Originally Posted by
FlyingBeanCounter
No, I am saying that hub captive is choice.
....The rest of us do not have to believe that anyone is hub captive. It is a choice. Everyone makes them and lives with them.
But this a contradiction with this quote saying that your time is valuable, which would preclude some of the LCCs and infrequent nonstops on other airlines.
Get me there fast in the class of service I purchased. That is all I need from them. They can keep their miles and other "perks". I would rather spend less time on an airplane then fly on a saturday night or at 5 am on a wednesday.
Hub flying ex-DEN, ORD, LAX, SEA is different than ex-ATL, CLT, MIA, PHL. You have several airlines as a choice as a DEN flyer. WN, F9, and UA all have a solid presence. DEN-BNA has 3 airlines flying 11 flights a day. WN and UA have roughly equal numbers with a token F9 flight. ATL-BNA is dominated by one airline flying 13 flights (10 on DL, 3 on WN). DEN-STL has 11 flights on 3 airlines (1 F9, 6 WN, and 4 UA) and ATL-STL has 14 flights a day (1 F9, 9 DL, and 4 WN).
I agree that there is a choice... a DEN flyer can choose to fly UA, WN, or F9 nonstop to a variety of places, or can connect using another airline. An ATL flyer can choose to fly DL or connect... alternative nonstops are limited.
Originally Posted by
FlyingBeanCounter
Presumably all elites are elites because of the perceived value of the program. I am saying there is no real lasting value in the program. I
I think your assumption is incorrect. I'd be an elite on DL even if the only thing I got was a luggage tag because I live in ATL and am a hub captive who will take a nonstop vs taking a stop somewhere. A lot of my flights are ATL-TYS/BNA/CVG/JAX/SAV/MYR... you get my drift. A stop on my flight to CVG takes a 60 minute flight and adds 150% to that duration. A stop flying ATL-TYS makes driving an attractive option.
How many elites are elites because of the perceived value? Less than 100%... it's probably geographically dependent. A NYC elite is there because they are making a choice. Same with a SEA elite. But it's less true for others.