Cultures Clash At Merging Airlines

[whlinder]

America West declared itself a low-cost carrier in 2002. US Airways has been acting like one for several years.

Link to article

Nothing like declaring yourself a LCC... 🙄

I guess the actions of US as a LCC are only in onboard service and in employee pay.

 

[usairbear]

Let's see now:

Pittsburgh-Philadelphia $78.40, 14 Day Advance Fare (Southwest Market)

Pittsburgh-Harrisburg $323.40, 14 Day Advance Fare (USAirways Market)

Guess you have a valid point, whlinder. Maybe you should add customer service also. Southwest answers their reservation lines in 2-3 rings, and the majority of times you get a real person, not an annoying menu designed to buy more time to transfer your call to Mexico.

 

[Fly]

Sorry USAirbear. I just went to purchase a ticket for June 7th, round trip on USAirways, leaving at 10am, returning at 7pm. Phl/pit. Each way was $58.00.

I find it easier to do comparisons when you use the same city codes! 😉

 

[usairbear]

Sorry you don't understand the comparison, Ms. FLY.

You certainly didn't but a ticket to Harrisburg for $58.00.

Try again.

 

[Bohica]

FLY,

You just made USairbear's point EXACTly

a LOW COST carreir will charge that same 58 dollars regardless of the competition. USAIR (which is NOT a low cost carrier, no matter what they may be paying its employees) still depends on screwing people in whatever protected markets they can find. Unfortunately, those markets are dwindling every day and that is NOT accounted for in all the grand plans that have been made. Which is why USAIR keeps losing money, and even with 1.5 billion in new financing will be out of cash in another year.

BOHICA

 

[tadjr]

You have to wonder by looking at the fares in certain markets, just how many high $ fares we get people to buy vs how many reasonable $ fares COULD we get people to buy? PIT-BOS was about $500 +/- (dont remember exact fare), but you only get people who HAVE to be there to buy it. Otherwise, I suspect they make alternate plans, change planes somewhere, fly someone else or drive. IF you capped the market at $299 how many more people would you get to fly? We arent going to be losing any seats over it since most of the PIT-BOS flights are VERY open. Just seems like the guys in inventory management/marketing or whoever makes the fares decisions still doesnt have a clue. So you get $500 from 2 guys a week that HAVE to be there vs how many that COULDA/WOULDA/MIGHTA flown? That is where WN makes up the difference in fares.

 

[Bohica]

Its even worse than you think.

Southwest's fare is very rarely the lowest in a mature market, but they are NEVER the highest either. They developed a reputation for "fair" pricing, so people don't even shop around. That is what you call brand loyalty, and it wasn't done with fancy services, glitzy marketing etc. Just fair pricing, not consistantly screwing your best customers.

Yeild management was like crack for airline managment. They got addicted to it and used it to cover their short comings. Then when they load factors would go up they would raise prices, increase their yeild and kill their own market. When Southwest's load factors go up, THEY ADD ANOTHER FLIGHT, instead of jacking prices, which increases the utilization of their equiptment, increases their market presence (makes em more convienient) and makes the MORE immune in minor fluctuations in traffic. (If you are flying 1000 people between a city pair and 50 people stop because of a downturn in teh economy, its not as devestating as if you fly 100 people and 50 stop flying)

Yeild management made for some spectacular quarterly reports at the expense of long term traffic growth.

BOHICA

 

[Fly]

Sorry you don't understand the comparison, Ms. FLY.

You certainly didn't but a ticket to Harrisburg for $58.00.

Try again.

[post="272197"][/post]​

Ohhh, you are correct. I see your point. I misunderstood your post. I thought you were saying that PIT/PHL was $58.00 only for LUV. Sorry.
😳