Passenger Asks"why Don't You Do That Too"

[FLYUSAIRWAYS]

Thursday night the was the night from you know where. Every thing was either late or cancelled. Our PIT flight was running so late that it was next day service. At the gate next door was the low cost airline with their airbus to JFK, which was also running late. As our 9 Pit passenergs sat at our gate waiting for their departure, the 140 or so passengers next door feasted on about 15 large sheet pizzas, ice cold soft drinks, and blue potato chips, thanks to their low cost airline. Since all their passengers could not fit into their gate area, they always spill over into ours. Since they were offering their passengers sitting in our gate area, all this great free pizzza and soft drinks, they also gave it out to our 9 passengers too. This is when one our our 9 Pax looked up to me and said. "Why don't you do that too". At this point I was speechless. The low cost airbus airline is feeding our 9 passengers pizza and soft drinks. Guess these 9 passengers will be eating blue chips in the future. We only have ourselves to blame.

 

[<./']>]

Did the captain pay for the party or the airline?

 

[FLYUSAIRWAYS]

The airline paid for it all, as usual, no Captain or aircraft had arrived next door for the JFK flight.

 

[700UW]

Wow, just what I want my two rounds of previous concessions to pay for pizza for you, NOT!

When you wait at your car dealer cause your car is not ready on time, do you want pizza?

Or when you go to the Dr's office for a 10AM appointment and you dont get seen till 11AM, do you expect the Dr to buy you lunch?

And you wonder why the majors are all losing money.

Sorry the airlines don't control the weather or atc.

 

[javaboy]

15 pizzas at what 20 a pop max= 300 bucks, 100 more for chips and drinks max.
cost 400 bucks result 156 return customers plus 9 more? even at a low price say what 80 bucks a ticket the 400 dollars will be recopued by the 5th passenger. out of 165.

plus add to that number the stories those 156+9 will go on to tell family, friends, neighbors, ect.

 

[mweiss]

Wow, just what I want my two rounds of previous concessions to pay for pizza for you, NOT!

It's called "investment." You do it if you believe that the cost of the pizza will be more than made up by future increased profits.

And you wonder why the majors are all losing money.

I don't. Do you?

Sorry the airlines don't control the weather or atc.

Nope. But they control what they do about it. And that's why B6 won that battle hands down.

 

[jimntx]

15 pizzas at what 20 a pop max= 300 bucks, 100 more for chips and drinks max.
cost 400 bucks result 156 return customers plus 9 more? even at a low price say what 80 bucks a ticket the 400 dollars will be recopued by the 5th passenger. out of 165.

plus add to that number the stories those 156+9 will go on to tell family, friends, neighbors, ect.

Precisely, Javaboy. The PR value is enormous in cases like this. You can bet those passengers have become loyal JB customers.

 

[Light Years]

To be fair, a friend of mine was traveling on a US Airways Express Dash 8 flight that diverted to a small station due to weather. The station, where US is the only carrier, got Krispy Kreme donuts, juice and coffe for all while they sat on an hour and a half delay.

I also once saw two flight attendants get permission to raid the galley of a 757 during an extensive, late night weather delay at one of the hubs. They went down the jetway and made pots of coffee, brought a beverage cart, snacks, and pilllows and blankets and served them to customers in the gate area. Neither of them were on duty, they were just non-revving, in fact one of them that was helping out was furloughed.

These days they'd probably get fired along with the station manager for wasting a few cents on goodwill.

 

[mweiss]

These days they'd probably get fired along with the station manager for wasting a few cents on goodwill.

And even if they wouldn't, the belief that they would is sufficient to prevent them from trying it.

 

[USFlyer]

Also, FWIW, it would be quite expensive if, for example, US were to do something like this in a large station. When B6 has a handful of flights from a city, doing this type of goodwill stuff is not all that expensive. However, if US were to do something like this in PHL on a regular basis, there's no way the economics would work. But, if US did something like this in a small station, those passengers would then expect the same service in a larger station. Hence the problem ... leading to an inconsistent experience.

 

[ktflyhome]

We will even have more from the galley to raid, soon. It appears U now wants F/a's to sell Pringles, Skittles, Mrs. Field's cookies, Beef Jerky's and Teddy Bear Grahams. YEEEEEHAAAWWWWWWW!!!!!!!!!

I guess "other" airlines do this. One being America West....so I am told. <_<

 

[jimntx]

(In response to USflyer's last post.)

Well, there's always a way to justify doing nothing. That's not the point. The point is that JB gained ENORMOUS goodwill from 156 passengers (+9 US Airways passengers) who all will relate the story to family, friends, coworkers, and strangers on the next stool at the airport bar. Take it from me, YOU CAN'T BUY THAT KIND OF ADVERTISING. It is truly priceless.

 

[ktflyhome]

Oh! Wow.!!! I just figured out what the new "Transformation Plan" is. CCY wants us to become a 7-Eleven in the Heavens.

Wouldn't vending machines in the galley be cheaper to operate???

 

[jimntx]

Oh! Wow.!!! I just figured out what the new "Transformation Plan" is. CCY wants us to become a 7-Eleven in the Heavens.

Wouldn't vending machines in the galley be cheaper to operate???

Yes, Dear. Vending machines would definitely be cheaper. But, since that pesky, anal-retentive FAA insists that you have to be on board, too, the company sees no reason for you to just stand around making change for the machines.

And, if they do, it will be the flight attendant's responsibility to see that he/she has a minimum of $40 in change at the beginning of each leg. (And no, it will not be the company's problem if you are unable to get off the plane at intermediate stops to replenish your change supply. Perhaps, it would be best if you just learned to carry $80 in change, just in case.) <_<

 

[Winglet]

I'll bet Lakefield spends more than $400 for a Friday afternoon round of golf and lunch for his buddies at his company-paid countryclub.