World's Largest Low Fare Airline

 
Old Jun 22, 2006, 3:21 pm
  #1  
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Thumbs down World's Largest Low Fare Airline

So I need to be in Pittsburgh August 22nd through the 24th. "Cool", I say to myself knowing my awesome low fare airline will get me to a city that on each end is a hub/focus city of each other prior airline.

I tried three different combinations.

My results:

CO/DL combo $289
NW $305

and the best for last....

US $823

This will be the first time I'll have to fly outside my airline. Yeah, I know, I know, you pay more for convenient non stops, but at this price disparity? This is outrageous.

Thanks US and I'll think more of this when my ... is back of your 737 tomorrow on the way home to Phoenix.




Moderator, can you please move this to the current forum. I'm not sure how I got it here! Thanks.

Last edited by enviroian; Jun 22, 2006 at 3:29 pm Reason: In Old Forum
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Old Jun 22, 2006, 3:38 pm
  #2  
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Prediction for this thread:

1) Many people will comment in on how ridiculous similar fares they have found are and lament that people in the "sand castle" have no clue how to price their flights, and to pretend to be a low fare carrier is ridiculous.

2) A few people will post things like "there are good fares out there, just not in every market" and list a few examples.

(My point is that this has already been discussed in many many threads )

(That being said, I agree with prediction #1)
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Old Jun 22, 2006, 4:08 pm
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Yes, this have been discussed in many threads on many forums because it happens with all airlines.

OK, I do not usually post in this forum, but since I have flown US a couple times recently and was hit upside the head with various fallouts from the "new and improved" web site I have been lurking quite often and wish to provide a little insight.

First I am located in DC metro area, actually Northern Virginia. We have a big UA hub at IAD and also a US hub/focus city at DCA. However, I choose to fly AA for one main reason. Price! Prices to and from an airline's hub/focus city is going to be much more expensive on the hub airline than on its non-hub competitors. There are a couple of reasons for this. A captive elite market that has formed over the years and more direct flights (read: more expensive). There are some people that will choose convenience over price, and that is what the hub airlines have relied on with much success.

Now that is not the only reason I chose AA, but it is one of the main reasons. We all chose the airline we fly for a variety of reasons that work for each of us, and what works for me in DC may well not work well for someone elsewhere.

You will also find that if there is no competition to/from a particular city, you can almost guarantee high prices on the monopolizing airline.

For a morning flight out of PHX on 8-22 and an evening return from PIT on 8-24, I found non-stop fares on those dates on US for $336. Fares for connecting flights were $346 on US, $377 on CO, and $348 on AA, and $397 on UA. So quite good for a hub airline, IMO. Perhaps your problem is you are using US.bomb. The prices quoted above were from orbitz. Personally I would stay away from US.bomb for a while.

Last edited by aaupgrade; Jun 22, 2006 at 4:24 pm
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Old Jun 22, 2006, 4:19 pm
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Originally Posted by aaupgrade
For a morning flight out of PHX on 8-22 and an evening return from PIT on 8-24, I found one way fares on those dates on US for $336. Fares for connecting flights were $346 on US, $377 on CO, and $348 on AA, and $397 on UA. So quite good for a hub airline, IMO. Perhaps your problem is you are using US.bomb. The prices quoted above were from orbitz. Personally I would stay away from US.bomb for a while.
These are one way fares?

I have to use our company travel site, itn, for my bookings.

Ian
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Old Jun 22, 2006, 4:26 pm
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Originally Posted by enviroian
These are one way fares?

I have to use our company travel site, itn, for my bookings.

Ian
Wow, you're quick. I went to correct my post and it was too late. As corected I meant "non-stop" not "one way".

You may wish to check again as prices change by the minute. I was on the phone with AA the other day due to a schedule change thay had made to an itinerary next January and I had gotten the same itinerary up on their web site to discuss it with the CSR as the new price was about $140 less and since they changed the flights I want the fare difference and $100 from them for changing the schedule. She said a voucher for the difference was not problem. When all was said and done she said I would be getting a voucher for $40. I insisted that it was $140. She said since it required an itinerary change there was a $100 fee. I said, well yes, but you made the change so you owe me the $100 change fee. So hand over $240. The CSR actually got quite flustered and said well all you will get back is $40 unless you want the ticket refunded to your credit card. @:-) @:-) I said, I'll take that refund. I then went and rebooked the ticket, not for the price that was displayed on their website when I was talking with the CSR, since about 20-30 minutes had passed, but a new price that was now about $55 less. I ended up saving a couple hundred dollars.

