AA "de-preferenced" by Expedia - "suspension" now lifted April 4, 2011
Dec 23, 2010, 5:50 pm
#61
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2003
Location: MSY (finally); previously NYC, BOS, AUH
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Posts: 17,249
I'm certainly not saying that companies are not moral actors. But I am saying that I don't see any of the business decisions involved in this dispute to be of any moral significance.
Dec 23, 2010, 6:27 pm
#62
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: HOU
Programs: AAdvantage
Posts: 5
American can't make money!
American claims the move to screw Orbitz removes the middleman but the fact is that this is just another way this airline is scrambling to get every dime it can. The real problem at AA is that even if they were packing the planes with $100 bills, they couldn't make money because their senior management team is clueless and lacks leadership.
Go Expedia!!!!!
Go Expedia!!!!!
Dec 23, 2010, 6:40 pm
#63
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Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: Chicago
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Posts: 11,956
It is such a shame because it wasn't that long ago that AA was the big boy in the US skies.
Dec 23, 2010, 6:50 pm
#64
Suspended
Join Date: Jul 2001
Location: Watchlisted by the prejudiced, en route to purgatory
Programs: Just Say No to Fleecing and Blacklisting
Posts: 102,095
Expedia wants to stop this AA move from snowballing and hitting it too; and Expedia has extra cause for motivation as Expedia's contract with AA is going to come to an end and will soon enough require re-negotiation and subsequent memorialization of a new contract in order to keep the relationship going without interruption into the time period beyond when the current contract expires.
Dec 23, 2010, 7:27 pm
#65
Join Date: Jun 2004
Location: SFO
Programs: AA PLT; UA Gold
Posts: 5,378
Ooh, I love a good arms race!
But in this case, it's not Mutually Assured Destruction -- AA needs the travel web sites more than the travel web sites need AA.
It's a beautiful thing to see someone standing up against AA's massive AArogance on this issue.
Customers will (understandably) interpret the Orbitz affair as yet another example of AA putting a nickel-and-dime mentality ahead of doing what's right for the customer.
But in this case, it's not Mutually Assured Destruction -- AA needs the travel web sites more than the travel web sites need AA.
It's a beautiful thing to see someone standing up against AA's massive AArogance on this issue.
Customers will (understandably) interpret the Orbitz affair as yet another example of AA putting a nickel-and-dime mentality ahead of doing what's right for the customer.
Dec 23, 2010, 7:43 pm
#66
Suspended
Join Date: Jul 2001
Location: Watchlisted by the prejudiced, en route to purgatory
Programs: Just Say No to Fleecing and Blacklisting
Posts: 102,095
Ooh, I love a good arms race!
But in this case, it's not Mutually Assured Destruction -- AA needs the travel web sites more than the travel web sites need AA.
It's a beautiful thing to see someone standing up against AA's massive AArogance on this issue.
Customers will (understandably) interpret the Orbitz affair as yet another example of AA putting a nickel-and-dime mentality ahead of doing what's right for the customer.
But in this case, it's not Mutually Assured Destruction -- AA needs the travel web sites more than the travel web sites need AA.
It's a beautiful thing to see someone standing up against AA's massive AArogance on this issue.
Customers will (understandably) interpret the Orbitz affair as yet another example of AA putting a nickel-and-dime mentality ahead of doing what's right for the customer.
Is it something like 5% of AA's domestic revenue comes via Orbitz? How much more of AA's domestic revenue comes via Expedia than from Orbitz?
And what proportion of Orbitz's revenue comes from AA-using customers? And what proportion of Expedia's revenue comes from the same kind of customers? Orbitz and Expedia can substitute for AA quickly enough, while AA really cannot substitute for Orbitz and Expedia traffic quite as quickly.
Dec 23, 2010, 7:45 pm
#67
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Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: Chicago
Programs: AA EXP
Posts: 11,956
I hope you are correct.
Is it something like 5% of AA's domestic revenue comes via Orbitz? How much more of AA's domestic revenue comes via Expedia than from Orbitz?
And what proportion of Orbitz's revenue comes from AA-using customers? And what proportion of Expedia's revenue comes from the same kind of customers?
