I Guess They Really Need The Money

[UPNAWAY]

Again, if it was so easy every other airline in the US would just copy them. We have to find our own niche.

 

[john john]

SWA is really in a class all by themselves and what they do is not reproducable or others would copy it. We could match all of their fees (or lack off) and policies tomorrow and it would not drive traffic and we would not be able to charge more for fares.

So USAirways fits in the category of DL/NW CO/UA AA

 

[SS255]

SWA is really in a class all by themselves and what they do is not reproducable or others would copy it. We could match all of their fees (or lack off) and policies tomorrow and it would not drive traffic and we would not be able to charge more for fares.

I agree 100%. WN has built a culture of customer-friendliness and good employee relations over many, many years. Trying to turn around a legacy carrier to be like WN is like a middle-aged person who has spent recklessly over their entire working career and never saved for retirement trying to play "catch-up" and out-save the person who has spent prudently and socked money aside in their 401K for 25 years. Not only will the former never catch up to the latter -- but bad habits cannot be changed overnight.

WN is the biggest single threat to the legacies outside of the price of fuel.

 

[john john]

He said even though it was US not going along that unraveled one of the fare increases so far this year...

Jim

http://www.bizjournals.com/phoenix/news/2011/02/22/southwest-us-airways-hike-fares.html
Southwest Airlines Co., which has a hub at Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport, raised its rates by $10 roundtrip Friday spurring other airlines to follow suit, according to media reports.
US Airways hike fares Tempe-based US Airways (NYSE:LCC) followed suit

 

[BoeingBoy]

http://www.bizjournals.com/phoenix/news/2011/02/22/southwest-us-airways-hike-fares.html
Southwest Airlines Co., which has a hub at Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport, raised its rates by $10 roundtrip Friday spurring other airlines to follow suit, according to media reports.
US Airways hike fares Tempe-based US Airways (NYSE:LCC) followed suit

It was the fare increase prior to WN's increase that US unraveled. After WN upped their fares $10 for round trips, the legacies increased fares again - US added $20-$60 round trip for fares bought within 3 days of travel.

So it seems that the airlines can, and do, raise/lower their fares. So much for "We can't raise fares."

Jim

 

[UPNAWAY]

Jim, us not matching a raise or lowering fares and us raising fares are completely different animals, you certianly know that!

 

[BoeingBoy]

Jim, us not matching a raise or lowering fares and us raising fares are completely different animals, you certianly know that!

I'm not the one who said US can't raise fares. Seems that US has 2 or 3 times this year. Doing it in response to competitors is still doing it.

Jim

 

[SS255]

I'm not the one who said US can't raise fares. Seems that US has 2 or 3 times this year. Doing it in response to competitors is still doing it.

Jim

What I have noticed on one particular flight that I was looking to book is that US raised fares for a few days, then dropped the fares back to the levels where they previously were. The flights are still almost completely empty (odd considering it will be at the peak of spring break season), but since it's now less than 4 weeks away for me, I just booked the flight during yesterday's drop. There is a good chance that there will be a fire sale in another couple of weeks, but I would rather book now at what I consider a fair price, than wait for a fire sale which might not happen.