US Flights are Too Cheap
#46
Join Date: May 2004
Programs: BA blue, LH Senator, KQ (FB) gold
Posts: 8,215
As pinniped points out, more recently, they have recognized that by offering many of these quality enhancements on a piece by piece basis, they can differentiate the market at different price points.
However, one thing that will never return is the concept of air travel as an intrinsically 'special' method of transportation - one that you would dress up for. As a child, I remember my parents insisting I wear a blazer and grey flannels to fly. Partially, this has disappeared because plane travel is no longer special, but also because society as a whole as become more casual. When I go to the opera, I still see some people wearing evening wear, but I also see people in jeans.
#48
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When commercial hypersonic travel debuts, I'll throw on a nice dinner jacket for my first ride.
When I go to the opera, I still see some people wearing evening wear, but I also see people in jeans.
#49
Join Date: Dec 2002
Location: Oxford, Mississippi
Programs: Delta Silver thanks to Million Miles; Choice Plat., point scrounger everywhere
Posts: 1,595
Fares are much more expensive than they were seven to 15 years ago.
In 2006 I flew my family roundtrip EWR-CGN for $260 each. In 2005 I flew my family STL-BZE for $219 each RT. In 2002 my son and I flew JAN-MCO for $80 RT. I could list other cheap fares, but I haven't seen many lately.
Yes, the seats are more crowded than they used to be. Yes, the service is lousy. But I like flying on the cheap, and don't mind paying a little extra for an Economy Comfort seat.
In 2006 I flew my family roundtrip EWR-CGN for $260 each. In 2005 I flew my family STL-BZE for $219 each RT. In 2002 my son and I flew JAN-MCO for $80 RT. I could list other cheap fares, but I haven't seen many lately.
Yes, the seats are more crowded than they used to be. Yes, the service is lousy. But I like flying on the cheap, and don't mind paying a little extra for an Economy Comfort seat.
Last edited by Rebelyell; Jul 3, 2013 at 2:55 pm
#50
Join Date: May 2004
Programs: BA blue, LH Senator, KQ (FB) gold
Posts: 8,215
That's a good thing! The form of transport has matured and become accessible to millions more people as technology has improved and competition has expanded. ^
When commercial hypersonic travel debuts, I'll throw on a nice dinner jacket for my first ride.
In many markets, that's probably excellent news for opera. ^
When commercial hypersonic travel debuts, I'll throw on a nice dinner jacket for my first ride.
In many markets, that's probably excellent news for opera. ^
#51
Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: PHL, NYC, DC
Posts: 9,708
if i recall there were US airlines that tried to implement luxury for a premium..... those did not succeed......
Sad reality is many people and corporations are looking for bargains, regardless of whether your in the aviation sector, food / hospitality sectors, retail etc etc..... Only a limited portion of people are willing to pay extra..... Its a race to the bottom that will eventually bite back at us.....
Sad reality is many people and corporations are looking for bargains, regardless of whether your in the aviation sector, food / hospitality sectors, retail etc etc..... Only a limited portion of people are willing to pay extra..... Its a race to the bottom that will eventually bite back at us.....
#52
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: Central Mass
Programs: Independent
Posts: 4,829
if i recall there were US airlines that tried to implement luxury for a premium..... those did not succeed......
Sad reality is many people and corporations are looking for bargains, regardless of whether your in the aviation sector, food / hospitality sectors, retail etc etc..... Only a limited portion of people are willing to pay extra..... Its a race to the bottom that will eventually bite back at us.....
Sad reality is many people and corporations are looking for bargains, regardless of whether your in the aviation sector, food / hospitality sectors, retail etc etc..... Only a limited portion of people are willing to pay extra..... Its a race to the bottom that will eventually bite back at us.....
