What airlines will be around in 25 years time?
Apr 26, 2016, 1:03 am
#61
Join Date: Mar 2015
Programs: HH Diamond, GHA Titanium
Posts: 1,961
I would say you're definitely in the minority. The vast majority of business travelers I know (myself included) fly J at best. Heck, my previous company (European financial services) made anybody under Executive Director level fly Y everywhere - including 12 hour long hauls.
Apr 27, 2016, 2:13 pm
#62
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Join Date: Nov 2015
Posts: 1,808
Because many non-frequent fliers consider the ability to get on the plane and sit where you want to be a benefit, and the legacies have been scaling back their loyalty programs recently to the point where even people on Flyertalk are concluding that it's not worth it anymore. Every major US legacy has had a devaluation recently, and no doubt there will be more.
Apr 27, 2016, 7:21 pm
#63
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Join Date: Mar 2016
Posts: 179
As operator of the world's largest 737 fleet (715 on strength, 500+ orders / options, launch customer for MAX 7 and MAX 8), Southwest wields outsize influence over Boeing aircraft design and pricing.
As pioneers of a successful hub-free point-to-point network model, Southwest provided the operational blueprint for numerous other important carriers, from EasyJet to RyanAir to Air Asia to Fly Dubai to Azul.
As resistors of US cartel lockstep conventions in areas from passenger fees to inflight product design, Southwest provides the only meaningful comprehensive alternative to the majors in the US domestic market. And when Southwest breaks ranks with a new initiative (dollar-based loyalty rewards, for example), it often influences the majors to fall in line.
And with 129,087,000 pax boardings in 2014 per IATA, Southwest is the second largest passenger carrier on earth -- just a blip behind Delta at 129,433,000. That is influence.
Something like 64% of Americans do not hold passports. And that hardly means 36% are flying overseas; in truth, less than 5 percent of Americans -- 14.6 million -- travel abroad for business or leisure, optimistic estimate. See this:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/willia...b_1920287.html
So while Southwest may not have anything useful for you (or whomever "us" is), that hardly makes them irrelevant. In truth, it is you that are a minority / peripheral cohort of the traveling public. The FT worldview is spectacularly out of sync with real-world priorities and conditions.
Again, most people don't care as they're never getting up there. And having seen my share of UA/AA/DL/AS F cabins the past few years, I now care a lot less, too.
As pioneers of a successful hub-free point-to-point network model, Southwest provided the operational blueprint for numerous other important carriers, from EasyJet to RyanAir to Air Asia to Fly Dubai to Azul.
As resistors of US cartel lockstep conventions in areas from passenger fees to inflight product design, Southwest provides the only meaningful comprehensive alternative to the majors in the US domestic market. And when Southwest breaks ranks with a new initiative (dollar-based loyalty rewards, for example), it often influences the majors to fall in line.
And with 129,087,000 pax boardings in 2014 per IATA, Southwest is the second largest passenger carrier on earth -- just a blip behind Delta at 129,433,000. That is influence.
Something like 64% of Americans do not hold passports. And that hardly means 36% are flying overseas; in truth, less than 5 percent of Americans -- 14.6 million -- travel abroad for business or leisure, optimistic estimate. See this:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/willia...b_1920287.html
So while Southwest may not have anything useful for you (or whomever "us" is), that hardly makes them irrelevant. In truth, it is you that are a minority / peripheral cohort of the traveling public. The FT worldview is spectacularly out of sync with real-world priorities and conditions.
Again, most people don't care as they're never getting up there. And having seen my share of UA/AA/DL/AS F cabins the past few years, I now care a lot less, too.
Apr 30, 2016, 9:46 am
#64
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: OSL/IAH/ZRH (time, not preference)
Programs: UA1K, LH GM, AA EXP->GM
Posts: 38,265
I fear that the flag carriers will be with us for the rest of our lives ...
... across all three decks ....
I misread this as 'carnivorous' ... that way they'd have massively reduced fuel use as well.
I misread this as 'carnivorous' ... that way they'd have massively reduced fuel use as well.
May 1, 2016, 12:08 am
#65
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Join Date: Mar 2002
Location: Canada, USA, Europe
Programs: UA 1K
Posts: 31,452
May 1, 2016, 7:22 am
#66
Join Date: Jun 2012
Programs: AA EXP, Hyatt Globalist, *A Silver
Posts: 4,896
May 2, 2016, 5:26 am
#68
Join Date: Jun 2012
Programs: AA EXP, Hyatt Globalist, *A Silver
Posts: 4,896
I was being facetious. But if you want to play for real - US domestic F should no way be called F. J if I have never flown premium cabin and don't know what e+ on international routes look like.
May 3, 2016, 7:22 am
#69
Join Date: Mar 2005
Programs: fwp blood diamond, dykwia uranium
Posts: 7,252
however i would agree that paradoxically they are extremely well protected, looking at how the feds shafted aveos (mx) workers and how the feds shaft consumers time and time again by blocking outside competition from the likes of ek and qr
May 3, 2016, 7:25 am
#70
Join Date: Mar 2005
Programs: fwp blood diamond, dykwia uranium
Posts: 7,252
ua domestic f is like flying sq y, only that sq y has better food service and drinks. although ua does have directv and the f seat is more comfortable
May 5, 2016, 5:33 am
#71
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: OSL/IAH/ZRH (time, not preference)
Programs: UA1K, LH GM, AA EXP->GM
Posts: 38,265
Not really - Premium Economy =/= E+ ... I found all PEs I ever rode to be comparable to each other in terms of hardware. Much unlike the different coach and Biz seats across legacy carriers.