The Changes to Come

[Itestwell]

This announcement proves that they have no clue. And again, while they spared the Preferred DM members some pain (baggage charges), they are killing their recovery and inviting the rest of their Preferred Members to leave by slapping them in the face by cancelling the mileage bonuses for Elite Levels.

Why don't they just close the doors now?

Or better yet.....R A T I O N A L I Z E F A R E S...........

This is a new low for nickel and diming, and I bet they have not figured the cost of collection of these fees, and the errors and confusion it will cause.

They just took AA's mistake and made it 10 times worse!!!

I'll tell you what. If I were a customer of US I would refuse to pay ANY new fees until Dougie and Scottie forego their compensation for the rest of the year.


They really ARE trying to kill this airline.

I am not opposed to SOME of the fees, but they went too far.

Oh, relax. Nobody is closing any doors, as you have been predicting for years. The others will match in a matter of weeks, rest assured. I am sure they are not done cutting.... Just sit back and relax....

Remember when USAir instituted the 2nd bag rule and everyone scoffed? Then, your beloved AA instituted a 1st bag rule.... LOL....reeeeeelax, the rest will match. I do, however, enjoy everyones flair for drama.

What did oil close at today?

 

[signals]

I played today and on June 18 for 5 days you can fly on US for $250 +/- RT! LUV wanted $348 EACH WAY .... So yea, they don't for yadda this and yadda that, but they charge a higher fare.

Also consider this ... the only way to check a SWA fare is to go to their webstie. Whereas Travelocity, Orbitz, et al, show all the other airlines. I'm speculating that we insist on keeping the fares lower so we get the most attractive idiots to buy our tickets (all those "other" charges for bags, etc, are not included in the total costs, so the initial cost is quite cheap. Makes sense, but I still don't like it when my brothers and sistas may be out of job, because of that stupid scenario.

Maybe US should play the game then. Instead of saying you are going to charge for this and that, just raise the fares and say you still give things for free. Tom Brokaw just slammed US and UA but really dissed US!

Still on that 250 fare you can raise it $50 or so and still make a cut throat profit! Believe it or not, I am thinking of your bros and sistas!

 

[Itestwell]

Maybe US should play the game then. Instead of saying you are going to charge for this and that, just raise the fares and say you still give things for free. Tom Brokaw just slammed US and UA but really dissed US!

Still on that 250 fare you can raise it $50 or so and still make a cut throat profit! Believe it or not, I am thinking of your bros and sistas!

Yes! Thats it! Raise the fares! Thank God youre here! Why didnt Tempe think of that? That brilliant idea never gets old.....

 

[N903AW]

Or better yet.....R A T I O N A L I Z E F A R E S...........

Remember the days before deregulation when there were only three fares to choose from? F, Y, or K?

If you couldn't afford the three aforementioned fares then you found another mode of transportation or you didn't go. Period.

 

[signals]

Yes! Thats it! Raise the fares! Thank God youre here! Why didnt Tempe think of that? That brilliant idea never gets old.....

Ahhh, yeah, OK...follow the thread...THEY ARE GOING TO CHARGE YOU ANYWAY for minute things. Plus, I am talking about WN tactics, as to say that everything is NOT what it seems. F4now gave me some LUV quotes and US seems to have a better deal.

If WN is making it by giving the illusion of a 'deal', why can't US raise it's fares?

But you're right. Just take the long way home and hope you don't run out of gas!

 

[4merresrat]

This is another nail in the coffin. I feel for the employees

Your competitions response is the following full page Wall Stree Journal add:

http://home.sprintmail.com/~beckley/SouthwestCoupon.pdf

Excellent ad. Simplicity at its best.

 

[Art at ISP]

Testwell,

They should just raise fares. Business travelers would rather pay a higher fare and keep their perks to see benefits pulled from them and then nickel and dimed on top of that.

The flying public has to realize that fares have not changed substantially in many years and they need to.

I was told that by raising the bottom fare in a market $20 you can lower the top fare $300.

Also, no other carrier is going to attack their elite flyers like US just did. Other carriers have had mileage bonuses and double EQM's of late just to prevent their most valuable customers from leaving. Instead of realizing the value of high frequency customers who provide higher yields in most cases and by doing so MORE OVERALL REVENUE, US chooses to say sorry no more bonuses, there's the door.

My mail box is overflowing with people who stayed and are now leaving.......

We all realize the business has to change. Why not start with reinventing yield management and coming with a fair pricing system which actually takes into account what it really costs to fly one passenger from point a to b?

