Delta Pricing Lost Its Mind
Mar 26, 2012, 1:07 pm
#16
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: Rocky MOuntain High
Programs: Delta Gold Medallion, Marriott Gold, Hilton, Hertz
Posts: 461
IMHO - The airlines are shooting themselves in the foot with this kind of pricing. First it just pisses people off to be treated like suckers and idiots. Second, you get enough of this kind of idiocy, and it changes your travel philosophy. You get people resigned to flying in Y, or not traveling, or traveling somewhere else, or traveling on another carrier with more transparent pricing.
And BTW - corporate travel policies that allow this kind of irresponsible pricing are mostly to blame. If I were a shareholder and found out someone was buying a $17k air ticket on a commercial carrier, I'd have them fired.... regardless of the circumstances.
And BTW - corporate travel policies that allow this kind of irresponsible pricing are mostly to blame. If I were a shareholder and found out someone was buying a $17k air ticket on a commercial carrier, I'd have them fired.... regardless of the circumstances.
Mar 26, 2012, 1:20 pm
#17
Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: ATL
Programs: DL SkyMiles, MR, HH, ICH/PC, Avis Pref., Hertz Gold
Posts: 2,897
I just did a quick check from DTW-PVG for next week and there were plenty of flights in BE for "only" $11,086 (fare class = I). The OP must have hit it on a bad day.
Mar 26, 2012, 1:32 pm
#18
Suspended
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: DCA | IAD | BWI | BOS | OSL
Programs: AMEX Plat, AA EXP, DL Diamond Medallion, US, B6, SPG Gold,Marriott Gold,Hilton Gold,Starbucks Gold
Posts: 1,388
Second that. Booked and travelled on a last minute TATL last week. BE over the pond was wide open but they wanted $8k+ for a crappy recliner between DTW and AMS (763). Y was $780 a/i r/t from TX to Germany. In flight, only around 10 BE seats were occupied. But with that difference in price, unfortunately there is no reasonable way how I can justify buying BE.
If I do pay for J out of my own pocket, I'd be wise and choose CX, SQ, EK, or Eithad, or QR. The miles and status don't even matter at that point. It's about the product and the service that I will receive.
Mar 26, 2012, 1:37 pm
#19
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: West of CLE
Programs: Delta DM/3 MM; Hertz PC; National EE; Amtrak GR; Bonvoy Silver; Via Rail Préférence
Posts: 5,384
The pricing for a walk up round-trip ticket in J on DL/AF between IAD and northern UK airports such as EDI and NCL has been in excess of $10k for at least 3 years (6.5 hours eastbound and 7.5 hours westbound IAD-CDG, and about 1.5 hours each way between EDI and CDG). More than $500 per hour.
Mar 27, 2012, 6:46 pm
#21
Join Date: Sep 2005
Posts: 163
That said, ATL-NYC has just been obscene lately.
Mar 27, 2012, 7:08 pm
#22
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: Japan/Thailand
Programs: AS, UA
Posts: 1,201
IMHO - The airlines are shooting themselves in the foot with this kind of pricing. First it just pisses people off to be treated like suckers and idiots. Second, you get enough of this kind of idiocy, and it changes your travel philosophy. You get people resigned to flying in Y, or not traveling, or traveling somewhere else, or traveling on another carrier with more transparent pricing.
I don't really see how airlines are treating anyone like suckers or idiots - if you're buying a ticket at that price, you either are a sucker or an idiot (probably not), or it really is worth it that much to you. As others have said, time is money, and there could be very good reason to spend $18k on such a flight. If it's not worth that much, then fly some other time, somewhere else, with some other airline, in economy... There are plenty of other choices.
Also, I can't think of any carrier with more 'transparent' pricing for international flights. Domestically you might have WN and B6, but even they can be expensive on last minute flights, and they don't have business/first class.
Mar 27, 2012, 7:46 pm
#23
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jun 2008
Programs: Formaldehyde Medallion DL DieMiles
Posts: 12,646
Mar 27, 2012, 8:09 pm
#25
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: ATL
Programs: AA GLD Skymiles DM MM, a+ rewards lifetime elite, AS, Marriott plat, PC plat, HH gold
Posts: 1,275
Mar 27, 2012, 9:17 pm
#26
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: DTW
Programs: AA EXP, DL FO
Posts: 1,719
I'm pretty certain that if discount coach fares were 2-3x more expensive instead of being subsidized by the OPM (other people's money) fares it would piss off a greater number of customers.
Mar 28, 2012, 1:40 am
#27
Join Date: Sep 2009
Programs: UA GS>1K>Nothing; DL DM 2MM; AS 75K>Nothing>MVP
Posts: 9,341
I'm pretty certain that if discount coach fares were 2-3x more expensive instead of being subsidized by the OPM (other people's money) fares it would piss off a greater number of customers.
Mar 28, 2012, 2:59 am
#28
FlyerTalk Evangelist & Ambassador: China
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: DEN
Programs: DL DM/MM, UA 1K, AA Exp, HH Dia, WOH Glob, IHG Plat, Marriott Gold, NA EE, Hertz PC
Posts: 17,423
Yeah I saw a DL J fare US-PVG one-time at $18K. And to think DL uses this to justify never having low... 
Mar 28, 2012, 9:02 am
#30
Join Date: Sep 2009
Programs: DAL-PM
Posts: 425
It always amazes me when people come on here and complain about ticket prices. Do you know how sophisticated airline revenue departments are? They know virtually everything going on in every destination down to the hour. If there is a convention or festival in a city 10 months from now, the airlines know about it. They know when the demand will be heavy and price accordingly. Why wouldn't they? Is that not the nature of business? Especially a business where an empty seat is lost forever. If DL thinks they can get X amount for a last minute J fare to where ever it is because they probably have in the past and will continue to do so. It seems most of the folks on here are in business of some sort and requires selling things, don't you also price your product to maximize profit?