Biztraveller:
I sincerely hope you will remain with United's service to SJU, as we need the loyal customers like yourself. I assume that if United Airlines were selling 12(A320) or 24(B757) first class seats on most flights, they would keep that class of service up and running. Unfortunately, as you know, if you are paying actual money for First Class, you are very much appreciated, but very much in the minority. The majority of people sitting up front are on frequent flyer miles heading down to catch their cruise to the Carribean. SJU is largely a vacation destination, and that is the market TED is most affective.
United, for many reasons, has had a hard time competing after the economic bubble burst. UAL always catered largely to the business travellers schedules and destinations. UAL was disportionately harmed after 9/11 because of its over reliance on the higher yielding business revenue. As the consumer has been enjoying historically low ticket prices via the internet and those young new start up airlines, United has begun entering new sun destination service to diversify its portfolio, and unfortunately for you, has had to offer fares the value oriented leisure traveller demands. With jet fuel prices up 300% from its historical average, and ticket prices at all time lows, people are going to get what they pay for...And that is not a First Class seat to the Carribean.
I know TED is not perfect, but we do have one of the best coach cabins in the industry with our Ecomony Plus seating, and there are a lot of those seats available to our best customers like yourself and fellow co-workers. If TED enters this market, you will likely see lower overall prices, and that is worth something I hope, to offset your previously available First Class seat.
Heck, at least we still have pillows and blankets, and movies. And of course, the historically world class professional aircrews that cannot be surpassed when it comes to your safety and well-being. We've been doing it for 80 years now, and if the goverment trusts us to train the Airforce 1 crews and handle their dispatching, flight planning duties and maintenence, that says a lot.
Thank you again for flying with us, and I hope that if you choose to take your business elswhere when flying that route, you'll still come back to visit us for your other travelling needs. We are trying hard to improve our business so we can continue to fight the fight for another 80 years. We may not be able to please all the people all the time, but I hope you know we are all trying. We really are. Regards.
