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Old Nov 11, 2013 | 7:46 pm
  #18  
darthbimmer
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Join Date: Mar 2007
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Posts: 6,377
One challenge with writing (and answering!) survey questions is that they often embed assumptions which, depending on how they're interpreted, can significantly shift the answers a person gives.

Questions 11-12 ask how much more I'd pay to for a ticket on my favored airline as opposed to a similar routing on another airline. I put large dollar amounts in as my answers because while the notional benefit of "loyalty" is worth very little to me financially, the quite tangible benefits of Platinum Premier status on UA are free access to Economy Plus seating and a spot on the upgrade list to First Class. On airline "B" I receive no such benefits so I'm willing to spend more for UA.

Questions 13-14 ask how much more I'd spend for mileage runs. Again, I put in fairly large dollar amounts. Here the reason is that the amount I'd spend for an MR on airline "B" is ZERO! An MR is almost never worth it outside of pursuing status on a preferred airline.

Even Question 30 bakes in an assumption. "You're on a plane with 7 rows in First Class. Seats AB on the left, CD on the right. Which seat would you select?" Answer: really depends on whether the primary cabin door is forward or aft of the seats.
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