#53
Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: PHL, NYC, DC
Posts: 9,708
That's the problem - there is a whole big world between cattle car class and royal treatment class. A few airlines have started adding a few inches of extra legroom. But there are very few that have gone beyond that - wider seats for instance. More elbow room, even. And certainly not at a proportional price to what teh passenger can get their coach seat for. Few people are going to just hand over money for a raw deal at 3 times what their discount coach seat costs. So I really don't think they have tried much.
#54
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: Central Mass
Programs: Independent
Posts: 4,829
So, really, does it not make more sense to go after the frequent flyer status? I know this is a bit of backwards thinking for many, but if you are really concerned about the number of people competing for you for that upgrade seat, maybe if they made upgrades more obtainable by the average public, you might not get so many people flying extra miles or longer routes and taking up those seats in the first place.
#55
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Airfares have been on the rise since 2009. They will continue to rise as the merged, three-player oligopoly consolidates pricing power. So the OP will get half his wish: more expensive air travel. He will not, however, get any better service.
#56
Join Date: May 2004
Programs: BA blue, LH Senator, KQ (FB) gold
Posts: 8,215
I agree that people travel more because it is less intimidating, and also because it is less costly. More power to 'em.
#57
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Aahhhh....the cheap Belize tickets. We managed to snag some of those in late 2005 as well. ^
Twofold problem there: the aforementioned capacity cuts and consolidation of air carriers that this thread is about...and the fact that Belize suddenly became a hot destination. It was much better when nobody knew where Belize was. Except you and I, of course...
Sure, can't disagree with that. We already have a "bro tank while flying?" thread on OMNI. Maybe we could start a "bro tank at the opera" thread...
I always thought YX (the old Midwest Express) could have made it if they'd ever found a way to tie in to an alliance. They seemed to have a decent strategy of focusing on high-yield business routes where they were the only nonstop. Most corporate travel portals won't allow a traveler to pay a great deal extra for a particular carrier (not that there aren't ways to coax the system into showing you what you want), but most travel policies *do* prioritize the nonstop.
YX had good product in the air but terrible processes on the ground. A primitive website, difficult-to-access phone agents, and long queues at the airport if they had any kind of irrops.
So at the end of the day, I wonder if their basic strategy killed them or if they were just poorly run and trying to "go it alone" with minimal partnerships in a world where the global alliance is King.
Twofold problem there: the aforementioned capacity cuts and consolidation of air carriers that this thread is about...and the fact that Belize suddenly became a hot destination. It was much better when nobody knew where Belize was. Except you and I, of course...
YX had good product in the air but terrible processes on the ground. A primitive website, difficult-to-access phone agents, and long queues at the airport if they had any kind of irrops.
So at the end of the day, I wonder if their basic strategy killed them or if they were just poorly run and trying to "go it alone" with minimal partnerships in a world where the global alliance is King.
#58
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: Central Mass
Programs: Independent
Posts: 4,829
I always thought YX (the old Midwest Express) could have made it if they'd ever found a way to tie in to an alliance. They seemed to have a decent strategy of focusing on high-yield business routes where they were the only nonstop. Most corporate travel portals won't allow a traveler to pay a great deal extra for a particular carrier (not that there aren't ways to coax the system into showing you what you want), but most travel policies *do* prioritize the nonstop.
YX had good product in the air but terrible processes on the ground. A primitive website, difficult-to-access phone agents, and long queues at the airport if they had any kind of irrops.
So at the end of the day, I wonder if their basic strategy killed them or if they were just poorly run and trying to "go it alone" with minimal partnerships in a world where the global alliance is King.
They had a code-share with North West and Delta for a while, so they were not completely on their own.
#59
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: Vancouver, Canada
Programs: United MileagePlus Silver, Nexus, Global Entry
Posts: 8,798
I live in Vancouver. If I want to fly to London and I'm willing to make a stop along the way, I lose track of how many carrier options I have - At least ten, of the top of my head...?
#60
Moderator: Manufactured Spending
Join Date: Jul 2011
Posts: 6,578
And remember that the options have to be feasible. If you have to backtrack significantly, or have a lengthy layover, then it's not really a practical option.