FlyerTalk Forums - View Single Post - airlines just don't get it: fares, seats, loads
Old Jan 26, 1999 | 11:35 am
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MileKing
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There's a lot to comment on here regarding fares and service, but in general I agree with JGill. I still find it amazing that a number of airlines continue to put flyers paying full fare coach in the back of the plane. If the full coach fares make up only 6-7% of all fares paid (as was reported elsewhere on FlyerTalk) why are the first 10+ rows of coach always loaded with people. Granted, some of them hold elite status and some probably were seated there on departure day, but more often than not these are flyers who are buying deeply discounted tickets months in advance. Airlines should be filling planes from the back; those on discount tickets get seated way in the back while the front rows of coach are reserved for full fare flyers and elites. If space is available at departure, these flyers can move up. Most of the airlines discussed on this board try to do this but fail miserably - poor computer systems, uneducted reps, etc. The airlines are the kings of yield management and probably know in advance exactly how many full fares there will be on any given flight. If the airlines can't handle this, I'm not holding my breath for wider seats and more leg room.
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