CBS News report

[FM2436]

Anyone happen to see the CBS Evening News last night? They ran a report titled "Air Travel Freebies Disappearing." It begins with the announcement that jetBlue will sell pillows and blankets, but the report continued into the increase cost of airline tickets and used as an example, the more than 200% increase in ticket costs on three routes. One reported route was US Airways from Chicago to Minneapolis, a 276% increase to $406. I thought, "Who in their right mind would purchase a ticket on US Airways originating in Chicago and terminating at Minneapolis?" The remaining two examples are similar of airlines that do not operate major hubs at either of the two markets used as examples. More than a little deceptive reporting I thought.

http://www.cbsnews.com/sections/travel/main501843.shtml

Click on "Air Travel Freebies Disappearing."

 

[FlyDCJets]

Anyone happen to see the CBS Evening News last night? They ran a report titled "Air Travel Freebies Disappearing." It begins with the announcement that jetBlue will sell pillows and blankets, but the report continued into the increase cost of airline tickets and used as an example, the more than 200% increase in ticket costs on three routes. One reported route was US Airways from Chicago to Minneapolis, a 276% increase to $406. I thought, "Who in their right mind would purchase a ticket on US Airways originating in Chicago and terminating at Minneapolis?" The remaining two examples are similar of airlines that do not operate major hubs at either of the two markets used as examples. More than a little deceptive reporting I thought.

http://www.cbsnews.com/sections/travel/main501843.shtml

Click on "Air Travel Freebies Disappearing."

I agree with you, the same info was reported on CNN yesterday morning. None of the flights are carriers that are actually have flights from that destination unless it is an alliance flight. On the FOX Cost For Freedom on Saturday, they had a segment on the airlines with the consumer federation complaining about too many seats, and purchasing of beverages. Just raise the fares they said, and that will resolve everything.
Regards
DC

 

[Bobbie]

CBS news has no credibility whatsoever. They've proven themselves to be dishonest time and time again. I don't believe anything I see on CBS or any affiliate. It's like the National Enquirer. Sometimes they end up being right, but fundamentally, it's a supermarket tabloid.

 

[vantheman63]

I agree with you, the same info was reported on CNN yesterday morning. None of the flights are carriers that are actually have flights from that destination unless it is an alliance flight. On the FOX Cost For Freedom on Saturday, they had a segment on the airlines with the consumer federation complaining about too many seats, and purchasing of beverages. Just raise the fares they said, and that will resolve everything.
Regards
DC

Oddly enough....there are still LOTS of really good fares out there....I mean, I'm doing CHS-PVD for something like $120...and DFW-PVD for $180....and the Y-Ups on CO are still, for the most part, reasonable. They jacked the Y-Up from EWR-SFO....but that made sense...hell, you can't buy it 3 weeks out which means the demand is outstripping the supply. The only way to fix that is raise the fare.

On the flipside...there are some fares that have gone up appreciably....PVD-ORD for example.

But ya know what? I for one, hope the aviation industry gets through this mess with as little pain as possible.

But I do have one question...oil is inside of $120 today...should be inside of $100 by the end of the year...will Elite Bonuses be back?

 

[SS255]

But I do have one question...oil is inside of $120 today...should be inside of $100 by the end of the year...will Elite Bonuses be back?

Don't count on it. US only needs elites as long as oil prices remain high. If oil prices fall, airfares will also fall, and leisure travelers will take to the skies again. And despite the fact that the elite bonus miles will go down in cost on the balance sheet, the spreadsheet mentality would dictate that as long as US is filling its seats, customers are not leaving in droves......so the bonus miles must not be important to elites. Kind of ironic, huh?

I think that the only hope we as elites have of seeing a return to bonus miles is if oil prices stay high, and leisure travelers simply stop flying. That is not good for the airline industry (or economy overall), so I am hoping that oil once again becomes affordable, and (by some miracle) somebody in Tempe wakes up and smells the $1 Mother Parker coffee!!!

 

[FlyGuyBWI]

OK, it's not a popular opinion, but ... Why should the airlines charge less than it costs to transport people across the country? There are other ways to get there. The customer certainly has a choice. He/She can drive, fly, take a train or a boat. Why should flying be the cheapest AND fastest -- unless the airline is making money by being the both? I think the days of cheap airfare are coming to an end. Even Southwest will raise fares -- they will certainly know a good thing when they see it, and they are not the only airline to show a steady profit by chance.

