Why Should I Buy US Airways Tickets?

vantheman63

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Aug 30, 2007
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From: VanTheMan63
Sent: Friday, February 29, 2008 11:42 AM
To: '[email protected]'; 'Eberwein, Elise'; '[email protected]'; '[email protected]'; '[email protected]'; '[email protected]'; '[email protected]'; '[email protected]'; '[email protected]'

Subject: Pricing Question & Comment

Dear US Airways Management Team –

Question for someone who knows the ins and outs of pricing…..

I’m going to fly PVD-SFO on March 25 and return on March 28. I purchase “Premium Cabin†service on these types of trips, nearly 100% of the time. I am “Chairman’s Preferred†on US Airways. I am “Platinum Elite†on Continental Airlines

I priced this trip out with nearly identical departure times on both the outbound and return on both US Airways and Continental Airlines.

Here’s what I found:

Continental Airlines “Elite Upgrade†(Confirmed At Booking): $1,316.00, Actual Airfare = $1,185.10 (Yield = $0.217 per mile) FULLY CHANGEABLE & REFUNDABLE Frequent Flyer Miles = 9,196
Continental Airlines First Class Fare = $1,708.00, Actual Airfare = $1,666.00 (Yield = $0.305 per mile) FULLY CHANGEABLE & REFUNDABLE Frequent Flyer Miles = 9,196

US Airways “Preferred Instant Upgrade†(Confirmed “IF ITS AVAILABLE†At Booking): $2,150.10, Actual Airfare = $2,111.00 (Yield = $0.368 per mile) FULLY CHANGEABLE & REFUNDABLE Frequent Flyer Mile = 8,607
US Airways “First Class Refundable†(YUP6 Fare): $2,153.50, Actual Airfare = $2,113.00 (Yield = $0.368 per mile) FULLY CHANGEABLE & REFUNDABLE Frequent Flyer Mile = 8,607
US Airways “First Class NON REFUNDABLEâ€: $1,659.50, Actual Airfare = $1,619.00 (Yield = $0.282 per mile) Frequent Flyer Mile = 8,607

Here are my questions I would very much appreciate and answer on:

1.) US Airways bills itself as a “Low Fare, Low Cost Carrier.†Why are the Continental Fares consistently lower then US fares?
2.) Why are comparable fares with US Airways ALWAYS non-refundable?
3.) Why is a First Class fare that is refundable on US Airways the same cost as the “Preferred Upgrade†fare? Is there really an upgrade? To me that almost seems like “deceptive pricing.â€
4.) If you were me, the frequent traveler, WHY would you chose US Airways if, as US Airways seems to believe, “it’s all about the price?†Forgetting that I find the Continental product significantly superior and would chose CO over US based on the quality of the product alone, WHY would I chose US Airways for a trip like this?
5.) US Airways is more expensive OR slightly less expensive, has poorer service…and nearly 600 FF miles fewer….exactly why do I chose US Airways for a trip like this? Even it I weren’t “Platinum Elite†with Continental, I could have actually paid for First Class, the ticket would have been $48.50 more, been fully changeable/refundable and offered 600 FF miles more.

Why chose US Airways? Setting aside ALL the issues related to the on time performance, luggage and overall operations, WHY would I chose US Airways? Why?

This has been the part that has baffled since US changed their pricing. The airline is positioned as a “low cost, low fare†carrier….and it is not. Essentially, the product, because it’s not properly positioned, is a product that is completely false in nature. Not good. And I point this out because I care.

I purchased CO….as I do for all my transcon and long haul travel. (Actual Receipt attached.) Ironically, I started purchasing CO WELL before I ever was unhappy with US Airways’ overall product, performance and operations. My number one reason to start buying Continental was actually the flexibility the product offered me because, as a business traveler, my plans DO change…and I needed that flexibility. Then, because I flew CO enough, I became “Silver Elite†and discovered the “Y-UP†fares were saving me $300 to $400 per trip….while offering me the flexibility I wanted.

But here’s the most damaging of all: “Along the way, I discovered that Continental Airlines offers a superior product…..for less money.†Now, that is the airline I look to before any other. Prior to that, I wouldn’t have dreamt of “cheating†on US Airways.

I’d love to have SOMEONE offer me some perspective on this an the 5 questions. I would prefer to have someone with real knowledge of the situation, not someone who is, essentially, serving me up the “talking points†the company puts out.

I’d love to come back to US Airways…and I always will…if the carrier can demonstrate it actually wants customers like myself.

