Can we talk service?

[legacy-to-LCC]

Delta does the same thing! ATL-PHL-ATL Snack basket offered in FC and Snacks for sale in YC ie..pringles, peanut m+m's, trail mix AND a Snack Box!! For Purchase! So US is Not the only one doing this!

atl-phl is different than phl-(add any florida destination).
why the comparison?
at least air tran offers free wi-fi from phl-(add any florida destination)
value?
where's the value with the snack basket?

 

[US1YFARE]

Delta does the same thing! ATL-PHL-ATL Snack basket offered in FC and Snacks for sale in YC ie..pringles, peanut m+m's, trail mix AND a Snack Box!! For Purchase! So US is Not the only one doing this!

Your comparison is flawed. Even under DL's meal policy which many think is stingy (especially NW customers flying out of MSP), you would get a meal on PHL-MIA or PHL-FLL or PHL-TPA.

Flight Distance: 900-1,500 Miles (about 2-3.5 hours)
In addition to our snack selection you will also receive a complimentary meal.

Also, have you seen Delta's snack basket? You can't honestly believe that US's snack basket is as good as Delta's????? If you do that is just plane rediculus. US's snack basket is lousy and DL has a very good selection available.

 

[Travelpro72]

I know that Tempe believes that they are "on top of things" more than other carriers but why is it that Tempe feels they are fighting the economy harder than others? I understand Continental owns their kitchens but other airlines that charge the SAME fare for the most part offer more to their premium customers. I am so tired of the excuses as to why. Other airlines have been through BK's and are fighting the unstable fuel prices coupled with the economy yet STILL offer their customers more for their dollar. The whole inflight experience from domestic to Scamvoy (Envoy) is below the competition. Everything comes across as cheap and tacky. I'm sorry but customers are our business and their money keeps our lights on. I can't blame anyone who has left.

 

[N903AW]

Also, have you seen Delta's snack basket? You can't honestly believe that US's snack basket is as good as Delta's????? If you do that is just plane rediculus. US's snack basket is lousy and DL has a very good selection available.

I had an opportunity to fly Delta in First Class from CLT to PHX, via ATL a little over a month ago. On the late evening 757 departure from ATL to PHX the Delta snack basket was offered and it had the EXACT same contents that ours had! Sun Chips, Biscoff, Quaker Oatmeal Granola bars, and a Delta snack mix.

Of course, I passed on the basket. Even when I see Sun Chips on the snack aisle of the grocery store I want to hurl.

Have they changed their selection recently? This wasn't that long ago.

That being said, I did LOVE the AVOD in First Class on their 757. It kept me occupied and made the flight from Atlanta to Phoenix just fly by!

 

[Itestwell]

I understand Continental owns their kitchens but other airlines that charge the SAME fare for the most part offer more to their premium customers. I am so tired of the excuses as to why.

Dunno, but since CO offers so much more for their F and Y customers, and so many more people are willing to fly them because of these offerings, shouldn't CO be commanding a significant fare premium in both F and Y over other carriers? Are these enhanced offerings allowing CO to generate profits, even in these hard economic times? I am not saying US' product ain't bare bones, but I am interested to know how much more CO is able to charge over, say , US or WN, on competing routes. I am assuming CO is able to charge a lot more, judging from what i read here.

 

[Travelpro72]

Continental is a different story due to them having their own kitchen. They don't shell out the dollars as other carriers do. That said why do all the other majors offer more than US yet face the same challenges and operate in the same environment? Again, no excuse

 

[vantheman63]

Dunno, but since CO offers so much more for their F and Y customers, and so many more people are willing to fly them because of these offerings, shouldn't CO be commanding a significant fare premium in both F and Y over other carriers? Are these enhanced offerings allowing CO to generate profits, even in these hard economic times? I am not saying US' product ain't bare bones, but I am interested to know how much more CO is able to charge over, say , US or WN, on competing routes. I am assuming CO is able to charge a lot more, judging from what i read here.

They do get more for their F cabin...lots more. I can't say anything about the Y cabin as I have no idea.

Their yields as reported in their releases each quarter are always higher than US.

Fundamentally, CO uses its F cabin to squeeze more revenue from pax. And in order to do that, the pax have to see the value in spending or "stretching" a little more to sit there. For example, they have a "Y-Up and B-Up" program....before the economic calamity started, buy a Y fare, giet bumped into the F for an elite, instantly, the second you buy the ticket. After the economy started to slide, the lowered the requirement to a "B Fare," buy a B fare, get bumped, instantly, as an elite card holder.

And I can tell you, as a frequent traveler to SFO from PVD, it saves a little money, about $150 each way, and is a heck of a nice product.

Their are multiple clues their system works and gets more yield from those seats. Traveling as a Platinum member from EWR to SEA/PDX/SFO/LAX/SAN and thinking your status will get you an upgrade? Think again. I know I have NEVER been upgraded on a CO Transcon. Ever. I know people who have been "Elite" with CO much longer than I...who claim to have been upgraded twice in 10+ years.

If they weren't selling it, many of us would be upgraded.

Bottom line: If I want to sit in F on CO....I buy it or buy the instantly upgradeable fare....otherwise, I KNOW I'll be sitting in the back.

