The fare structure is really interesting if you think about it. It is so different it changes the way I think about traveling. I frequently dont book far ahead on the shuttle because I know it wont matter. I always buy full fare even if there are some discounts possible because 1) it isnt that much more and 2) the frequency of the flights makes the flexibility worth it. I ususally dont even decide which one to plan on taking until a day or two before the flight. Some people cut it even closer which now that they have first class on the US Air shuttle leads to some amusing things like me sitting in the aisle in first and watching a very senior US Senator walk by on his way to coach. At one point you could even prebuy an open ticket to save time at the airport and just hand it in and get a set at the gate or the shuttle check in. Etickets have crimped this a bit, with paper tickets I remember going to the airport and telling the limo driver I would tell him what terminal to get to as we got closer and saw what time it was. You can still do that obviouly if you buy at the check in. And getting to the plane one minute before the flight is no joke. They close the door at departure time. It is made easier by the fact that about 80% or the people have only a briefcase and about that same amount probably fly as much as the people on this board. They load and unload those things fast. If people had to get to the airport 90 minutes early like on a normal flight it would be faster to take the train from midtown NY to midtown DC. If AA takes it over they will have to implement the same thing.

[This message has been edited by GadgetFreak (edited Jan 28, 2004).]