The LOW CLASS in LCC Strikes Again

[jimcfs]

We are the new People Express. :jerry: :jerry: :jerry:

I see a lot of similarities between the old EWR from the mid 80s and PHL Terminal F'ed.

 

[Singleflyer]

Jim,

Interesting stats on revenue vs. cost. Maybe the people in the West will now understaqnd why we "Easties" complain of lack of value with the product.

As a VFF who flies many airlines finds little value in US long haul product. MY average flight costs $0.89 per mile flown. US's is not worth that on long haul flights, where they have competition. That is why I am flying CO today. SNA-MHT.

This cheap stuff is driving more and more of my business away from US. I might not make CP this year, the first time ever.

Tempe better wake up soon, and Piney has many good points on what customes like me expect, and other airlines deliver.

 

[furloughednow psa]

America West management has no idea how to treat the business traveler. Look what there competition has always been on the west coast(southtrash). If they dont get a clue soon they might as well take out FC.

 

[flygirl74]

I was in Chicago and I think it was United that posted the scheduled service below the flight number at the gate. It was nice because it said "beverage only". If you were hungry you knew to get food. Maybe you FF's could write to the sandcastle and request that. They wouldn't listen to me.
As for having/not having food PHL-MCO etc. that makes no sense either. When we fly the 767 PHL-Bermuda which is blocked to 1+40 there is a hot meal provided to First Class. So, why not to Florida which is 20 minutes or so longer??
Scheduled service from PHL to Florida is ONE beverage service and BOB(depending on our complicated meal time windows).
We have recieved memos from the company that states if a FC customer wants a BOB meal we are to charge the customer. Some employees just give the snack to the customer. That's fine but again it's not procedure or consistent. Supposedly these are inventoried and to me not work the headache.

 

[hp_fa]

This is geared more to the frontline employees not the customers. I understand customers wanting a first rate expierence. My question to the employees is do you want to offer a superior product or do you want to make money?

That is such a BS question. Why should the frontline even consider providing a superior product when they don't get paid for it (or even anything close to it)?

America West management has no idea how to treat the business traveler. Look what there competition has always been on the west coast(southtrash). If they dont get a clue soon they might as well take out FC.

Two things. One, the business travellers who flew as silver, gold and platnium on AWA generally liked the product on AWA. I really don't care if you believe that or not, but it is true. I had them in FC and spent time talking to my passengers when they wanted to chat during a flight and I know what they said.

Second, as I recall "southtrash" cleaned U's clock at BWI and everyone became apoplectic when "southtrash" headed for PHL and PIT. Southwest and America West peacefully co-existed. They respected each other as they each catered to a somewhat differing cliantele.

 

[bofie]

Why should the frontline even consider providing a superior product when they don't get paid for it (or even anything close to it)?


If you agree to do the job you should do it well and honorably or get the hell out.

 

[BoeingBoy]

One, the business travellers who flew as silver, gold and platnium on AWA generally liked the product on AWA. I really don't care if you believe that or not, but it is true. I had them in FC and spent time talking to my passengers when they wanted to chat during a flight and I know what they said.

Just my opinion, but I think that's possibly a case of managing expectations and then meeting or exceeding those expectations.

HP, in recent history, seems to have done that pretty well. With the "WN crowd" (whoever that is), HP offered fuller service at pretty much equal to slightly higher fares. With the "high yield" crowd, HP offered less than the legacies but also had lower fares. Both end of the passenger spectrum could percieve that they'd gotten value for their dollar.

US also played the value game pretty well in the past. Sure the fares were up there with the other legacies for all passengers, but the service was also comparible.

Now, for the East customers, that value proposition has become unbalanced for the high-yield customer. Full service is promised, but not provided (at least as compared with other legacies). Yet fares apparently continue to be comparable to other legacies. The percieved value received has fallen without a balancing deecrease in price paid.

To put it another way, US East's costs have become closer to HP's than the yields have (non-fuel CASM is 0.81 cents higher for East while yield is 1.95 cents higher). What is the East customer getting for that extra 1.14 cents/mile they're paying?

Jim

 

[700UW]

There is a way US can do both. Of course, it would require thinking outside of the box for the marketing folks, so I doubt we would ever see it.

First, if it is costing a mere $5 to provide BOB meals in coach, then figure out a way to offer this to the customer at the time of ticket purchase, and then add it to the cost of the ticket. When the customer checks in, either at the kiosk or the ticket counter, a meal ticket will be printed along with the ETKT/BP which the customer can then hand to the F/A when the meals are being distributed.

