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Should AA be the first carrier to remove pillows and blankets

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Barfbag

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NY Times reports that Alaska airlines has removed all pillows and blankets from their flights, this in light of the swine flu outbreak.

Should we be the first legacy?
 
Might as well remove the seat covers, the headrests, the seat belt latches. Hell, just remove all the seats. Have 'em stand holding on like a subway. :huh: :lol:
 
I'm still hoping that we will remove them and start selling a package containing a pillow and a blanket that if left by the customer could then be thrown away. Anyone who puts one of those blankets over their head and breathes into it (I see it all the time), deserves whatever they catch.

(Of course, these are pretty much the same people who get up and go to the lav barefooted. Eww.)
 
Took AMTRAK recently from CA...to ORD.

SFO/OAK/SMF/RNO/SLC/DEN/OMA/ORD

The amount of people who said they will NEVER set foot on an Airplane again, was ASTOUNDING(and the Food....you remember that stuff right ?......was TREMENDOUS) !!!
 
That sounds great. How much did it cost and how long did it take? Were the meals included? Drinks?

I checked Amtrak and from Boston to LA the cheapest fare was $439 and took 65 hours in coach. You still had to pay for meals and beverages. I don't think this is really an option for any business people or even most vacationers for that fact. Give me 6 hours of hell on a plane anyday especially for the cost. I know I can fly to LA for a lot cheaper that $439 with maybe another $20 for food and drinks.

MikeBOS
 
Comparing a government-run monopoly railroad to a privately-run airline in a competitive environment is really apples and oranges. For a trip from Boston to Los Angeles, it's obvious that taking the train is for those who like the train and don't mind paying more money and spending more time on the trip. That does not excuse an airline from removing the most basic of amenities, a pillow and blanket, using the lame excuse that they're trying to prevent the spread of the flu.
 
I think the most basic of amenities are a seat and a working lavoratory, anything else is up for sale, at least in coach.

Check out some of the old airline timetables online that are from the late 60's and early 70's, they listed the prices for each city pair, the fares back then were more expensive than they are now and that was in those years dollars, that is why the airlines could afford to compete on service. Flash forward 30 years and most consumers buy strictly on price, alot say they would pay extra for better service but when push comes to shove price wins out. Remember our More Room Throughout Coach, everybody loved it but the airline found out if another airline was even $5 cheaper they would book the competitor, it went away. Same thing with pillows and blankets, there is a cost associated with keeping them onboard.

Airline travel is not a service industry anymore, it is a transportation industry, the marketing department may try to blow sunshine up your backside but when all we do is sell beverages and meals. I can see selling pillows and blankets onboard in the very near future as a few airlines already do, in fact when I travel I carry a travel pillow and a space blanket, I've worked for an airline long enough that I would never use or let my family use an airline pillow or blanket, they are just foul.

MikeBOS
 
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