UA Greed IAD-PVD
Mar 25, 2009, 4:54 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Mar 2004
Posts: 617
UA Greed IAD-PVD
I want to fly IAD-PVD on 4/1 and return 4/2. Cheapest UA fare is $917.20. This is unbelievable. I checked SeatCounter and the flights are wide open. This is what makes me hate UA. I had been a 1K for a number of years. But finally got fed up last fall with UA being a pig to the northeast from IAD. Hopefully, SW will start flying this route and I'll never have to fly UA again. 
Mar 25, 2009, 5:04 pm
#2
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: The Jersey Shore
Programs: UA *G MM, AA G MM
Posts: 1,866
UA is the only of the major carriers offering non-stop, and the second cheapest... where's the greed??
Mar 25, 2009, 5:21 pm
#4
Original Poster
Join Date: Mar 2004
Posts: 617
That's the idea. But I won't reward UA with my business. I'll fly Jet Blue to BOS for $224 or head up to BWI and fly Southwest.
Last edited by iluv2fly; Mar 26, 2009 at 4:26 pm Reason: merge
Mar 25, 2009, 5:34 pm
#5
Join Date: May 2008
Location: Oakland
Programs: Free Agent
Posts: 1,109
But... $900 isn't the norm. I'm sure if you checked a week or two ago it would have been more in line with the usual fare of $199 to $400. And that's something that's true for the entire industry. Sometimes fares get out of whack for whatever reason.
Mar 25, 2009, 5:36 pm
#6
Original Member, Moderator: Hotel Deals and MilesBuzz
Join Date: May 1998
Location: Washington, DC
Posts: 14,257
There's always Amtrak...
I agree that it is pure price gouging. Considering I just booked IAD-LAX-IAD around the same dates for $219 RT.
I agree that it is pure price gouging. Considering I just booked IAD-LAX-IAD around the same dates for $219 RT.
Mar 25, 2009, 5:36 pm
#7
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: New Yawk
Programs: Delta Platinum, Hyatt Globalist, Mosaic 3, ⓥ for the animals
Posts: 477
See also the airline industry collectively losing billions and needing every dollar it can get.
Don't get me wrong, I think it's absolutely insane that some routes are as ridiculously expensive as they are (flying in and out of Minnesota can be obscene). But the bottom line is United isn't willing to sell you the seat (at least right now) for less than $900. For any myriad of reasons, it isn't worth it to them. That's not their fault (or them being "greedy," whatever that is) it's the free market. You're not being greedy for refusing to sell me your new BMW for $10,000. You think you can do a better job selling it elsewhere.
You, on the other hand, should not pay $900 for a flight if it's not worth it to you. Vote with your feet and dollars by driving up to BOS and flying something more reasonably priced. Doesn't make you greedy, just rational. Same for United.
Mar 25, 2009, 5:38 pm
#8
Join Date: Nov 1999
Location: if it's Thursday, this must be Belgium
Programs: UA 1K MM
Posts: 6,484
dude, what don't you understand? This is so 3 years ago.
People pay it, so they charge it. What would you have them do?
It's like if you were selling your car, and someone offered $2M for it. You would sure as hell raise your price to $2M... Would you sell it to someone else for $10,000 instead, so as not to appear to be gouging him?
People pay it, so they charge it. What would you have them do?
It's like if you were selling your car, and someone offered $2M for it. You would sure as hell raise your price to $2M... Would you sell it to someone else for $10,000 instead, so as not to appear to be gouging him?
Mar 25, 2009, 6:09 pm
#9
Suspended
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: London
Programs: BA GGL, AA 1MM LT GLD, SPG PLAT, National Exec Selc, Hilton Diamond, Hyatt Plat, Marriott Silver
Posts: 8,278
I want to fly IAD-PVD on 4/1 and return 4/2. Cheapest UA fare is $917.20. This is unbelievable. I checked SeatCounter and the flights are wide open. This is what makes me hate UA. I had been a 1K for a number of years. But finally got fed up last fall with UA being a pig to the northeast from IAD. Hopefully, SW will start flying this route and I'll never have to fly UA again.
If you want to suggest that an airline should lower price, it should be a business reason. One that has a net benefit to the business - UAL Corp. - not the consumer.
Last edited by sts603; Mar 25, 2009 at 6:24 pm
Mar 25, 2009, 6:15 pm
#10
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: PHL & (gasp) AVP (NEPA)
Programs: UA 1K
Posts: 787
Capitalism. Free market. Its called revenue management. Their purpose is to charge the profit optimizing price. If they didn't they would break their fiduciary duty to their shareholders. Has EVERYONE in America forgotten this? Why don't we re-regulate air travel? And rip apart contracts for those guys at AIG while we are at it?
I'm just confused by this thread - when I check on ITA United it very competitive with other carriers for this same flight (with connection) and not much higher for the direct. Now there were some cheaper fares but they had long layovers and airport changes (LGA/JFK).
Now I also agree that the price is TERRIBLE; I'd certainly look for alternatives as others have mentioned.
Mar 25, 2009, 6:24 pm
#11
Join Date: Feb 2001
Location: BOS
Programs: AA, B6, a little DL here and there
Posts: 213
US has been doing this for a long time on BOS-PHL, $900+ fares are the norm on that route. Outrageous bos-phl fares continue
Mar 25, 2009, 6:29 pm
#12
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2001
Location: Phoenix, AZ
Programs: HH Gold, AA Gold
Posts: 10,458
That being said, it is unreasonable to expect rock-bottom fares all the time. The airlines are collectively losing billions. To a certain extent, we all should be paying more. I just did a calculation that, in 1978, the lowest fare from SEA-PVD was equivalent to over $1300 in today's dollars.
Mar 25, 2009, 6:31 pm
#13
Join Date: Feb 2004
Location: Pasadena, Ca. USA
Programs: UA 1P, AA Plat, Hertz 5*, Avis First, SPG Plat, Hyatt Gold, Marriott Gold
Posts: 326
Keep in mind another reason UA prices some of the short hops out of IAD at such a high fare is because they want to hold availability for the typically more profitable international connections. And to be honest a 24 hour trip with around 7 days AP on a non competitive route screams business customer whiling to pay, if you don't someone else will. UA’s inventory management team is well skilled with significant statistical data that says it’s the right fare.
Mar 25, 2009, 6:54 pm
#14
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: SFO
Programs: UA S
Posts: 1,335
agree with this 100%. I agree its ridiculous gouging, but its an open market and UA can charge whatever it wants. Either fly to BOS and drive or take the train
Mar 25, 2009, 7:52 pm
#15
Join Date: Oct 2002
Location: NYC
Programs: UA 1K MM
Posts: 294
You think $900 is a reasonable fare to travel 300 miles? They set this price because, like you said, they are the only show in town. But their GREED won't make me want to fly them again. They shouldn't gouge a route simply because they can. What they've done is chased AWAY another loyal customer. The 10 flights I've flown this year, have all gone to other carriers.