Other airlines realize that leisure travelers will probably cut back on their flying. They are enticing their high yield customers to stay. US thinks they don't need their elites, and have once again shown their contempt for their best customers. They deserve what they get........

I feel bad for all my friends working the front lines at US.......this will hurt you all most of all.......and for that I am sorry.

I repeat--no one should pay any new fees until Scottie and Dougie do the right thing.....

 

[Furloughd4now]

Ahhh, yeah, OK...follow the thread...THEY ARE GOING TO CHARGE YOU ANYWAY for minute things. Plus, I am talking about WN tactics, as to say that everything is NOT what it seems. F4now gave me some LUV quotes and US seems to have a better deal.

If WN is making it by giving the illusion of a 'deal', why can't US raise it's fares?

But its not just US doing this scenario and digging their own grave with WN laughing hysterically all the way to the bank and why shouldn't they? They've been happily picking up our carcasses for years. so what do we do? Feed em some more :blink: They have brilliant marketing minds and I wish I was on their team, but I'm on the Dark Horse. Why can't we get our peeps to think like they do????????

I flew to Florida for 20 + years on a regular basis (minimum of every 3 months from 1987 to 1999. I payed the same fare back then (and sometime even more) from NYC to Florida as most people are paying today! My God Magnum why are we the ONLY industry that does not adjust for inflation? No wonder our planes are full EVERYDAY! Don't tell me they're not because I'm on them ALOT. Or I'm non-reving ... We ALL know how much fun that is these days!

We need to STOP shouldering everyone else's burden ... Almost sounds communistic ... Fair for ALL and ALL pay the price

 

[REACC1]

Excellent ad. Simplicity at its best.

For the recent efforts of the sand castle to survive, it just makes WN that much more attractive to the consumer.
You would think that the powers that be would concider that, else, they are just that desparate.
I don't know, how many times have you heard a CEO publicly announce that he is buying a years worth of his own salary in stock of said company? (me, never)Track record, anyone?

 

[N965VJ]

<SNIP> The others will match in a matter of weeks, rest assured.

Okay, I’m holding you to that statement.

 

[Art at ISP]

Other airlines are smart enough NOT to match the move on bonus miles because they will gain what few elite flyers US has left.

I see elite bonuses going up at other carriers if anything.

We do not disagree that revenues need to be raised, but the way US is doing it (along with some others) is not the way to do it.

They can be innovative--let them innovate new fare structures, not fees and withdrawal of perks....

In the words of a Flyer Talker : Will the last person to fly US Airways please turn out the light?

 

[N965VJ]

$7 bucks for a party cup of bumwine, nearly doubling the non-rev fees for employees, award redemption fees and eliminating the bonus miles program for Preferred status, etc.

In the race to the bottom, Tempe has managed to demonstrate how much the hold employees, Kettles and FFs in contempt in just one day.

Trifecta!

 

[Pacemaker1977]

And to think, there was a time when Ed Colodny and company assured all of us that they, like Piedmont, would provide you with the whole can of Coca Cola......

 

[whlinder]

If a fee is charged on the airplane, and no customers are there to pay it, does it still contribute revenue?

I think Virgin America has the right idea. Every seat is the same price. It does not matter if you are a business person or a family on vacation. Business people on a same day fare have been subsidizing family vacationers for a long time. Its got to end.

wopr21

Huh? Every seat is the same price? No they're not. VX has a bunch of fares too. Not to the degree of the US but they still have multiple fares in each market.

 

[mrman]

I played today and on June 18 for 5 days you can fly on US for $250 +/- RT NYC/FLL! LUV wanted $348 EACH WAY from Islip.... So yea, they don't charge for yadda this and yadda that, but they ARE charging a higher fare (NYC to FLL is a hugh competitive market). I also researched some other long haul cities and they are higher.

Also consider this ... the only way to check a SWA fare is to go to their webstie. Whereas Travelocity, Orbitz, et al, show most if not all the other airlines (the ones that subscribe to it). I'm speculating that we insist on keeping the fares lower so we get the most attractive idiots to buy our tickets (all those "other" charges for bags, etc, are not included in the total costs, so the initial cost is quite cheap. Makes sense, but I still don't like it when my brothers and sistas (myself included!) may be out of job, because of that stupid scenario.

To be fair check out and compare the walk up fares, you know the fares you want by getting rid of the kettles with these fee, and compare. As Art explains so elegantly its about Fair Fares