One Reason We are LOSING Money

[drifterreno]

IIRC there was a company or two that got in a heap-o-trouble for that and had to pay a hefty sum to perhaps NWA and I think that practice has stopped for the most part.

Is the fact the WN doesn't play these silly ticket games be one of the reasons for the sustained profitability they deliver?

Sooooo Piney, did you finally read my comment about pricing like WN???? By the way, where in the upstate market is this guy flying from?? Bet I can figure out his plan. You know old horses like me saw this forever and no one ever did anything about it. I for one reported them many times to the company.
Oh well have a Merry Christmas or a Happy Holiday and come visit. It's snowing like gang busters--great ski wheather.

 

[NCFL]

I've heard this "outrageous fares into DCA" cry before. The defense has always been that flying into/out of DCA commands a premium because of convenience to the District and that it can be justified because of the high cost of doing business there versus IAD or BWI.

Typing this here, it sounds as unlikely to be swallowed by the customer as it did when I was instructed to say it while working in Consumer Affairs. Fact is, it's a really high fare for such a short distance. Reminiscent of the days when the competition in the NE was AL, Amtrak & Greyhound.

Charging a $50 or $100 premium for the convenience of flying right into DCA is fine. Charging 5X the fare from Upstate NY VIA DCA is completely unacceptable, and some might argue fraudulent.

SS255 - I don't think you read my 2nd paragraph, or perhaps you missed my point, or I expressed it poorly. I'm agreeing that the fare is outrageous. And I'm saying the defense of "flying into DCA costs more and commands a premium because of its proximity to the District" is hogwash, at least for charging 5x a reasonable fare.

But most airlines will gouge where they can to make up for places or situations where/when they cannot. Look at CVG. If I'm not mistaken, it has the highest fares of any airport in the country. In another example, on a more personal note, I tried to fly GSO-LGA with little notice for a funeral last week and the fare on US was $500 per person. At $2k for my family of four, we elected to drive.

 

[URPIUSHPUS]

Hidden city fares have been around since God was a child. I have yet to run into an airline that does not have one or two still in their pricing. The problem is ususally finding it.

One way tickets are a must, as stated previously. Your return is automatically cancelled out if you do not make a flight. Also, you must be traveling with no baggage being checked or be in cahoots with an agent. Your baggage MUST always be checked to your final destination, no short checks allowed. If the pax requests a short check, this is a big flashing warning light about a hidden city fare.

I believe that when these situations are discovered, the company should pursue the theft of services with the passenger and advise to cease and desist. Should the practice continue, the company (whichever airline it is) should seek damages and reimbursement.

:down:

 

[flyingcat]

My God

It always amazes me that some people always say well they charge too much that it is ok to break the rules. If you want WN prices go ahead and fly them on a connection. US might learn to change things if a lot of people choose them. However if you fly US you agree to fly by their rules.

To the author of this topic you have a choice:

a. take pride in your job and tell someone. Nonstop flights are a premium for a reason. People want cheaper fares there are alternatives, but gaming the system only hurts the system. BTW you do know that US is the one trying to make money and pay you!

b. tell yourself the airline charges too much from DCA and be happy that a passenger is getting a near free ride from underpaid people like yourself. If this is your choice you have my pity as it only reinforces the stereotype that many employees of US don't care.

 

[jcw]

Looks like we need to hear from "Mom" again. "Just because everyone else is doing it doesn't make it right"

The other "Norm" for legacy carriers s repeated financial loses, bankruptcy and poor Labor relations. Wonder if anyone ever considered cause & effect between the way the legacies treat people and their non stop financial woes?

Thanks Piney for the insight about Mom. I was not defending the practice just pointing out it's been around for a long time. I truly appreciate the poke in the eye.

 

[FutureUScapt]

US is alone in their crazy pricing. For example, if you want to leave SJT (San Angelo, TX) this Thursday, Dec. 18, it's $123 to DFW or $464 to FLL via DFW.

That doesn't change the fact that if you want to buy a ticket to FLL via DCA and skip the second flight, you can, and it is legal. US can choose to not give you FF miles but that's about it.

I'm not going to defend US, but they are most certainly NOT the only one to do it.

Your example is so inappropriate for so many reasons, I'm not sure its worth explaining but I'll say that the SJT-FL market and BOS-FL market have almost zero in common. BOS-FL is a much more competitive market than SJT, which has 1-2? carriers.

 

[NCFL]

Pretend you drive one of those cars, like mine, that requires 93 octane gas. This summer, when gas was $4+/gallon, you wheel up to your local Exxon station and see the following prices on the pumps:

Regular - $4.25
Plus - $4.50
Supreme - $0.75

Now, you know darn good and well that the price for Supreme should be $4.75, but that someone has made a mistake. Do you:

1. Thrill at the prospect of filling up your tank for $15 instead of $95, buy the gas and skip off on your merry way?
2. Walk inside the station, tell the hapless cashier (who likely has no clue how to change the price himself) and wait for it to be corrected before filling up?

