jrl767

"I" appears to be one bucket below "P" (IAD-LAX it's $539 vs $619) ... as rustykettel pointed out, it apparently still gets the 75% COS bonus; I'll confirm after my May trip

VegasGambler

This sounds like AS is making a serious attempt to monetize their first class cabin. If successful, that bodes well for the quality of the product; not so well for upgrades.

Flying for Fun

How is that going to bode well for the quality of the product which you routinely refer to as crap? Serious question.

James in Phoenix

VegasGambler

I think that in any business where a product is given away for free, it will constantly be the target for budget cuts. On the other hand, if it makes money, it tends to be safer from such cuts. This is true in any industry, and I've certainly seen it at companies that I've worked for.

So, if they start selling more first class seats, that brings in revenue for the first class product, and a higher budget can be justified.

The incremental revenue from even one more person buying a first class seat instead of an economy seat on a flight is more than enough to pay for PDBs for everyone on that flight. Obviously hard product doesn't change quickly, but the soft product can definitely change quickly. If they would just start following stated policy, that would be a huge improvement.

KnownasEric

My guess would be that increasing the revenue from their first cabin would translate to continued investment and improvement in the product.

rustykettel

Flying for Fun

So in summary, an Alcoholic pre-departure beverage (which you have made blatantly obvious is of great importance to you) makes a crappy F hard-product (in your words) a good product overall? Hilarious! Would that sway you from a UA lie-flat to/from Hawaii? Likely not! But good try in masking your hypocrisy.

James in Kelowna.

VegasGambler

Well, I'm not saying that they are going to move to a premium hard product for longer routes. As I said, hard product cannot change quickly.

But, yes, improvements to the soft product count as an improvement to the product. Well I use them when a superior hard product is available with a different carrier? No, of course not. But for most domestic routes that isn't an option. An improved F product might get me to pay for it on shorter flights where I will fly AS anyway. I don't think that's hypocrisy.

CDKing

Here you go, I fare to Hawaii

VegasGambler

I paid that for a P fare last year.

xliioper

There were no new fares introduced with the introduction of the I booking class. They simply split the fares as follows -- Q/L/V/K fare basis FC fares go into I booking class and S/B/M/H fare basis FC fares go into P booking class as I mentioned upthread. The fares all existed before, they simply all booked into P booking class previously. Once again, the fare basis code first letter is not the same as the booking class for these restricted FC fares (and Saver fares as well). They use coach class fare codes as the first letter. The fact that they are actually FC or Saver fares is indicated by the second to last letter in the fare basis code.

So KH2OASFN and MH0OAVFN are two examples of restricted FC fares. But the KH2OASFN fare now books into I booking class instead of P.

VegasGambler

I wonder what the purpose is here, then? Move to lower earnings for lower level first class fares? Maybe 150% for I?

I was hoping that they would use this to introduce some cheaper first class fares to monetize the first class cabin. Right now I get the idea that most of the cabin is upgrades. I think that they tried to do that by holding out on U space last year but I don't think it was effective. Right now it seems like the first class buy-up is just too high, with the exception of a few routes.

There is no way that that relabeling some of their P fares to I is their only goal here.. there has to be a next step. It does give them more fine-grained inventory control, but all they can accomplish by that is raising the price of first class, which is probably not too useful if it's already not selling well.

DrAlex

Maybe playing nicely with partners? Especially those of the OW variety that may even have some Y fares for sale on the AS website? Just guessing.

Aidan

williwaw