Last edited by aaupgrade; Jun 22, 2006 at 4:35 pm
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Old Jun 22, 2006, 4:32 pm
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Originally Posted by enviroian
Moderator, can you please move this to the current forum. I'm not sure how I got it here! Thanks.
No problem enviroian. You were probably posting at the same time the new forum structure was created.

-Chris
US Mod

Last edited by geckoflyer; Jun 23, 2006 at 7:09 am
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Old Jun 22, 2006, 8:05 pm
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Things are continuing to get more more tight as US decreases capacity in some markets. They have eliminated at least one flight on the PIT-PHX route as they continue merging the network. I have especially noticed this on transcon flighst where US has typicaly been more expensive on many routes due to high loads.

However, out here in US-East land the north-south routes are still relatively reasonable, especially on the hyper-competitive Florida routes. Just bought a ticket for my partner from FLL to EWR for $350 last minute (less than 3 days out) which I thought was very reasonable. He was even able to clear F without any difficulty.

Six months out I wouldn't expect fares on non-competitive routes to be cheap. They likely hold out for a while and then have "sales" to fill seats as it gets a little closer to departure date. Really a smart business tactic on US's part. Just annoying from where we sit. Do they still refund the difference if they decrease fares in your fare bucket?
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Old Jun 22, 2006, 8:44 pm
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Hate to say it:

Southwest will take you nonstop R/T on those dates for $222, all in.
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Old Jun 22, 2006, 10:31 pm
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Am I missing something because when I plug those dates into Travelocity the price is $284 with taxes on US. US is the 3rd cheapest, Northwest is 2nd at $274 and Delta is cheapest at $244
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Old Jun 23, 2006, 12:00 am
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Yeah, I'm getting a nonstop US for $284
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Old Jun 23, 2006, 4:54 am
  #11  
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Originally Posted by mbmiles88
Yeah, I'm getting a nonstop US for $284

I checked out Travelocity this morning. The $284 fare times do not work at all with my schedule, so they are meaningless. That said the next remotely convenient schedule (connecting as well) is $414, still much better than I found on my company's travel intranet site.

I went back on my firm's site, and wasn't able to replicate the above $414 fare, but did find three different US itineraries connecting either through ewr, ind, or iad for the times I need. Problem is all range from $980 - $1230/return. Right below where it gives me the other "low fare options" sure enough is NW for $254f/return. Obviously my company doesn't like US,and can only book here, not any other site.
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Old Jun 23, 2006, 6:17 am
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That's too bad for you. If you will be doing a lot of business travel, perhaps you should speak with your company/travel office and find out who are their preferred carriers. Also, bring the discrepancy in US pricing to their attention as there may be something amiss with their system. Perhaps they will investigate and/or match fares that you have found.

If none of the above works to your advantage and US is not going to work for them (your company), then you may wish to consider changing your preferred airline to one of the companies preferred airlines should you be traveling a lot. Knowing which airlines are preferred will give you a choice of which airline to target for a status comp/challenge. If UA is one, then alternatively you can always fly UA and credit points to US.

Good luck with whatever turns your travel takes.

Last edited by aaupgrade; Jun 23, 2006 at 6:33 am
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Old Jun 23, 2006, 6:29 am
  #13  
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Originally Posted by aaupgrade
That's too bad for you. If you will be doing a lot of business travel, perhaps you should speak with your company/travel office and find out who are their preferred carriers. Also, bring the discrepancy in US pricing to their attention as there may be somethign amiss with their system. Perhaps they will invetsigate and/or match fares that you have found.

If noen of the above works to your advantage and US is not going to work for them (your company), then you may wish to consider changing your preferrred airline to one of the companies preferred airlines should you be traveling a lot. Knowing which airlines are preferred will give you a choice of which airline to target for a status comp/challenge. If UA is one, then alternatively you can always fly UA and credit points to US.

Good luck with whatever turns your travel takes.

Per my firm's intranet site, I don't see US on here but it is no surprise really. I guess I thought then at least UA ticketed (or even operated) flights would pull up on itineraries, but to no avail. Perhaps call like you suggested regarding the huge price disparity is needed, thanks for the advice.

90% of my travel is IAH---->west, so this has really never been an issue as this is only a company meeting.


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