelers for too long. I am convinced that this is a huge contributing factor for the sorry state of the U.S. carriers, which were flailing even prior to the spike in fuel.
You cannot charge 3X-4X the price of the cheapest ticket for flexibility, 2 checked bags (when most travelers who buy these fares check 1 bag, or don't check bags at all), and a couple of drinks. Charge a modest premium, and people will feel good about purchasing the product. Charge an extortion fare like they do now, and even unlimited free booze is not going to win you any customer goodwill from 27E.
To quote Art: "It's the fares, stupid."
What they have to remember is that above all else, it has to be about value for the dollar. I am not going to pay $800 plus for a one way ticket and then tolerate being nickel and dimed for add ons like a reserved seat, exit row, or basic beverages.
The easiest solution would in fact be modeled on the AC or even the WN model. Have no more than 3 or 4 categories, with no more than 2 or 3 fares in each. Limit the buckets to 6-7 in each market and change the yield management algorithms to make some sense. Offer value for the extra fare collected, but limit the delta between the categories...
Example--WN ISP-MDW.
The most expensive fare is about $252 one way for business select. It is $20 more than the "anytime" fare, and the "getaway fares range from $69 to $169, and are capacity controlled. For me it's a no brainer. When compared to traditional pricing, which can range from about $175 to $350 or MORE one way, with ALL restrictions intact, which do you think has the better value? I am going to (and have ) taken the business select fare.
Setting realistic price points which make economic sense will result in a greater percentage of customers migrating to the higher fare categories. While the highest fare will go down as much as 50%, the AVERAGE fare paid will actually go UP. When spread around the system, such a plan would result in greater yields without resorting to the confusing pricing policies which are still prevalent today.
By having "traditional" or legacy carriers adopt simplified pricing as this, you would see the ACTUAL fares perhaps a small bit higher than WN or FL, but you would retain some degree of flexibility thanks to existing interline agreements.
On the other side of the equation, there need to be changes made on an operational basis. Why can WN turn a flight in under 30 minutes, while few if any other carriers can do the same thing? Simple--everyone helps. Simple concept--unions are confident enough to work together. I have seen pilots help clean, even agents help out when a short turn is required.
As we are seeing in the financial market place, the old "standard way of doing business" is a thing of the past. It's a new reality virtually everywhere, and those who can adapt successfully will survive, those who can't or in this case won't (US), will not be around much longer.
A final thought--as the credit markets continue to tighten, the credit card processors are likely to call in the holdbacks, which will affect the cash position of many airlines, but particularly US, which could be in violation of its liquidity covenants if the CC companies do what they have the right to do. I think this is why US stock is down much more than others.
I sincerely hope for my friends still working at US that things work out. But the magnitude of change which will need to happen to make this a more viable company may not be possible without quantum change in both labor leadership and executive management at US.
My BEST to you all.......
The easiest solution would in fact be modeled on the AC or even the WN model. Have no more than 3 or 4 categories, with no more than 2 or 3 fares in each. Limit the buckets to 6-7 in each market and change the yield management algorithms to make some sense. Offer value for the extra fare collected, but limit the delta between the categories...
Example--WN ISP-MDW.
The most expensive fare is about $252 one way for business select. It is $20 more than the "anytime" fare, and the "getaway fares range from $69 to $169, and are capacity controlled. For me it's a no brainer. When compared to traditional pricing, which can range from about $175 to $350 or MORE one way, with ALL restrictions intact, which do you think has the better value? I am going to (and have ) taken the business select fare.
Setting realistic price points which make economic sense will result in a greater percentage of customers migrating to the higher fare categories. While the highest fare will go down as much as 50%, the AVERAGE fare paid will actually go UP. When spread around the system, such a plan would result in greater yields without resorting to the confusing pricing policies which are still prevalent today.
By having "traditional" or legacy carriers adopt simplified pricing as this, you would see the ACTUAL fares perhaps a small bit higher than WN or FL, but you would retain some degree of flexibility thanks to existing interline agreements.
On the other side of the equation, there need to be changes made on an operational basis. Why can WN turn a flight in under 30 minutes, while few if any other carriers can do the same thing? Simple--everyone helps. Simple concept--unions are confident enough to work together. I have seen pilots help clean, even agents help out when a short turn is required.
As we are seeing in the financial market place, the old "standard way of doing business" is a thing of the past. It's a new reality virtually everywhere, and those who can adapt successfully will survive, those who can't or in this case won't (US), will not be around much longer.
A final thought--as the credit markets continue to tighten, the credit card processors are likely to call in the holdbacks, which will affect the cash position of many airlines, but particularly US, which could be in violation of its liquidity covenants if the CC companies do what they have the right to do. I think this is why US stock is down much more than others.
I sincerely hope for my friends still working at US that things work out. But the magnitude of change which will need to happen to make this a more viable company may not be possible without quantum change in both labor leadership and executive management at US.
My BEST to you all.......
InternationalShannon
Veteran
am i the only one who sees that dog's head on that avatar and sees boobs? (post #17)I dont mean to, but I swear it looks like boobs. I think I had too many frosties. Im sorry SolidCactus I love you. It's not you it's me. *brainfreeze*
USCREW
Veteran
I guess if you look at it long enough. Kinda like staring at wallpaper in the bathroom.
does this plane go to paris
Senior
InternationalShannon
Veteran
Hehehehehhe great, now, about Kinglobjaw's handle...... does anyone else do anything dyslexic with that? Oh, you know what? A la carte pricing....that's right.....can I just say that if you go through MY drive up window, I will let you pick which window I toss your whopper through, instead of the one that is least convenient for you. :-D
heh..heh.........
heh..heh.........
N965VJ
Veteran
Dunno, I’m too busy staring at USCREW’s new avatar. I'm a leg guy. Daaaayum!
Back OT: If US really want to charge fees for the extra stuff, why not do something like WN Business Select? Rhetorical question, I know. Leisure travelers wouldn't care about it.
US1YFARE
Veteran
- Mar 31, 2004
- 3,932
- 54
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