Originally Posted by
FWAAA
What is indiputable is that AA has been very successful at raising fares this year, as its first half unit revenue (passenger revenue per available seat mile) has increased nearly 10% over the first six months of 2011. Tickets are much more expensive this year, but I don't think it's because AA has sold gift cards at Costco.
I'll argue that AA have not raised prices much,
per se. What they have probably done is limit the inventory in the lower fare buckets. While this may seem like a semantic argument, what it does mean is that one can still get fares similar to last year (we're paying about the same this year as last), but it's just harder to find. Overall, revenues will go up, but the fare structure is not all that different.
I'm just surmising that this is what is happening, but I do know that the lowe fares are still there. Just seems not as many of 'em.
Cheers.