VanTheMan63
President
PL & P, Inc.
Phone: 401-XX-XXXX
Fax: 800-XXX-XXXX
E-Mail: VanTheMan63@PL&P.com
 
I can't wait to hear their response.

I asked myself that question alomost two years ago, and started flying Continental Trans con.

Keep us posted
 
You will NOT get a response, trust me. Stupid DOES as Stupid IS. And from what I hear T.Christ was the "STAR" of the class. And that whole notion of LCC is PURE BS.
 
And they wonder why premium revenue has all but disappeared? Van's letter is perfect and to the point...inferior product, inferior reliability and customer service, HIGHER fares? I think not.....

They are in total denial.

And LCC stands for Low Class Carrier--there is NOTHING low fare or low cost about it........
 
I like your idea of using really obnoxious colors and boldface type to give the people in Tempe a headache reading it.
 
I see here in STL that WN is starting service to PHL.

Again why would someone buy US.

H6 fare for July 25 is 651.00 each way. WN Business Select fare is 216.00 each way.

To try as much as possible to compare apples and apples the lowest restricted fare for US right now in my system is 89.50 with taxes. WN's lowest one way advance purchase fare is 117.50 with taxes but keep in mind that they have no change fees (with US they list a change fee but it is higher than the ticket, so use it or loose it) Also compare a mixture of EMB and CRJ aircraft versus the 737 for comfort and reliability.

Also WN now has a much better FF program. Personally I don't fly WN because everytime they were an option I found someone else with better ammenities and a comparable fare but only because I look at fares all day long. JMHO, though.
 
To try as much as possible to compare apples and apples the lowest restricted fare for US right now in my system is 89.50 with taxes. WN's lowest one way advance purchase fare is 117.50 with taxes
This is what I can never understand. Using $80 as the base fare for US, that's under 10 cents/mile - below cost even for mainline, possibly half of cost if it's a RJ. Meanwhile, WN is charging nearly 13 cents/mile using $105 as the base fare - probably 4 cents/mile over cost since STL-PHL is 200 miles further than their average stage length, but still a reasonable fare and they make a profit. But US now has to sell a few of those $600+ tickets to maybe break even.

Jim
 
I don't know why any of us/you even bother to send these letters to Tempe anymore. They know their competition trumps them in EVERY single metric of an airline performance. And I mean EVERYTHING. And yet they continue to charge ludicrous prices with assenine restrictions. Their only real measurement is the quarterly numbers which will likely continue to decline and trail the other majors. When the stock sinks to a new low, the company will be ripe for the picking. No merger folks - just an outright buyout and subsequent sell-off.

2 months into the year and I've already earned AA Gold. My only 2 flights on US (no choice per employer policy for that particular trip) were dumped into UA. I depleted my last 125000 US miles for a LH First class ticket and I have these recurring nightmares of showing up at the LH ticket counter in June to an agent that tells me US never actually "paid" them for my ticket so I'm SOL.

Please someone put this dead horse out to pasture (no offense to you horse enthusiasts out there).....
 
This is what I can never understand. Using $80 as the base fare for US, that's under 10 cents/mile - below cost even for mainline, possibly half of cost if it's a RJ. Meanwhile, WN is charging nearly 13 cents/mile using $105 as the base fare - probably 4 cents/mile over cost since STL-PHL is 200 miles further than their average stage length, but still a reasonable fare and they make a profit. But US now has to sell a few of those $600+ tickets to maybe break even.

Jim

It baffles me too. I don't understand why the fares are like this.

On the one hand Doug says there are too many seats on the market. On the other hand US charges a fare below cost and makes up for it by charging higher fares for last minute unrestricted fares that few people will buy unless they are loyal to US or if US provides a value that the other carriers don't. Someone please point out what the US (RJ) domestic coach ticket value is. For WN they offere a pretty good seat pitch and no change fees ever. For US you have a OK seat pitch on the EMB but not so great on the CRJ and a 100.00 dollar change fee. US has decreased the value of being a DM member where as WN has a pretty good program but limited destinations right now. On the higher end fares WN is around half the price and they will give you a comp drink, on US there is no first class and as far as I know no free drink.

What happened to rationalization of fares?
 
If we are restricted to one union thread a week, I ask that we have one "stupid letter to the company" thread per week.

Everyone has their reasons why the would or would not buy a ticket on US or any other carrier...........your's is no different!!!!

Give it a rest people.