Delta alerts and points out to the DOJ how consolidation hurts ticket prices...

[Newman]

[

Higher ticket prices are not necessarily a bad thing, even for the consumer. Ticket prices have been too low it was obvious. The idea that higher ticket prices is grounds to block a merger is laughable.

Saw one rt tkt cak-ric 99.00 rt.......yes thats real obscene

 

[dash8roa]

[



Saw one rt tkt cak-ric 99.00 rt.......yes thats real obscene

 

[PullUp]

I don't get it. My natural gas bill is going up by 6%, a gallon of gas is over 3 bucks, and banks charge fees for everything. No one says a word. The LIBOR is below 1% and AMEX charges 17% interest on their card. New car dealers charge a 'documentation fee' of 800 bucks - for what? - extra profit obviously. No one says a word. Real estate agents work very little in return for their 6% commission, oil companies report astounding quarterly results, and it costs 35 bucks for the cheap seats at a baseball game. Not a peep.
Walmart and other retailers try to attain a 10% return, and airlines celebrate when 3% is achieved. Not a word about high retail prices or obscene profit margins concerning retailers.
But if airlines raise their fares or fees, it's front page news.
Hey, I thought this was the USA, where companies are free to set prices and consumers vote with their dollars. And competition in the marketplace weeds out the weak and rewards the strong.
Nah, must be dreaming.
Back to your regularly scheduled rants.
Cheers.

 

[Kev3188]

 Real estate agents work very little in return for their 6% commission...

 
 
I'm with ya, except for this...
 
Good real estate agents bust their a$$, and are worth every nickel. 

 

[WorldTraveler]

I don't get it. My natural gas bill is going up by 6%, a gallon of gas is over 3 bucks, and banks charge fees for everything. No one says a word. The LIBOR is below 1% and AMEX charges 17% interest on their card. New car dealers charge a 'documentation fee' of 800 bucks - for what? - extra profit obviously. No one says a word. Real estate agents work very little in return for their 6% commission, oil companies report astounding quarterly results, and it costs 35 bucks for the cheap seats at a baseball game. Not a peep.
Walmart and other retailers try to attain a 10% return, and airlines celebrate when 3% is achieved. Not a word about high retail prices or obscene profit margins concerning retailers.
But if airlines raise their fares or fees, it's front page news.
Hey, I thought this was the USA, where companies are free to set prices and consumers vote with their dollars. And competition in the marketplace weeds out the weak and rewards the strong.
Nah, must be dreaming.
Back to your regularly scheduled rants.
Cheers.

because governments around the world still think of air transportation as a utility which is the way it was operated in the US and most countries.
They have deregulated the industry because they don't want to be on the hook for the losses but they don't want to accept that the same free market that drives people to pay interest rates far above prime is the same reason why people buy airline tickets at prices that continue to rise while loads are higher than they have ever been.

And it also doesn't change that it is still very possible for new competitors to enter the airline industry if profits become too high for existing companies. the fact that there aren't huge numbers of new airlines says that the cost of doing business is indeed in line with the profits that can be expected for new or established businesses.

 

[Phoenix]

I don't get it. My natural gas bill is going up by 6%, a gallon of gas is over 3 bucks, and banks charge fees for everything. No one says a word. The LIBOR is below 1% and AMEX charges 17% interest on their card. New car dealers charge a 'documentation fee' of 800 bucks - for what? - extra profit obviously. No one says a word. Real estate agents work very little in return for their 6% commission, oil companies report astounding quarterly results, and it costs 35 bucks for the cheap seats at a baseball game. Not a peep.
Walmart and other retailers try to attain a 10% return, and airlines celebrate when 3% is achieved. Not a word about high retail prices or obscene profit margins concerning retailers.
But if airlines raise their fares or fees, it's front page news.
Hey, I thought this was the USA, where companies are free to set prices and consumers vote with their dollars. And competition in the marketplace weeds out the weak and rewards the strong.
Nah, must be dreaming.
Back to your regularly scheduled rants.
Cheers.

 
 
None of the businesses you mention fly nonstop flights to your congressman's or senator's home town.    Pretty much, neither did Delta, United, or Southwest.  

 

[flyer63]

I'm with ya, except for this...
 
Good real estate agents bust their a$$, and are worth every nickel.

I agree, my second job because of these **** wages is a loan officer. Realestate agents work damn hard for their money.

 

[UPNAWAY]

Forbes (I think) had an article just last week that in real terms ticket prices are 18% cheaper than just 10 years ago. The media is horrible at reporting on just about anything but airlines take the cake.

 

[767one]

I'm with ya, except for this...
 
Good real estate agents bust their a$$, and are worth every nickel.

Kev,

I agree with you on that. My wife and I have worked with one real estate agent (one of my aviation students from the late 60's) for about 40 years. He is now in his late 70's and doesn't have to work but he does because he enjoys it.

My son quit aviation right after 911. He has been a commercial real estate broker for about 10 years and works his tail off for his customers. He has been very successful and even did well after the real estate crisis. It is good to see someone get rewarded for their hard work.

Regards,

Bob