This helps US and the customer by allowing US to plan for a specific number of BOB meals to be boarded, and prevents waste. Market the hell out of the idea as a differentiating reason to fly on US. It's not that difficult to come up with a sub-system in the reservations mask.

For F/C passengers, if BOB is being offered in coach, the mere $5 cost should GUARANTEE them a BOB meal. After all, they either paid for a F/C ticket, or they earned the seat through loyalty or other means. I can't believe US management is quibbling over FIVE freaking dollars anyway.
Sheet..........

Wow, I know we NEVER see eye to eye, but that is a great idea, go copyright or patent it and get rich off your former employer!

 

[N965VJ]

How about selling a BOB (actually you would have to call it a BAG – Buy At Gate) just prior to boarding? Just wheel a refrigerated kiosk from gate to gate.

The food court people would never let that happen, unless they were involved somehow.

Maybe they could be?

 

[hp_fa]

Just my opinion, but I think that's possibly a case of managing expectations and then meeting or exceeding those expectations.

HP, in recent history, seems to have done that pretty well. With the "WN crowd" (whoever that is), HP offered fuller service at pretty much equal to slightly higher fares. With the "high yield" crowd, HP offered less than the legacies but also had lower fares. Both end of the passenger spectrum could percieve that they'd gotten value for their dollar.

Jim, I agree that this is likely true.

As I recall it was announced that LCC's service was to be premised more on the AWA model then the U model. IMO the FF'ers really need to vote with their feet, at least until the price drops to what the offered service is worth. Having meetings, send e-mails and the rest provide a delaying game to the company to maintain the status quo while they continue to do business the way they are doing business with your money. If the service offered isn't what you want or what you believe you pay for, then DON'T PAY FOR IT! Vote with your feet, at least until either the company changes or your expectations change.

 

[john john]

We are the new People Express. :jerry: :jerry: :jerry:

http://www.psa-history.org/awa/history.html
A combination of ideas were used in the formation of America West. Cross-utilization of employees, brought to new extremes by PEOPLExpress, would be a major feature of America West. Pilots would also work dispatch, while Customer Service Representatives (CSR) would work as flight attendants, ramp agents, gate agents, ticket agents, or reservation agents - depending on the day.
Another feature of America West, borrowed from PEOPLExpress and PSA, was on-board ticketing. Passengers could buy tickets before their flight, or onboard. Gate desks were replaced with a large, circular counter, called the "Seat Assignment Center" - but quickly nicknamed the Queen Mary. While on-board ticketing was a good idea at the time, it led to more problems - such as breaking change, or balancing out the tickets. On-board ticketing survived a year, before being replaced with a traditional ticketing system.

 

[AstroLounge]

WOULD YOU PEOPLE LISTEN ALREADY!!!!!!!!!

THERE ARE NO MEALS SOLD IN F/C!!!!!

AGAIN....NO MEALS SOLD IN F/C!!!

The $3 CRAP is sold in coach.

If someone offered to sell it in F/C, THAT IS NOT PROCEDURE!!

Having spewed that, it is a STUPID CONCEPT to NOT have SOMETHING for F/C. It is WRONG and when on the Airbus, I only make the announcement in coach as to not piss off F/C.
BUT...

PLEASE READ, PEOPLE..and get your facts straight!! :angry: :angry: :rant:

You people beat all!!

EXACTLY! F/C pax have the Snack Basket available to them whereas the Coach pax has pretzels and/or the OPTION of purchasing the snack bag/ fun box for a fee. That's all we need to see is some F/A giving out these snack bags because they feel "F/C should'nt have to pay" and every US 4&5 (everyone's favourites) will be asking...... "Can I have two of those snack bags for my kids back home?" Bottomline.......IF YOU WANT IT, PAY UP...Period!

 

[crushed]

The food court people would never let that happen, unless they were involved somehow.

Or...the pax could show up early for their flight and go to the food court themselves!

 

[N965VJ]

Or...the pax could show up early for their flight and go to the food court themselves!

True.

But DP & Co. never met a profit center they didn’t like. I saw Lufthansa (I think) do something like this a long time ago. Of course, there was no charge. If you wanted a snack for your flight, grab one.

 

[Dog Wonder]

True.

But DP & Co. never met a profit center they didn’t like. I saw Lufthansa (I think) do something like this a long time ago. Of course, there was no charge. If you wanted a snack for your flight, grab one.

Comparing LH service to ours is like comparing steak to hot dogs.