Pittsburgh - State College Flt. Back

[linemech]

US Airways brings back PIT / SCE one flt. a day but it wont be cheap.
Although demand is great for PIT / SCE service, I wonder how much business can be generated with such high fares.

The cheapest price available for a roundtrip flight from State College to Pittsburgh is about $461. By comparison, a flight to Los Angeles and back costs just under $439.

I know shorter routes cost more to operate but this a one hour commuter flight.

SEE STORY


Linemech

 

[trvlr64]

US Airways brings back PIT / SCE one flt. a day but it wont be cheap.
Although demand is great for PIT / SCE service, I wonder how much business can be generated with such high fares.

The cheapest price available for a roundtrip flight from State College to Pittsburgh is about $461. By comparison, a flight to Los Angeles and back costs just under $439.

I know shorter routes cost more to operate but this a one hour commuter flight.

SEE STORY
Linemech

Whoever in the department that sets airfares is a complete BOOB! And has their head stuck in the sand. For the amount of time that is wasted at the airport(S) it's cheaper to drive to PIT from SCE. SCE to PHL fares are just as outrageous. Watch this route be dropped in 6 months. No one is going to fly it unless it's to destinations outside of PIT. And those destinations will be cheaper than a flight to PIT.

Seriously, who is responsible for setting the airfares in US? They need a dose of reality. They are forcing your customers to fly SWA and the other airlines more and more. My upcoming PIT to TPA for work priced out at $1217.80 for the date and times I needed to get to work. SWA is only charging $108.60.

You tell me who is getting the $$$ for this? How is it that SWA is selling this for 12 times less than what US is and still turns a profit? And don't blame fuel hedging. Their most expensive airfare for the date and times I need to travel tops out at $378.60 for a fully refundable/changeable ticket. That $1217.80 ticket was NOT REFUNDABLE or CHANGEABLE without penalties.

Whoever in US that sets these airfares...........you need to start paying for YOUR own travel and see how long you would last on US.

You're making SWA look very good to the price concerned traveler more and more. And the price concerned corporations that have to trim their travel expenses.

 

[fr8tmastr]

No comment on the price of the ticket, but SW will never offer a ticket at any price to SCE. That does not fall into their business plan of only offering service to the largest cities where the can skim off the top in sufficient numbers to make money. Nothing wrong with that, it just is what it is. In ten years the public will reap what they claim to want. Fares cheaper than a tank of gas in their Ford Extinctsion, but to get it sevice to all smaller cities will be gone.

 

[BoeingBoy]

trvlr64,

If you listen closely, you'll hear many proclamations that LCC is a "low cost carrier". What you'll rarely hear in any proclamation is talk about being a "rational fare carrier", much less a "low fare carrier".

The "BloFares" seem to be continuing - something like $1.50 per mile and up, in this case......

Jim

 

[trvlr64]

No comment on the price of the ticket, but SW will never offer a ticket at any price to SCE. That does not fall into their business plan of only offering service to the largest cities where the can skim off the top in sufficient numbers to make money. Nothing wrong with that, it just is what it is. In ten years the public will reap what they claim to want. Fares cheaper than a tank of gas in their Ford Extinctsion, but to get it sevice to all smaller cities will be gone.

If you ask most consumers what WE want are rational airfares. Do I use the $39 fare to a destination when it's offered by SWA now? Of course. I flew PIT to TPA then FLL to PIT on 3 recent work assignments. TPA - FLL I jumped on SWA for $39 OW. US made $$ on it's portion but again it was a rational airfare. Not a $1200.00 rape and pillage fare.

And there is nothing wrong with using mulitple carriers for travel. I have to work in LBB often. It's more economical for me to fly US PIT to DFW then jump on AA DFW to LBB. A complete AA ticket is much more expensive than a US/AA split ticket. Weird.

