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Old Jul 26, 2016, 10:24 am
  #16  
 
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Originally Posted by flyerCO
Even checking in with an actual agent instead of online costs extra for most European ULCCs.
I foolishly missed the (early) check-in cutoff for FR once and had to pay €40 at the airport for them to print a screenshot of their Windows application they use to manage the flights. That was my boarding pass!
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Old Jul 26, 2016, 10:40 am
  #17  
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Originally Posted by DLdweeb
Agree. How can something be 150% cheaper? Are they paying you?
HAHA oops typo. fixed now.
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Old Jul 26, 2016, 10:43 am
  #18  
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So I have looked at booking flights out of CHA as well, and they are substantially more expensive never cheaper (factoring in you are flying through ATL so that CHA-ATL flight would have some additional cost)

I would suck at finding these hidden city flights if I even wanted to do that (which i havent and never want to)
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Old Jul 26, 2016, 10:46 am
  #19  
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Originally Posted by Often1
First, what is the complaint? Why on earth would anyone book DL if that person can find better service for less? If AA, UA & WN meet your needs and are cheaper, how hard is the decision? If your employer requires "lowest logical" is that really a bad business decision and would you make a different one if you were running your own business and thus paying for those tickets out of your net revenue?

Second, not sure that OP understands commercial air pricing. Passengers originating out of hubs always get hit hard. Same complaints from AA flyers originating out of DFW and UA flyers out of IAD. The tradeoff is convenience.
So I am specifically talking about flights from ATL-XXX, where AA or United actually fly non stop out of ATL to with similar time tables.

My point is for example ATL-ORD AA,United, and Delta all fly there non stop.

AA & United always compete for lower fares, DL is substantially more expensive. All non stop out of ATL so the hub argument does not work there.
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Old Jul 26, 2016, 10:50 am
  #20  
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Originally Posted by vincentharris
So I am specifically talking about flights from ATL-XXX, where AA or United actually fly non stop out of ATL to with similar time tables.

My point is for example ATL-ORD AA,United, and Delta all fly there non stop.

AA & United always compete for lower fares, DL is substantially more expensive. All non stop out of ATL so the hub argument does not work there.
Actually it does still work. Companies are more likely to have a contract with DL since it's a hub. Thus even though there's nonstop on other carriers, there's a good number locked into DL.
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Old Jul 26, 2016, 11:47 am
  #21  
 
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I've been flying ATL-DFW a lot lately. AA has regularly been cheaper. Oftentimes, enough cheaper that I've flown AA.

It is extremely shortsighted to just look at the price of ATL-DFW flights on DL vs AA...because many of the passengers on DL are not trying to get from ATL-DFW, they are trying to get to DFW from someplace else...

Same with AA - people trying to fly ATL-DFW on AA oftentimes are trying to get to someplace else AA flies from DFW.

As a passenger merely flying the single leg - you are quite possibly a seat filler - some just extra cash to be made since they have to fly those flights for all the connecting traffic where they really make their money. And DL does a better job filling up ATL-DFW seats with connecting traffic than AA does, therefore less need to push the price down to sell the single leg.
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Old Jul 26, 2016, 11:52 am
  #22  
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Originally Posted by DLMiddleSeats
I once saw a company pay almost x2 for the DL flight because the 2 guys had to go do an underwater repair on an offshore oil rig. The amount the company was losing every second it was offline paled in comparison to the fare difference.
seems like a private jet would have made sense in this case?
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Old Jul 26, 2016, 12:05 pm
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Originally Posted by pvn
seems like a private jet would have made sense in this case?
^

I don't think a domestic first class ticket to anywhere (x2) compares to what they were losing if the rig was out of service!
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Old Jul 26, 2016, 1:47 pm
  #24  
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Originally Posted by pvn
seems like a private jet would have made sense in this case?
However there's not always one ready including crew when you need it.
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Old Jul 26, 2016, 1:51 pm
  #25  
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Originally Posted by vincentharris
So I am specifically talking about flights from ATL-XXX, where AA or United actually fly non stop out of ATL to with similar time tables.

My point is for example ATL-ORD AA,United, and Delta all fly there non stop.

AA & United always compete for lower fares, DL is substantially more expensive. All non stop out of ATL so the hub argument does not work there.
It is not an "argument" it is a fact.

Still come back to the first comment. What is it you are complaining about. DL is a private business. It sets its fares as it chooses to. If it's fares are too high, people will fly other carriers and DL will go out of business.

But, looking at DL's financials, it's doing just fine.
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Old Jul 26, 2016, 5:06 pm
  #26  
 
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Originally Posted by Often1
It is not an "argument" it is a fact.

Still come back to the first comment. What is it you are complaining about. DL is a private business. It sets its fares as it chooses to. If it's fares are too high, people will fly other carriers and DL will go out of business.

But, looking at DL's financials, it's doing just fine.
DL currently earns around a 10% revenue premium over American and UAL. Overall system wide their flights will average about 10% more. Anytime a airline flies out of another airlines major hub they often have to discount to overcome home field advantage.
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Old Jul 26, 2016, 7:44 pm
  #27  
 
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Originally Posted by vincentharris
Right out of the gate I know Delta is after the "high value business clients" though for the other 98% of us who are required to book the cheapest fare it is becoming increasingly difficult to be able to fly DL out of ATL.

consistently whenever I try to book AA, United, WN, etc are anywhere between 50-150% cheaper then DL on the SAME non stop routes and same timing. I get its profitable now but I have to wonder if this will eventually be a mistake down the road for them?

Are others having the same problems in ATL or elsewhere?

Also a note, I understand Delta is a for profit company, I understand this is their business model, etc etc etc so please don't bother replying to tell me I am an idiot.

I am merely curious if others who have to book with the "cheapest" fare etc are in the same boat as I am?
Keep in mind that many corporate business accounts allow non-stop flight over connecting even if it's more expensive. I know that's the case with my wife and I. This likely derives significant revenue while still remaining within policy.
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Old Jul 26, 2016, 7:55 pm
  #28  
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Originally Posted by langbr01
Keep in mind that many corporate business accounts allow non-stop flight over connecting even if it's more expensive. I know that's the case with my wife and I. This likely derives significant revenue while still remaining within policy.
That's just common sense for businesses which value their employees and their employees' time. If you want to pay people to sit on a plane, that's all well and good and you can feel great about the pennies you have pinched.

The other advantage DL has at ATL (and other carriers have at their hubs) is IRROPS handling. That means something for your higher end employees.
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Old Jul 26, 2016, 8:29 pm
  #29  
 
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Originally Posted by davetravels
Oh, I know! I've dunnit before.

Last week, I flew Frontier PIT/ORD for $28.10. I had to pay $1.99 for a coffee!!

. . . . And. . . . When you swipe your credit card, the FA's tablet asks you if you want to leave a TIP!!!
That is a really small price to pay for cheap transportation, especially since you were not forced to pay it.
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Old Jul 26, 2016, 8:38 pm
  #30  
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Originally Posted by bigbuy
That is a really small price to pay for cheap transportation, especially since you were not forced to pay it.
Sorry, I don't understand what you mean by - "Forced to pay it"?!?
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