Amtrak NEC disruptions and NE Shuttle

[Dont call me Shirley]

Follwing the terrible rail crash in Philadelphia, Amtrak's Northeast corridor service will be disrupted for days, if not longer.  Does anyone know if US (or DL, for that matter) is considering additional flights or upgauging eqipment to accommodate the additional demand?  

 

[zethya]

Read it all, but here's your answer (so far):
"Customers can also opt to fly out of New York, but last-minute tickets are pricey. Delta noted it has seen an uptick in flights between New York's La Guardia Airport and Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport. "We are currently assessing the need to add more capacity to support passenger demand," wrote spokeswoman Elizabeth Wolf in an email. 
 
Meanwhile, American Airlines is adding two round trip flights from La Guardia to Reagan National on Wednesday."
 
http://www.cnbc.com/id/102675528?__source=yahoo%7cfinance%7cheadline%7cheadline%7cstory&par=yahoo&doc=102675528

 

[WorldTraveler]

DL has added extra sections today (Wednesday) and add'l flights are scheduled for later this week.

and last minute tickets are usually expensive regardless of the route.

 

[WorldTraveler]

more information on alternate travel
http://fortune.com/2015/05/14/whats-the-economic-impact-of-the-amtrak-crash/?xid=yahoo_fortune

 

[Dont call me Shirley]

Interesting atricles on the topic:
http://mobile.nytimes.com/2015/05/15/us/after-amtrak-derailment-travelers-struggle-to-change-plans.html?referrer=&_r=0
 
...A check of Delta Air Lines fares at La Guardia Airport at 10 a.m. on Thursday found that a ticket on the 12:30 p.m. shuttle to Washington could be found — for $2,309. But a ticket on the noon shuttle cost $554...."
 
 
http://fortune.com/2015/05/14/whats-the-economic-impact-of-the-amtrak-crash/?xid=yahoo_fortune

 

[AANOTOK]

CNN reporting that AA and other airlines are price gouging. Wolf Blitzer stated that a fare he normally pays for the shuttle is $200, $300, $400 max for coach. Prices checked today were $1000 plus for coach. I have no idea if this is true or not, but if in fact it is true, AA and Mr. Parker should be ashamed. CNN reports AA is stating what they are doing is legal, within the law. It's about supply and demand.

 

[Dont call me Shirley]

Kinda like  Uber's "surge pricing" after the attacks in Sydney...
http://gawker.com/uber-turned-on-surge-pricing-for-people-fleeing-sydney-1671193132
 
Silly me, I thought the thing to do would be to  upgauge E 190s to A321s or something. But I am not an airline CEO...

 

[FWAAA]

Shuttle prices are typically very low because of Amtrak's success in drawing passengers out of the sky and onto the rails. The daily O&D on the LGA-DCA shuttles has slid into very low numbers. That's why US now uses tiny E190s instead of the larger 727s that were common many years ago. In the 4th quarter of 2014, there was an average of just 605 daily O&D passengers each way for US and DL to fight over. US carried 49% of them. US carried an average of just 297 daily local passengers each way on its LGA-DCA shuttles in the fourth quarter. Good thing US also carried some connecting passengers. Fact is, the planes are never full, and that's why walk-up fares are typically so low. Until this week.

If more people flew the LGA-DCA shuttles every day, the airlines would fly those routes with larger planes. And if a lot more people flew the shuttles every day, the average fares might not be quite so cheap.

Sometimes, transcon fares between JFK and LAX are just a couple hundred dollars if bought well in advance, but if you walk up to the counter during major Hollywood events and ask to buy the last seat on a particular flight, it's usually going to be several multiples of the off-peak cheap fare. Nothing new to see here, as that's been the way of the world since deregulation.

Right now, the New York Upfronts are happening, and that means that on some transcons, there aren't any seats available, especially in first class or business class. Sold out. No First or business seats at any price, and those last seats sold for full list price. Thousands of dollars. No upgrades for frequent flyers, as paid fares took all the seats. Is AA guilty of price-gouging? Sure. There's nothing wrong with gouging every dollar you can for airplane tickets.

It may be wrong to price-gouge for food and water after a natural disaster, but those items are necessities of life. Airplane tickets? Luxuries. Don't like the high fares? Take a bus or stay where you are for a while.

Wolf Blitzer? I'm certain that the most ignorant poster on this website knows more about airline economics than Blitzer will ever learn.

 

[AANOTOK]

Shuttle prices are typically very low because of Amtrak's success in drawing passengers out of the sky and onto the rails. The daily O&D on the LGA-DCA shuttles has slid into very low numbers. That's why US now uses tiny E190s instead of the larger 727s that were common many years ago. In the 4th quarter of 2014, there was an average of just 605 daily O&D passengers each way for US and DL to fight over. US carried 49% of them. US carried an average of just 297 daily local passengers each way on its LGA-DCA shuttles in the fourth quarter. Good thing US also carried some connecting passengers. Fact is, the planes are never full, and that's why walk-up fares are typically so low. Until this week.

If more people flew the LGA-DCA shuttles every day, the airlines would fly those routes with larger planes. And if a lot more people flew the shuttles every day, the average fares might not be quite so cheap.

Sometimes, transcon fares between JFK and LAX are just a couple hundred dollars if bought well in advance, but if you walk up to the counter during major Hollywood events and ask to buy the last seat on a particular flight, it's usually going to be several multiples of the off-peak cheap fare. Nothing new to see here, as that's been the way of the world since deregulation.

Right now, the New York Upfronts are happening, and that means that on some transcons, there aren't any seats available, especially in first class or business class. Sold out. No First or business seats at any price, and those last seats sold for full list price. Thousands of dollars. No upgrades for frequent flyers, as paid fares took all the seats. Is AA guilty of price-gouging? Sure. There's nothing wrong with gouging every dollar you can for airplane tickets.

It may be wrong to price-gouge for food and water after a natural disaster, but those items are necessities of life. Airplane tickets? Luxuries. Don't like the high fares? Take a bus or stay where you are for a while.

Wolf Blitzer? I'm certain that the most ignorant poster on this website knows more about airline economics than Blitzer will ever learn.

For folks who have to be AT work AT a certain time with buses being to slow and staying where you are for a while is not an option, a job arguably could be considered a necessity as well. Not all commuters do it by choice and not all commuters have deep pockets like some of you. So yes, price gouging or taking advantage of a TEMPORARY crisis is shameful.
As for Wolf, no need to hammer him, I'm sure he just relays what's put in front of him by his superiors.