And I don't think SWA skims anymore. For years PIT customers drove to CLE to get those cheaper fares since SWA didn't fly out of PIT. Now that SWA flies out of PIT, US is still raping this customer base. I wanted to fly to PHL recently doing a 1 day turn. I can do this on SWA for $78.40 leaving in the morning and returning home for dinner. US is charging $186.40. A savings of $108.00 by flying SWA.

Again, who do you think is going to get the $$$ for this trip? It sure isn't US. And where is the extra $108.00 going? For such a quick hop across the state I don't need FC.

 

[RowUnderDCA]

No comment on the price of the ticket, but SW will never offer a ticket at any price to SCE. That does not fall into their business plan of only offering service to the largest cities where the can skim off the top in sufficient numbers to make money. Nothing wrong with that, it just is what it is. In ten years the public will reap what they claim to want. Fares cheaper than a tank of gas in their Ford Extinctsion, but to get it sevice to all smaller cities will be gone.

I'd heard that the next REDICULOUSLY huge gaz guzzling FORD SUV was to be named the Ford 'Excuseme,' but I think the 'Extinction' might be more appropriate.

 

[jimcfs]

trvlr64,

If you listen closely, you'll hear many proclamations that LCC is a "low cost carrier". What you'll rarely hear in any proclamation is talk about being a "rational fare carrier", much less a "low fare carrier".

The "BloFares" seem to be continuing - something like $1.50 per mile and up, in this case......

Are there "BloFares" in the HP system on the left coast? Would make a study to see if Tempe and CCY are still separate entities when it comes to pricing.

 

[FM2436]

Whoever in the department that sets airfares is a complete BOOB! And has their head stuck in the sand. For the amount of time that is wasted at the airport(S) it's cheaper to drive to PIT from SCE. SCE to PHL fares are just as outrageous. Watch this route be dropped in 6 months. No one is going to fly it unless it's to destinations outside of PIT. And those destinations will be cheaper than a flight to PIT.

Seriously, who is responsible for setting the airfares in US? They need a dose of reality. They are forcing your customers to fly SWA and the other airlines more and more. My upcoming PIT to TPA for work priced out at $1217.80 for the date and times I needed to get to work. SWA is only charging $108.60.

You tell me who is getting the $$$ for this? How is it that SWA is selling this for 12 times less than what US is and still turns a profit? And don't blame fuel hedging. Their most expensive airfare for the date and times I need to travel tops out at $378.60 for a fully refundable/changeable ticket. That $1217.80 ticket was NOT REFUNDABLE or CHANGEABLE without penalties.

Whoever in US that sets these airfares...........you need to start paying for YOUR own travel and see how long you would last on US.

You're making SWA look very good to the price concerned traveler more and more. And the price concerned corporations that have to trim their travel expenses.

I can only compare this conversation with what I've heard happens in Salisbury. Piedmont flies from SBY non-stop to PHL and CLT. If PHL or CLT is your ultimate destination, the ticket price is extremely expensive. But if you originate from SBY and connect on mainline through PHL and CLT on to your ultimate destination, then ticket prices are often competative even with what Southwest charges from BWI. A Piedmont employee once told me it is not the mission of Piedmont to get you to PHL or CLT cheap so you can connect on Southwest or Airtran. Every time I fly Piedmont from Salisbury their flight are packed.

 

[FM2436]

No comment on the price of the ticket, but SW will never offer a ticket at any price to SCE. That does not fall into their business plan of only offering service to the largest cities where the can skim off the top in sufficient numbers to make money. Nothing wrong with that, it just is what it is. In ten years the public will reap what they claim to want. Fares cheaper than a tank of gas in their Ford Extinctsion, but to get it sevice to all smaller cities will be gone.

Here's a interesting article on some guy's attempt, and struggles, to start a low cost air carrier between Ocean City MD and BWI. Simmons Air has single Cessna 404, with apparently more to come. The schedule air charter operator charges $45.00 one way.

http://www.delmarvanow.com/apps/pbcs.dll/a...305/1002/NEWS17