US Airways Dividend Miles (Pre-FlightFund Merger) - "No Brainer"

OK, so I just fired up usairways.com to book tickets for a family member. And you know they have those "changing images" under the header that refresh everytime you reload the home page, right? well...

one of the images is touting "no booking fees" on usairways.com and features the slogan "No booking fees. No brainer." the kicker is, it also features an image of a human brain with a line through it.

what is this supposed to convey? fly USAirways--no brain required? brains not necessary? no brain, no problem! http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif

Either this is really really funny on some level, or I am just WAY too easily amused today. someone fire up the website and let me know what you think!


ps--I swear I have not been drinking today http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/biggrin.gif

*edited because I mis-worded "booking fee" instead of "change fee" but you get the idea*
------------------
"A mile of highway will take you a mile,
but a mile of runway will take you anywhere."

[This message has been edited by PurdueFlyer (edited Feb 17, 2004).]

It says No Booking Fees, not No Change Fees.

I won't take the easy slam and respond about the company not using their brains as I'll leave that for someone else.

My take is that this marketing campaign is for people who don't realize that using usairways.com may save on certain fees but may cost several hundred dollars more in airfare. For example, my trip next week was $303 on usairways.com but only $181.40 including the $5 fee on Orbitz when I made the reservation last Friday.

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by AtlanticBeach:
For example, my trip next week was $303 on usairways.com but only $181.40 including the $5 fee on Orbitz when I made the reservation last Friday.</font>

Wow...and for the same itinerary on US? I need to start looking elsewhere for airfares, then. I always used USAirways.com for the miles, but maybe my brain should be crossed out, too. http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by PurdueFlyer:
[B] Either this is really really funny on some level, or I am just WAY too easily amused today. someone fire up the website and let me know what you think!

ps--I swear I have not been drinking today http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/biggrin.gif/B]</font>

Aha! I bet you get onboard drinking it up and then putting all those squiggly lines on the back of the F seats. http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/wink.gif

As for the no brainer logo, I think it could apply to most airline management right now- Assess fees on your best business paying customers in order to compensate the leisure traveler who wants upgrade his $150 transcontinental fare. http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/frown.gif


------------------
Please click daily and help those less fortunate at www.thehungersite.com (http://www.thehungersite.com)

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by TravelScholar:
Wow...and for the same itinerary on US? I need to start looking elsewhere for airfares, then. I always used USAirways.com for the miles, but maybe my brain should be crossed out, too. http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif</font>

Yep. Identical itineraries. It's happened at other times between 7 and 14 days before departure. Other sites might still be selling the lowest fare when usairways.com would not sell V14NR fares any more.

Also, don't forget the United codeshares. On some routes the differential has been 30% or more.

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by AtlanticBeach:
Yep. Identical itineraries. It's happened at other times between 7 and 14 days before departure. Other sites might still be selling the lowest fare when usairways.com would not sell V14NR fares any more.</font>

I have seen the same thing under another scenario. Whereby the US site makes the lowest available fare only availbale on certain days, say Tue-Thur, but you can book it on any day of the week at Orbitz.