Is it something like 5% of AA's domestic revenue comes via Orbitz? How much more of AA's domestic revenue comes via Expedia than from Orbitz?
And what proportion of Orbitz's revenue comes from AA-using customers? And what proportion of Expedia's revenue comes from the same kind of customers?
Dec 23, 2010, 8:59 pm
#68
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: DFW
Programs: AA EP 3MM, UA Silver, Bonvoy LT TIT, Hyatt Explorist, HH Silver, Caesars PLT
Posts: 7,259
I see AA (and WN) TV commercials all the time. I never see one for the others.
Dec 23, 2010, 9:03 pm
#69
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Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: Chicago
Programs: AA EXP
Posts: 11,956
People in DFW (that would be both Dallas where WN is based and Fort Worth where AA is based) most certainly know that AA is the dominant carrier at the big airport. News stories about AA make the local news all the time, and the carrier is major employer in the area. There's also that little place in Victory Park called the American Airlines Center.
I see AA (and WN) TV commercials all the time. I never see one for the others.
I see AA (and WN) TV commercials all the time. I never see one for the others.
Dec 23, 2010, 9:09 pm
#70
Suspended
Join Date: Jul 2001
Location: Watchlisted by the prejudiced, en route to purgatory
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Posts: 102,095
AA.com homepage has now revised the banner to say that "Expedia and Orbitz no longer feature American Airlines' fares". How many more companies will AA mention there? First, it was just Orbitz. Now it's Expedia also listed there alongside Orbitz.
Dec 23, 2010, 9:12 pm
#71
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: Las Vegas
Programs: DL Platinum, AA Lifetime Gold, Hilton Diamond, Marriott Platinum, Radisson Premium
Posts: 6,638
Wirelessly posted (BlackBerry8530/5.0.0.654 Profile/MIDP-2.1 Configuration/CLDC-1.1 VendorID/104)
I'm officially dumbfounded on how this will end up to be a net positive business decision on AA's part.
There's even a typo on the page title when clicking that page, it was so rushed through. Get your act together AA
I'm officially dumbfounded on how this will end up to be a net positive business decision on AA's part.
There's even a typo on the page title when clicking that page, it was so rushed through. Get your act together AA
Last edited by demkr; Dec 23, 2010 at 9:20 pm
Dec 23, 2010, 9:23 pm
#72
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: Western Mass
Programs: AA, HH, Hyatt Gold, Marriott Platinum, UA, DL, US
Posts: 424
This is the final nail in the AA coffin as far as I am concerned. I used to fly strictly AA (for about 15 years) in and out of BDL. About six months ago, AA pulled all direct flights to/from RDU which is my most frequent destination. Now I can't easily compare flights on Orbitz or Expedia?
And, as a result of their pulling out of the BDL market I've learned that UA, DL, and US all have better planes and more comfortable seats, especially on the RJ's. (and DL has introduced nonstops to/from RDU!)
I'm done with AA.... Good riddance!
JB
And, as a result of their pulling out of the BDL market I've learned that UA, DL, and US all have better planes and more comfortable seats, especially on the RJ's. (and DL has introduced nonstops to/from RDU!)
I'm done with AA.... Good riddance!
JB
Dec 23, 2010, 9:31 pm
#73
Join Date: Jan 2007
Programs: PC Pl, UA 1K, CC Gl
Posts: 2,235
Do you remember how AA flights diappeared from Kayak?
Dec 23, 2010, 9:35 pm
#74
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: Las Vegas
Programs: DL Platinum, AA Lifetime Gold, Hilton Diamond, Marriott Platinum, Radisson Premium
Posts: 6,638
Hey al,
No I was unfamiliar with that - but I guess it's been settled?
No I was unfamiliar with that - but I guess it's been settled?
Dec 23, 2010, 9:46 pm
#75
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Original Poster
Join Date: Mar 1999
Posts: 12,097
I'm still trying to find the so called moral misconduct in AA's decision to reduce costs and bring more value to the shareholders. How am I, as a consumer, morally offended because I have to buy my AA tickets on any other number of available channels? They still have to compete with numerous other competitors, so it's not like they can price gouge me.