Before You Buy A Ticket On Usairways

[Phoenix]

Don't know if this was already talked about, but wanted our customers to have oportunity to get the best price.

Best US Airways fare? Try United

Ailing airline is beaten on prices by carrier that can sell its seats

BINYAMIN APPELBAUM

Staff Writer


Looking for evidence airline ticket prices make no sense? Look no further.

Passengers flying US Airways from Charlotte can often purchase the same ticket for less from United Airlines, which sells seats on US Airways flights under a reciprocal agreement.

The differences are sometimes large. A ticket purchased online Friday for a round trip today between Charlotte and Lynchburg, Va., cost $490 more from US Airways than from United.

For a round trip between Charlotte and Raleigh, the gap between the US Airways price and the United price was $72. Between Charlotte and Richmond, Va., the gap was $233.

"This is why people hate the airlines," said Joe Brancatelli, who runs a Web site for business travelers. "It shows the simple reality that airline pricing is absurd. It shows you that there's no integrity."


http://www.charlotte.com/mld/charlotte/business/9756681.htm

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[PITbull]

Oh, Geezus....

This is all we need now.... :down:

 

[ClueByFour]

Oh, Geezus....

This is all we need now.... :down:

[post="189602"][/post]​

While I tend to agree, this is nothing new.

The codeshare price differentials are often insane. I know, because I always check both. Brancatelli is a windbag, but he's right this time.

The other thing I find amusing is the idea that US is working to "fix" this problem. That's interesting, because if they do "fix" pricing with regard to United, it's probably an instant antitrust violation. Whoops.

 

[USFlyer]

The other thing I find amusing is the idea that US is working to "fix" this problem. That's interesting, because if they do "fix" pricing with regard to United, it's probably an instant antitrust violation. Whoops.

[post="189649"][/post]​

What is happening is when US sells out its inventory at a certain fare class, its systems should remove that inventory from what UA can sell. It's not that they are colluding to set the price, but my understanding is the two allocate inventory in certain fare buckets, with each able to set the price for that fare bucket. If US sells out its lowest fare buckets, UA still thinks those fare buckets are available until US tells it otherwise. Ditto in reverse.

Also, I remember seeing something in the filing where both had to agree to use the same price on routes in which they do not compete.

And, DL-NW-CO have the same problem. AA-AS have the same problem. I see this all the time, so it's not unique to US.