Popular Travel Blogger Blasts D1 LAX-JFK Cleanliness and Food in New Video
#91
Join Date: Mar 2010
Programs: DL PM, Bonvoy Gold
Posts: 8,411
I think one issue on this route is actually lack of competition. UA does not fly to JFK, so at JFK you've only got DL and AA for legacy carriers for people that don't want to go to EWR on UA. B6 is a good product, but without the global network or alliance to make them attractive to most truly frequent travelers who travel internationally. That really just leaves DL and AA. AA wins hands down on this route with their IFC product, but it's not like DL has tons of competition.
#92
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: check swarm
Programs: DL DM & 2MM, SPG/Bonvoid LT Titanium, Hyatt Globalist, $tarbucks Titanium
Posts: 14,393
764 jfk-lax d1
Seat 1D was disgusting 6 weeks ago, and just as bad on the same aircraft and seat 3 weeks later doing JFK-LAX.
#93
Suspended
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: New York, NY
Posts: 557
I don't think it is particularly defensive to point out that the WestJet video I released was 95% positive and cannot be called a "worst ever type experience" - although there is another vlogger friend of mine who recently released a far more negative review than I - we took the same inaugural flight. We look similar and have similar presentation styles, and are regularly confused with one another (tbh, I'm better looking ).
I didn't provide any incorrect information in my reply. I haven't released a video on BA for well over a year, although again my vlogger friend released a negative video on them recently. If you click on any of my BA videos - none of which were released in the past year as you claim (and I'm not sure how you have made that mistake!)
It's one thing to say you don't like my presentation style or my vlog (and tbh FlyerTalk isn't my audience so I'm not too surprised there are people here that don't!), but allow me to correct in the most civil way I can, a possible misinterpretation so we can be sure we are talking about the same channel and the same videos, to keep the thread on topic.
#95
Join Date: Feb 2017
Programs: DL DM, UA Gold, Alaska MVP, Bonvoy (lol) Ambassador
Posts: 2,991
I think one issue on this route is actually lack of competition. UA does not fly to JFK, so at JFK you've only got DL and AA for legacy carriers for people that don't want to go to EWR on UA. B6 is a good product, but without the global network or alliance to make them attractive to most truly frequent travelers who travel internationally. That really just leaves DL and AA. AA wins hands down on this route with their IFC product, but it's not like DL has tons of competition.
Discounting B9 - when they have the best hard product on the route - seems silly.
The pricing on this route concurs with my assessment. You can get a $1300 round-trip fare on this route even during a peak Monday-Thursday commute if you do a 30-day advanced purchase. Admittedly not the same thing, but that's what I pay for my 7-day advanced Economy bookings on shorter routes. That tells me there is plenty of competition.
#96
Join Date: Oct 2011
Location: SFO/SJC/OAK/STS
Programs: Alaska MVPG, Delta PM, AA EXP, Wannabe SkyWest 1K
Posts: 644
That said, my destination is usually the Upper West Side or Chelsea, and I'll book either EWR or JFK. I've flown J or F UA, AA, AS, DL, and B6 in the past year. I have the Platinum Credit Card, and would book DL more if they'd make the 75s and 76s look more like the refurbed A319/320s. My #1 issue with UA isn't EWR, but their old 757s and their constant swapping out of the 78Js. The hard product matters a lot more to most of us free agents than hard ice cream.
#97
Join Date: Mar 2010
Programs: DL PM, Bonvoy Gold
Posts: 8,411
I don't discount them for their product, as I mentioned. But for folks who care about elite status in programs with access to a real global network, this does not cut it. And white I don't know the numbers, it does seem like this is a very significant percentage of business travelers. I think that lots of people choose to take D1 on a 767 to earn the MQM's over the private suite on B6. So much so that DL does not have to throw suites on this route right away (though they may eventually).