Or here's another one...

I go to my local Harris Teeter supermarket, which I did today, and Honey Nut Cheerios are on sale BOGO. I get my two boxes home and choose to throw one in the trash. Have I somehow defrauded the store or General Mills?

These are purely rhetorical questions.

It's a free country. The customer can buy whatever fare he or she chooses, as long as it's being offered for sale. And if he wants, he can throw the whole shootin' match in the garbage. At the same time, if he does this hidden city business enough, US is then free to yank his (worthless) Dividend Miles. Or, if a travel agent is busted for selling these too often, US can choose to revoke the agency's plate.

But far as going after someone legally to recoup money from this hidden city thing, that's nuts. There's no way, unless someone in legal is off his or her rocker, they'd spend the legal resources to after a small potatoes issue like this.

 

[FutureUScapt]

On that note, here's a funny parody on airline pricing. I'm sure many of you have seen this as it's not exactly new, but for those who haven't, it's a pretty funny read

Enjoy!

If Airlines Sold Paint

 

[BoeingBoy]

Not exactly new - check.

Parody - check.

A pretty accurate portrayal of legacy airline pricing before a la carte - so close you'd have to cry if you weren't laughing so hard.....

Jim

 

[SolidCactus]

Not exactly new - check.

Parody - check.

A pretty accurate portrayal of legacy airline pricing before a la carte - so close you'd have to cry if you weren't laughing so hard.....

Jim

Actually, US Airways takes that one step further... After you would agree on the price you're willing to pay for the paint and they already charged your card for the paint, they'd then say... Well, did you bring your own paint can? No, well, I'm afraid we'll have to charge you $2 for the can...

 

[BoeingBoy]

No, well, I'm afraid we'll have to charge you $2 for the can...

Can fee - $2
Lid fee - $2
Can Handle fee - $1
Tint to achieve desired color fee - $5
Mixing tinted paint fee - $3

And if after paying one of the lower prices per gallon you decide that you want to paint at a time not agreed to in the contract, a $150 Rescheduling Painting fee plus the cost of new paint priced for the period you want to reschedule the painting for (return unopened original paint for a credit toward the new paint).

Jim

 

[TheMike]

Can fee - $2
Lid fee - $2
Can Handle fee - $1
Tint to achieve desired color fee - $5
Mixing tinted paint fee - $3

And if after paying one of the lower prices per gallon you decide that you want to paint at a time not agreed to in the contract, a $150 Rescheduling Painting fee plus the cost of new paint priced for the period you want to reschedule the painting for (return unopened original paint for a credit toward the new paint).

We can't forget about the $35 paint store purchasing fee, but if you pull out your laptop and buy it in the paint store online there is no fee.

 

[FutureUScapt]

And of course if you would like the paint can on the edge of the shelf or the one in the front of the store, that will be an extra $20!

 

[ClueByFour]

I believe that when these situations are discovered, the company should pursue the theft of services with the passenger and advise to cease and desist. Should the practice continue, the company (whichever airline it is) should seek damages and reimbursement.

:down:

Again, it is not legal to get off an airplane and not board the next one. With that context in mind, the company would be insane to try to bring legal action. I, for one, would have a field day with it: "Your honor, have you seen the inside of that air whisky RJ or the bus that takes you there?" Case dismissed.

Only two realistic remedies available are to refuse to do business with that pax in the future and/or yank their FF miles. US can simply not afford to drive away anyone paying anything at this point. They won't do either.

 

[FLYUSAIRWAYS]

Ok, now to add insult to injury, Mr. Hidden City Scammer, informs me that his wife is flying out tomorrow morning, to meet up with him, and is checking to make sure that that the aircraft type will be the 170, (NO YELLOW CARRY ON TAGS), That is how I found out about his scam, when his large carry on bag would not fit on board, and he wanted to short check it to DCA. Now he can inform his wife, on how to pack, and not to take any large bags. To make matters worse, I checked out his FF account, and when I saw his address, one of the most exclusive in Upstate New York, where homes start at half Million, I again cringed. When I pulled up his wives record, of course, she was on THAT FAMOUS $100 one way ticket to FLL. Not to mention that the fare is only $72, the rest is tax. Now she also is flying to DCA for $100 instead of $650. He always has many business men flying with him. I have not checked his flying partners as of yet, but I'm sure he is spreading the word to his buds, how to save money on Usairways. I cant wait till the DCA flight is delayed, when he is traveling, and I have to rerourte him on the CLT flight to get him to FLL. Revenge is SWEET. LOL.