 

[SolidCactus]

One reported route was US Airways from Chicago to Minneapolis, a 276% increase to $406. I thought, "Who in their right mind would purchase a ticket on US Airways originating in Chicago and terminating at Minneapolis?"

That's so funny. I wonder how much the Omaha to Houston flight on US Airwais went up?

 

[az_wild727]

Anyone happen to see the CBS Evening News last night? They ran a report titled "Air Travel Freebies Disappearing." It begins with the announcement that jetBlue will sell pillows and blankets, but the report continued into the increase cost of airline tickets and used as an example, the more than 200% increase in ticket costs on three routes. One reported route was US Airways from Chicago to Minneapolis, a 276% increase to $406. I thought, "Who in their right mind would purchase a ticket on US Airways originating in Chicago and terminating at Minneapolis?" The remaining two examples are similar of airlines that do not operate major hubs at either of the two markets used as examples. More than a little deceptive reporting I thought.

http://www.cbsnews.com/sections/travel/main501843.shtml

Click on "Air Travel Freebies Disappearing."

Not to annoy anyone or anything, but I've actually done:

ORD-PHL-CLT-MSP and back

MSP-PHL-BOS-LGA-CLT-ORD.


So even though I'm probably the only person in the world that would take US between ORD and MSP, never say never

Can't wait to try ORD-PHX/LAS-MSP

-Kinglobjaw

 

[YVINTERN]

Not to annoy anyone or anything, but I've actually done:

ORD-PHL-CLT-MSP and back

MSP-PHL-BOS-LGA-CLT-ORD.


So even though I'm probably the only person in the world that would take US between ORD and MSP, never say never

Can't wait to try ORD-PHX/LAS-MSP

-Kinglobjaw

You make me laugh...They're talking about people who do ACTUAL TRAVEL not just fly around and cost US some of their CPMs...

 

[Colby]

Ive only scanned the information.....But I believe the base of the story was the Jet Blue was charging
for Pillows and Blankets.....


Ummmm Yeah.... I work for American Eagle where we charge 5.00 for a Pillow and Blanket set...
That you get to take with you...... Yeah...Its a BIG SELLER...............NOT :down:

 

[Bobbie]

Not to annoy anyone or anything, but I've actually done:

ORD-PHL-CLT-MSP and back

MSP-PHL-BOS-LGA-CLT-ORD.


So even though I'm probably the only person in the world that would take US between ORD and MSP, never say never

Can't wait to try ORD-PHX/LAS-MSP

-Kinglobjaw

It would serve you well to actually get out of the airport in those cities and maybe take in some fresh air, meet some new people, etc. Airplanes are nowhere for a person to spend their childhood.

 

[vantheman63]

Not to annoy anyone or anything, but I've actually done:

ORD-PHL-CLT-MSP and back

MSP-PHL-BOS-LGA-CLT-ORD.


So even though I'm probably the only person in the world that would take US between ORD and MSP, never say never

Can't wait to try ORD-PHX/LAS-MSP

-Kinglobjaw

Only someone with close to zero appreciation and understanding of time value would fly that routing. I thought people I knew who were flying BOS-FLL via IAH were silly....but this routing leaves "silly" and enters absurdity. LOL

 

[Bobbie]

I thought people I knew who were flying BOS-FLL via IAH were silly...

Well, it's not silly because that routing would be on a very decent airline, Van. One that values its higher-yield customers. I enjoy connecting in Houston because it breaks up a transcontinental flight into two more manageable legs. That and the facilities in Terminal E at IAH are very impressive. There aren't many delays and the airport is very easy to move through. I can see doing it. I don't know why anyone would needlessly transfer through a bunch of sub-par airports.

 

[aredeeyou22]

Well, it's not silly because that routing would be on a very decent airline, Van. One that values its higher-yield customers. I enjoy connecting in Houston because it breaks up a transcontinental flight into two more manageable legs. That and the facilities in Terminal E at IAH are very impressive. There aren't many delays and the airport is very easy to move through. I can see doing it. I don't know why anyone would needlessly transfer through a bunch of sub-par airports.

My guess? Sub par people that enjoy sub par airlines with sub par employees. That what you were getting at, sir?
:mf_boff:

 

[Bobbie]

My guess? Sub par people that enjoy sub par airlines with sub par employees. That what you were getting at, sir?
:mf_boff:

I was referring to the airports, but bingo.