It's the Fares, Stupid---STILL

[ngneer]

BTW, have you priced JetBlue from JFK-SYR, and I believe an hour and a half drive to BGM?

No, I didn't and that's a possibility. But I'm actually going to Owego which is about 15-20 miles west of Binghamton so the drive from SYR is closer to 2 hours. If I'm driving that much anyway I might as well just drive the whole way.

As it turns out, I got a call from my customer this morning and my trip is going to have to be postponed. (My travel plans often change at a moment's notice so I seldom can book more than a few days in advance.)

 

[ngneer]

Also if you read, I am talking LGA-CLT, which is 538 miles. At 11.83 cents which is an aggregate CASM, the trip would cost $63.64 in round numbers. Add PHL to the mix, ISP-PHL is 130 miles, PHL-CLT is about 440. Allow for a 15 cent CASM due to commuter flying and PHL, the trip still only costs about $85.00.

Art, what JAFA is saying is the costs you're quoting are one-way. For a round trip you have to multiply by two. So if ISP-CLT one-way costs $85 then round trip would cost $170 and you compare that cost versus the round-trip price.

 

[Bear96]

Since you mentioned supply & demand I will again refer you to SWA who charges no more than $618R/T plus taxes ANYPLACE they fly and it's all Mainline jets unlike my flights tonight in a airborne sardine can for the Low Cost Carrier sum of $951.00. Care to show me the first class seats in an EMB 145 or CRJ200?? I couldn't find them. I guess those seats are the same place as the first class meals.

I always hear "You get what you pay for"!!! REALLY???? Where, when, which carrier?

You appear to believe that WN is that carrier. Yet you refuse to fly them because they don't provide all the perks you have come to expect from the old irrational dinosaur airlines.

Leaves you in a bit of a dilemma, doesn't it.

 

[Doc]

Doc,

You need to stop feeling sorry for yourself


I don't feel sorry for my self. I am just so tired of this complaining.


I have 100 seats at 100 each that's 10,000
I sell 50 at 300 each that's 15,000
If I really own the market I sell them at 550 and only 25 people to fly and the rest of you drive I get 13,750

I know you may say if I sell them at 200 I get all 100 seats at 20,000

But the market may not have 100 people in that market.
I would need to fill 75 to 80 % of the seat every day.

 

[Bear96]

... WN becomes the superior business model because bottom line is is operationally solid and they make it easy for the customer to understand and do business with them.

And yet you refuse to do business with them.

You focus on the alledged "perks" ...

*I* focus on the "alleged" perks? Tell us again why you won't fly WN?



We have Airline A, which is constantly denigrated and criticized. We have Airline B, which is constantly held up as the model for all other airlines to attain. Yet you steadfastly continue to fly Airline A and refuse to fly Airline B.

Sounds (1) irrational, and (2) like you are only perpetuating the problems.



You continue to want SQ service for WN prices. Not gonna happen. And if you think it is so easy to make happen, as I have suggested before, go round up some investors and start PineyBobAir. You'd make millions.

 

[longing4piedmont]

Sounds (1) irrational

I think they call it the beaten wife syndrome.

 

[TechBoy]

I just paid $951.00 as opposed to a max of $618.00 plus taxes on SWA. What did I get for just over $325 MORE"

- a connecting flight on 2 roving sardine cans
- 2 diet cokes
- 3 bags of Spinzels
- an assigned seat.

And yet you still fly US. Over and over. No wonder they don't change the fares.

It seems that you do value the FF miles and perks quite a bit if you just spent over $300 more than you had to.

 

[TechBoy]

but keep in mind that FF programs ARE profit centers, NOT Cost Centers.

Only partly true. When the carrier is selling miles to third parties, it is a profit center. When they are giving miles to FFers, it is a cost center. It may be a wise cost to incur in order to establish and maintain customer loyalty, but it most certainly is a cost.

 

[Bear96]

I just paid $951.00 as opposed to a max of $618.00 plus taxes on SWA.

For God's sake, Piney, why why WHY?

Why SHOULDN'T LCC continue to "gouge" you if you still keep coming back for more?

 

[Non Rever]

For those of you who justify these ridiculous fares, put the shoe on the other foot. What if it was your or your companies money you were spending to pay these fares, what would you say then? I bet you would be on the "Its the fares stupid" bandwagon. IE:The other day when this thread popped up i went to .com and priced two city pairs. CLT-SAV for $1327.00 and CLT-ILM for $927.00, how crazy is that. So how many of those tkts are sold? Very few i'm sure. US has got to get a grip and put more realistic fares out there. Dont be so hard on Piney and Art, they help pay your salaries and are dedicated customers.

 

[Bear96]

What if it was your or your companies money you were spending to pay these fares, what would you say then?

I'd say, "Book me on Southwest" (in the example immediately above), and I'd stop the endless whining.

 

[JAXPax]

IE:The other day when this thread popped up i went to .com and priced two city pairs. CLT-SAV for $1327.00 and CLT-ILM for $927.00, how crazy is that. So how many of those tkts are sold?

Very few O & D at that fare and that isn't the point of that route. You price it to be competitive to driving and you'll likely fill the planes. Then you miss getting that person paying $1327 for a SEA-CLT-ILM ticket. Why sell CLT-SAV for, say, $100 when you can sell a MSP-CLT-SAV ticket for $700 and sit that person in the same seat?

I just paid $951.00 as opposed to a max of $618.00 plus taxes on SWA. What did I get for just over $325 MORE"

- a connecting flight on 2 roving sardine cans
- 2 diet cokes
- 3 bags of Spinzels
- an assigned seat.

I'm just as supportive of US (and typically only look at usairways.com when booking travel) as the next frequent flyer, but WHY are you paying that much more for less service?

I recently used Southwest for a JAX-PHL round trip because they were $200 cheaper than US, and I could get a non-stop timed at a convenient hour. In return for my cost savings I got better inflight service in coach (though the crew was a little annoying but my iPod and Bose headphones drowned out their stupid trivia announcements), more legroom, a clean cabin, and overheads that actually can hold rollaboards wheels-first. Checked in online the day before and got an A boarding card.... which yielded an aisle seat.

There comes a point when you can either give US incentive to change (withhold your business) or just continue bending over to take it again and again and again.

 

[Dizel8]

It has been mentioned a couple of times and I do agree. Certain people are complaining about the fares and the level of service, yet they keep coming back. LCC can keep "gouging" you as long as you keep coming. This board have heard the same people complain about the same problems for years, it truly is like the beaten wife syndrome.

You either live with the fact that LCC for some strange reason have you by the short and curlies or you start moving your business elsewhere!

 

[PITbull]

I go on priceline.com to look for the best fare price. Since most carriers don't provide any special coach class service, I look for departure times and price.

Everytime, except to some cities in FL, U ends up offering the best price for where I need to go. That's been my latest experience since my "emancipation". B)

Most of the legacies have a set amount of seats they sell at a certain price. Often times, it will say at the top of the page..."3 seats left at this price" etc...

 

[SpinDoc]

I go on priceline.com to look for the best fare price. Since most carriers don't provide any special coach class service, I look for departure times and price.

Everytime, except to some cities in FL, U ends up offering the best price for where I need to go. That's been my latest experience since my "emancipation". B)

PitBull:

Are your priceline fares published fare tickets, or opaque bulk fares? There is a difference, and if US is giving away seats to priceline and other internet agencies for bulk fares, then they should be selling those seats themselves under a WN type pricing structure with a capped top end.

Spin