What is WN doing to its fare structure?
Nov 4, 2019, 7:56 pm
#46
Join Date: Jun 2015
Location: DAY
Programs: Rapid Rewards, Skymiles, Hilton HHonors, SPG/Marriott Rewards
Posts: 4,944
This doesn't make sense for the WN business model which is predicated on upselling EBCI to non-elites and expedited boarding by permitting free checked bags. Similarly WN does not want GAs to spend extra time collecting fees as people board the plane with too many carry-ons. Plus how do you tell the computer "ignore A-list status" when assigning checkin #s .
Personally I would be fine with unbundling checked baggage but I wouldn't expect reduced fares - more likely just the same fares and increased profits from ancillary fees as is the case with other airlines.
A 4th fare tier makes sense as there is often a huge gap between WGA and Anytime that is clearly ripe for exploitation. But WN would have to figure out how to assign some benefit beyond the 8 points/$1 which is not a real motivator (though I'd be happy to have them).
However I would personally be more concerned about WN eliminating ticketless travel funds for people who buy WGA fares. That's where this is headed.
Have never seen a spread this wide but I guess it depends on your routings. Most of mine are $25-50 on UA domestic/Mexico/Hawaii routes (and similar on AA and DL though I rarely fly them). For $50 I am not giving up my Plat perks on UA such as EQM, RDM and preassigned E+ seating, not to mention carryons. Even on AA it is not worth $50 (x4 family) to give up good pre-assigned seats or carry-ons.
Personally I would be fine with unbundling checked baggage but I wouldn't expect reduced fares - more likely just the same fares and increased profits from ancillary fees as is the case with other airlines.
A 4th fare tier makes sense as there is often a huge gap between WGA and Anytime that is clearly ripe for exploitation. But WN would have to figure out how to assign some benefit beyond the 8 points/$1 which is not a real motivator (though I'd be happy to have them).
However I would personally be more concerned about WN eliminating ticketless travel funds for people who buy WGA fares. That's where this is headed.
Have never seen a spread this wide but I guess it depends on your routings. Most of mine are $25-50 on UA domestic/Mexico/Hawaii routes (and similar on AA and DL though I rarely fly them). For $50 I am not giving up my Plat perks on UA such as EQM, RDM and preassigned E+ seating, not to mention carryons. Even on AA it is not worth $50 (x4 family) to give up good pre-assigned seats or carry-ons.
As for routes, all domestic. AA was CMH-LAX-CMH and DL was DAY-JAC/BZN-DAY.
Nov 9, 2019, 9:39 am
#47
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: MCI
Programs: AA Gold 1MM, AS MVP, UA Silver, WN A-List, Marriott LT Titanium, HH Diamond
Posts: 52,570
We used to have almost hourly 737's to MDW and probably eight to ten total 727's across UA and AA. (Throw in the occasional niche player like Midway Airlines or Vanguard.) There were a *lot* of Chicago seats available...good times and good fares. We even did daytrips to Wrigley to see Ryno and the Hawk because there were sometimes great Saturday deals.
Have never seen a spread this wide but I guess it depends on your routings. Most of mine are $25-50 on UA domestic/Mexico/Hawaii routes (and similar on AA and DL though I rarely fly them). For $50 I am not giving up my Plat perks on UA such as EQM, RDM and preassigned E+ seating, not to mention carryons. Even on AA it is not worth $50 (x4 family) to give up good pre-assigned seats or carry-ons.
I have to admit, from UA Plat the value prop of the upgrade probability and confirmed E+ probably outweighs the savings of BE. But you don't give up the carry-ons and checked bags if you are *some* kind of elite. As a UA Silver, where I know I'm not getting into F, it's a pretty good deal for a family of four. I'll just keep the $400 round-trip in my pocket and we'll accept that it's an E- flight. (Although interestingly enough, we've had GAs move us to E+ without our asking for it as they're filling in all of the non-elites with unassigned seats.)
Both the UA and AA systems seem to do an honest job of at least putting us together when we're on BE itins. Back of the bus, but not scattered middles. Of course it *could* happen, but there are always enough non-elites on the plane who can't select their seats even when they buy regular Y on a fairly-full flight. If you're elite, odds are in your favor that it won't be awful. You're just taking yourself out of E+/MCE and F upgrade queues, which is not as painful if you're a low tier.
Nov 10, 2019, 7:13 pm
#49
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: May 2000
Location: RDU
Programs: AA LT Gold, DL SM, HY Disc, Marriott LT Gold
Posts: 12,507
I think the biggest concern that I have is: what does the redemption rate become for the third tier?
If the fourth tier becomes truly nonrefundable even for awards, then I don't have a lot of reason to pick Southwest over either Delta or American. Both Delta (with my status) and American (with my BA Avios) let me redeposit awards with no/minimal penalty, and with status I can check bags.
If the fourth tier becomes truly nonrefundable even for awards, then I don't have a lot of reason to pick Southwest over either Delta or American. Both Delta (with my status) and American (with my BA Avios) let me redeposit awards with no/minimal penalty, and with status I can check bags.
Nov 12, 2019, 8:30 am
#50
Join Date: Oct 2002
Location: Houston
Programs: AA EXP; Hyatt Globalist; Marriott Titanium, Hilton Diamond, UA 1.56MM (fmr UA1K)
Posts: 5,770
Exactly The reason I stopped flying United was because of Basic Economy and the inflexibility/high change fees.... if that goes away on Southwest, as a MM on United, I might as well go back to UA if saddled with the same restrictions on WN.