<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by After Burner:
Maybe it would reduce complaints from the FlyerAl-type micro budget customers but, at the same time, antagonize the premium customers -- the ones who subsidize the FlyerAls.</font>
Give me a break. Has it ever occurred to you that maybe it's the "premium" customers who are the real burden on the airlines?
Every airline employee I know prefers dealing with the "micro-budget" flyers over the "premium" flyers because they tend to be less arrogant, less demanding, less self-righteous, and less likely to attempt to rip-off the airline.
I know from my own personal experiences sitting in F with my $200 "budget" ticket that the "premium" pax sitting next to me (I could always tell they're "premuim" by the boarding pass) is more likely to be unfriendly, demanding, grumpy, arrogant, rude, annoying, and complain complain complain! On the other hand, whenever I'm sitting next to an upgraded pax they're usually friendly, outgoing, respectful of airline employees and fellow passengers.
I'm not saying that all "premium" pax are bad and all "upgraded" pax are good - but I'm just stating what I've observed.
If you look at airlines with the most generous upgrade policies (Continental), airlines that don't cater to the "premium" passenger at all (Southwest), and airlines that offer premium service at lower prices (Midwest Express) - they are very profitable. Maybe there's a lesson to be learned from these airlines. Think about it.
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