Originally Posted by
msntriathlete
Both newsmanhoss and RSVP both touch on an important point: for the time being, we Midwest passengers don't know what we're getting until we show up for the flight. 170 vs 190 vs 319? 1x2? 2x2 with or without extra legroom? 3x3? Best care cuisine that could mean a nice BOB meal or could mean nothing but garlic cheese curds for breakfast (my personal experience
). There are plenty of people who booked a month ago for a November trip in Signature on a 717 who are now on something far different. This will undoubtedly continue for the next several months, while the whole Republic/Midwest/Frontier dance gets choreographed, while the fleet gets sorted out, and hopefully while integration issues with former Midwest Airlines (proper) crews get sorted out. It doesn't mean Republic is bad; it's the nature of a major corporate change, particularly when the brand and the corporation get split apart.
It does not, however, mean that passengers have to subject themselves to unpredictability. While keeping an open mind, I, for one, am holding back on Midwest bookings until things become clearer and more predictable, even though I plan to ultimately use the Midwest brand as an option for nonstop flights that qualify for Delta Medallion Qualifying Miles. For now, however, I have to agree with RSVP that passengers have a much clearer understanding of what they're getting from Southwest or Airtran. Heck, even Delta's scheduling capriciousness looks comparitively stable.
While this period of change and unpredictability is unavoidable, it will certainly be in Republic's interest to make it as short-lived as possible. Another market reality is that passengers may indeed find themselves at home with another airline they "temporarily" use while waiting out Midwest's transition period.
Great points, triathlete.
I have reached the point where, when I'm flying west coast routes or other long-haul service, I am specifically looking at which options will get me there most comfortably and with in-flight amenities such as IFE, BOB, etc.
Midwest has a great BOB product, but the execution of it is horribly inconsistent. Hopefully Republic can find a way to improve that amenity. They had great seating, but after the upcoming transition it will be almost entirely gone. They still largely have no IFE, although it helps that the 319 aircraft have live TV and it's good to see that Midwest is looking at wi-fi.
Airtran doesn't have much in the way of food (I still have never seen an explanation of what happened to the once touted but now non-existent skybites). But they do have wifi, free XM and a great business class product.
Some may question how much these amenities impact actual booking decisions. Well, there has to be some value to these options, otherwise no airline would have them. It provides a competitive advantage and can attract future passengers who like those particular offerings. Now is the time for Midwest to step up and improve their product, because other than the extra legroom on some E-jets and limited BOB, they are on a path to be one of the most vanilla airlines out there. The original flight crews that provided that friendly service are nearly extinct.
I have been a loyal YX fan for many years until recently. For now, I have switched my allegiences to AirTran, but am open to going back to Midwest if they improve their product. Again, this probably isn't important to most people, but there are still some of us who value a pleasant flight experience.
Price is still somewhat important, but nonstop service, legroom, seat comfort, food options, etc all make flights more pleasant. I'm sure I am in the minority on making these a priority when booking a flight. But, just because I am in the minority doesn't mean that people who think like me don't count. In fact, our booking decisions could be the difference between a particular flight turning a profit or losing money.