US does sell F...but I've been upgraded bazillions of times over the years on US for anywhere from a PVD-PHL flight to PHL-SFO....many, many times.

That right there is all you need to know....CO does manage their F cabin in a way to drive more revenue. And of course, the ONLY way they can do that is to provide a product people will purchase.

 

[NYGiantsFan90]

And CO is os very proid of their catering and I believe their kitchens are only at the hubs and key stations, check this out:

CO

And Travelpro, yes they do shell out costs for those kitchens, they dont operate for free.

 

[Travelpro72]

Well everyone seems to keep saying that "continental is different" in that they own their kitchens. I agree that they don't operate the kitchens without expense. That said, they are not much different then from all of the other carriers that offer more than US does. Offering more while operating in the same economic environment as US. Isn't that interesting. It just comes across that US does NOT have the same interest in their product or premium customer as other airlines charging the customer basically the SAME fare. The saga continues.....

 

[vantheman63]

It just comes across that US does NOT have the same interest in their product or premium customer as other airlines charging the customer basically the SAME fare. The saga continues.....

We "High Yield" and VFFers have been saying this for a while now....

US and PI did care for us...."The New US Airways" does not...and it would have been MUCH easier had they just told us to "to not let the door hit us on the a$$ on the way out" as opposed to over-promising, under delivering and treating us like crap along the way....oh, and charging consistently equal or higher and non-refundable fares.

Like I've been saying for 3 or 4 years, as a broken record: Fly US ONLY when (a.) there is no other way or (b.) there is a MAJOR financial reason.

And to think....prior to 2005, I would never have DREAMED of giving another airline my heard earned travel dollar....now, it's just the opposite.

 

[Itestwell]

That right there is all you need to know....CO does manage their F cabin in a way to drive more revenue. And of course, the ONLY way they can do that is to provide a product people will purchase.

Understood, but I still don't understand how CO is driving significantly more revenue in F (and Y, from what I hear) due to their better product, but are still not able to charge significantly higher fares than their competitors in both cabins? In other words, shouldn't they be able to charge much higher fares on routes they compete on, and turn a significant profit?

 

[Travelpro72]

What I got from what he said was that CO seems to have more people than US who actually purchase their first class seats. US charges just about the same give or take a few dollars yet people are not willing to pay for the "product" therefore giving more FF's the ability to upgrade at US vs. CO. These people must be paying for their first class seats on CO for a reason.

 

[Singleflyer]

I had an opportunity to fly Delta in First Class from CLT to PHX, via ATL a little over a month ago. On the late evening 757 departure from ATL to PHX the Delta snack basket was offered and it had the EXACT same contents that ours had! Sun Chips, Biscoff, Quaker Oatmeal Granola bars, and a Delta snack mix.

The Dl snack basket should have also had, Apple, Banana, and twix candy bar. While not an expert on the exact contents, I always have an apple and twix bar. If this was more than 3 months ago, your were right, however, they have taken over the NW 'menu' for the snack basket.

 

[vantheman63]

What I got from what he said was that CO seems to have more people than US who actually purchase their first class seats. US charges just about the same give or take a few dollars yet people are not willing to pay for the "product" therefore giving more FF's the ability to upgrade at US vs. CO. These people must be paying for their first class seats on CO for a reason.

Exactly right.

I'll add this...

I'm already Platinum on CO having done a bunch of Transcons in F and some T/A travel this spring...and they had their "double Elite Qaulifying Mileage" promotion to get people to retain their "status." I "re-qualled" for Platinum in May.

Now I'm checking out DL...because of the long haul travel I do in F, it's pretty easy for me to end up having Platinum status on both airlines.

So far, my impression of "The New Delta" is they are RADICALLY fixing their F program as well...in order to, I'm guessing, generate more revenue...or at a bare minimum, keep people flying them to keep their status as their F product is pretty decent...dare I say, not terribly far off CO. Last week, as I detailed on this very thread, I flew a CRJ900 with F...and got a full lunch.

The F cabin CAN be a place to get more revenue.

 

[Itestwell]

Exactly right.

I'll add this...

I'm already Platinum on CO having done a bunch of Transcons in F and some T/A travel this spring...and they had their "double Elite Qaulifying Mileage" promotion to get people to retain their "status." I "re-qualled" for Platinum in May.

See, that makes me wonder: why does CO have to launch these promotions if everyone is purchasing F, and the majority of US' FF's are now at CO? Why aren't people retaining their status at CO without promotions? I can understand US having these DEQM programs, etc, but CO?

Now I'm checking out DL...because of the long haul travel I do in F, it's pretty easy for me to end up having Platinum status on both airlines.

So far, my impression of "The New Delta" is they are RADICALLY fixing their F program as well...in order to, I'm guessing, generate more revenue...or at a bare minimum, keep people flying them to keep their status as their F product is pretty decent...dare I say, not terribly far off CO. Last week, as I detailed on this very thread, I flew a CRJ900 with F...and got a full lunch.

The F cabin CAN be a place to get more revenue.

Ok, you're saying the F cabin can generate some serious revenue if done correctly, but do you think that CO is spending too much on the product? It just sounds to me like CO should be so wildly profitable with most of the F seats purchased, with its much better Y product, AVOD, food, etc...? Also, are they able to charge a significant fare premium in Y over, say, US or WN where they compete?