#98
Join Date: Feb 2017
Programs: DL DM, UA Gold, Alaska MVP, Bonvoy (lol) Ambassador
Posts: 2,991
I don't discount them for their product, as I mentioned. But for folks who care about elite status in programs with access to a real global network, this does not cut it. And white I don't know the numbers, it does seem like this is a very significant percentage of business travelers. I think that lots of people choose to take D1 on a 767 to earn the MQM's over the private suite on B6. So much so that DL does not have to throw suites on this route right away (though they may eventually).
Admittedly B6 doesn't fly the same frequency as AA/DL on this route, but if B6 was having issues filling their planes, their fares would be lower. That slot falls to Delta. I am sure that if B6 increased frequency, they would run more into the "AA loyalist" or "DL loyalist" wall, but at least for now, there are enough free agents that it doesn't seem to matter.
#99
Join Date: Jan 2000
Location: Canada
Programs: AS, DL, UA, Hyatt, SPG
Posts: 2,574
The highest MQM earn on WestJet is 100%, not 120%. Full fare Y, Premium and Business all earn the same mqm (which is lame, but then again so is the whole notion of any real reciprocal benefits between the two carriers).
#100
Original Poster
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: BUR
Programs: AA, DL Platinum, AS, AF/KL, UA, VS, HA, Hilton Gold, Marriott Gold, Hertz Presidents Circle
Posts: 1,788
Correct! I think for some reason I added the 20% MQDs earned to the 100% MQMs.
#101
Join Date: Feb 2013
Location: UK
Programs: I go wherever the content takes me.
Posts: 5,698
Ah, yes - on many devices YouTube rounds down to the nearest year, so a video posted between 13 and 23 months ago shows as "one year ago" - no idea why, as this is totally counter-intuitive!
#102
Join Date: Feb 2013
Location: UK
Programs: I go wherever the content takes me.
Posts: 5,698
I think that's a bit of a stretch. You basically have 4 carriers offering lie-flat transcon service to the same destination. I agree that JFK is not interchangeable with EWR, but it is pretty close to being the case - and if anything, EWR may be more desirable for most of the market in question (if you're going to midtown Manhattan, the commute times are comparable; if you're going to Downtown, EWR is favorable - the only benefit is that JFK has better subway connectivity, but people flying D1 transcons are likely using a car service unless they are landing in the middle of rush hour).
Discounting B9 - when they have the best hard product on the route - seems silly.
The pricing on this route concurs with my assessment. You can get a $1300 round-trip fare on this route even during a peak Monday-Thursday commute if you do a 30-day advanced purchase. Admittedly not the same thing, but that's what I pay for my 7-day advanced Economy bookings on shorter routes. That tells me there is plenty of competition.
Discounting B9 - when they have the best hard product on the route - seems silly.
The pricing on this route concurs with my assessment. You can get a $1300 round-trip fare on this route even during a peak Monday-Thursday commute if you do a 30-day advanced purchase. Admittedly not the same thing, but that's what I pay for my 7-day advanced Economy bookings on shorter routes. That tells me there is plenty of competition.
#103
Join Date: May 2010
Location: TPA
Programs: All The Programs
Posts: 2,201
Sorry to drag this up again but I felt it was worth pointing out that it is one thing simply complaining about existing security practices as they stand and it is another to complain that an airline's proposal to invest and help fund a new security experience for premium passengers at hub airports, is being prevented. Perhaps the former might be more relevant here? The fact that some terminals in the US offer an easier passage through the formalities for eligible passengers, indicates that this is not a red flag for the TSA, or we would not see it at all countrywide. Therefore, it would appear that the issue is perhaps one between the airlines and the airport operators, with the thorny issue of investment and who will provide that investment, being stuck somewhere in the middle.
#104
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: May 2012
Location: MCO
Programs: AA, B6, DL, EK, EY, QR, SQ, UA, Amex Plat, Marriott Tit, HHonors Gold
Posts: 12,809
I don't really understand what the big uproar is about. DL is certainly not flawless in any way and seems to have offered a pretty poor experience in this instance. That may not always be the case, however the reality remains that it can be from time to time. IMO B6 offers a more consistent experience with a better seat assuming you can snag the throne seat (Mint Suite or whatever they call it).