<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by SK:
I can't find the exact statistics right now, but the quote was that 10% of flyers are paying full fare (down from 16% before). 10% means several tens of millions of passengers per year.
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OK, Lets say that 10% (which seems over optimistic just reading these responses) pays full fare all the time. That means your willing to sacrifice the other 90%? Why, is that 10% going to jump to 20%? No, it won't thats a fact.
I still don't get it. Isn't the point that FFs reward USAir with the full fare biz trips when they get caught in a last second trip? Yea, of course, we are going to fly discounted fares as much as possible because paying more doesn't get more. An to suggest that "First Class" is anything special on USAir for a domestic flight is a joke in itself. FLYING FIRST CLASS ON USAIR IS ABOUT AS PRESTIGIOUS AS HAVING THE HONOR OF RIDING SHOTGUN IN A TAXI. Give me a break, do you think anyone is going to pay for this? Have you ever paid for a first class ticket (which is really the same as saying full fare coach)?
First things first, nobody pays for full fare coach or "first class" for their personal travel. If you do, your stupid, period. Secondly, companies and travel agents are conciously steering away from USAir due to the bankrupcty, thats standard procedure. Lastly, the glory days of business travel are done, gone, and forgotten. Nobody and no company is going to pay full fare if they don't have to for a "first class" seat and some miles. Give me a break.
Lastly, lets look at motivation. I can get miles on any airline right? And, to boot, I can still get miles for discounted fares, AND fly standby on every other domestic airline right? And, I can accrue status segments and miles on every other domestic airline with discount fares right? And, I don't risk further and more drastic "policy changes" or even worse, totally sticking me with a defunct ticket if they suddenly file chapter 7 if I go with more secure airlines right?
I guess I don't get the big picture. They would rather retain 10% of there FF base and tell the other 90% to take there money somewhere else? They would rather forego the occassional (yes, occassional, when I have to) full fares because you can't combine with other flights into anything of any significance?
Tell me again how it is better to have an empty seat than a revenue producing seat...I just can't grasp that yet. Fuel, please, I don't believe that, there is more bird **** on the wings that would cause more fuel consumption that the handful of low fare FFs.
Somebody educate me on how this is supposed to generate more full fare tix than they get now. Somebody...please?