Is it the Bean Counter's fault?
Sep 27, 2004 | 12:29 am
#1
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Join Date: Nov 2002
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Is it the Bean Counter's fault?
I have not flown regularly for business for over ten years. Based on what I read on FlyerTalk things have changed. Admittedly most of my tickets where full fare. The stories I read from people who fly much more than I did are bad. I almost always received a courtesy upgrade on routes I flew regularly. A high percentage of times I was upgraded by presenting my business card. My father, long deceased, was always upgraded to First on his regular trip, one or two times a month, between Los Angeles and Houston, Continental. On my regular route, once a month or more, between Los Angeles and Washington DC the crew knew almost all of us that boarded the 6 pm flight on Friday. We had dinner and drinks plus some extra drinks within an hour and it was lights out Have the bean counters put a stop to all this. I, my company, spent tens of thousands of dollars on my travel each year. Although they were cost conscious, they also recognized that employee travel needed to be tolerable if not a vacation. As to the accumulation of miles maybe I was naive during those years. I had no time to take vacations and was accumulating plenty of miles without trying. I was much more concerned with having a comfortable seat and getting to my next destination. In todays environment can an airline provide the kind of experience I had and still successful?
Sep 27, 2004 | 1:25 am
#2
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jun 2004
Location: PIT
Posts: 14,537
Originally Posted by ned
I have not flown regularly for business for over ten years. Based on what I read on FlyerTalk things have changed. Admittedly most of my tickets where full fare. The stories I read from people who fly much more than I did are bad. I almost always received a courtesy upgrade on routes I flew regularly. A high percentage of times I was upgraded by presenting my business card. My father, long deceased, was always upgraded to First on his regular trip, one or two times a month, between Los Angeles and Houston, Continental. On my regular route, once a month or more, between Los Angeles and Washington DC the crew knew almost all of us that boarded the 6 pm flight on Friday. We had dinner and drinks plus some extra drinks within an hour and it was lights out Have the bean counters put a stop to all this. I, my company, spent tens of thousands of dollars on my travel each year. Although they were cost conscious, they also recognized that employee travel needed to be tolerable if not a vacation. As to the accumulation of miles maybe I was naive during those years. I had no time to take vacations and was accumulating plenty of miles without trying. I was much more concerned with having a comfortable seat and getting to my next destination. In todays environment can an airline provide the kind of experience I had and still successful?
I think you'll get many opinions on this including those who feel that it is the accountants doings.....
I think it is a little more complicated that that---
From my travel experiences for business--which have been more like a sine wave---lots for a while--then very little, then lots again---I don't feel that there are many corporations out there now who would look at travel the way you describe--its probably closer to say that companies look at travel as
"....a part of the job as required and, like other parts of your job, you are expected at all times to be looking out for the companies best interest and spending the company's money as though it were your own...."
And if you happen to be a profligate spender in your private life, the company's automated on line travel wizard that you must use to book your own travel arrangements will remind you that if you choose a flight that is more than $50 over the lowest cost available flight--your request will be automatically forwarded to the appropriate managment level for approval of the trip.
Since air travel has expoded in the last 10 or 15 years, I don't think you'll find the same set of flight crew on "the Friday evening" flight---and if you are on DL lately--the drinks will be hit and miss depending on the whims of the caterer the day of your flight.
The legacy carriers are trying to compete with the low cost airlines while still providing a level of service that distinguishes them from other airlines.
Unfortunately they are doing neither very well and you can read on this and other forums where the gaps in that business model pop up.
