A friend of mind called reservations yesterday to purchase 2 tickets from Pit to Gso,leaving Monday 2/2,and returning on Tuesday 2/3.The fare he was quoted was $1,980 per ticket!Plus, it was flying on an express flight both ways,needless to say he is driving.Just another reason we are going down the tubes!
Stipidity Again!
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robbedagain
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if they have a computer, did they try the usairways.com thing? i would think it'd be cheaper but am not sure.
AKA_trvlr64
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Robbedagain & USFliboi,
As someone that flies at a moment notice you can't always book in advance or online.
Even when booking online at the website the lowest possible fare is $604.41 for those days listed. I checked out of curiousity. That fare on those flights (with connections in CLT) don't work if this person was flying from PIT to GSO for a business meeting.
Whoever creates the fare structure really needs to be educated more. Guess he/she didn't get their degree at Havard or Yale. Oh wait?! Maybe they did and don't understand why customers need to get to their destinations in a timely and cost effective way.
But atleast that customer would get a real plane on the PIT to CLT portion!
:blink:
As someone that flies at a moment notice you can't always book in advance or online.
Even when booking online at the website the lowest possible fare is $604.41 for those days listed. I checked out of curiousity. That fare on those flights (with connections in CLT) don't work if this person was flying from PIT to GSO for a business meeting.
Whoever creates the fare structure really needs to be educated more. Guess he/she didn't get their degree at Havard or Yale. Oh wait?! Maybe they did and don't understand why customers need to get to their destinations in a timely and cost effective way.
But atleast that customer would get a real plane on the PIT to CLT portion!
:blink:
Thats the real kicker with the fares and where the LCCS are kicking our butts. The fares we charge for the vacationer who can plan in advance is often the same or cheaper than the LCCS, but how many last minute fill the seat people are we losing vs how many "suckers" (Sorry guys who HAVE to travel last minute) are we getting that let the planes go out without ANY revenue in the seats? I bet we could have gotten $300-500 off these guys RT for a last minute ticket and they wouldnt have thought anything about it, meanwhile, we're probably sending the plane out with empty seats in the "HOPES" that some "sucker" will pay up. Well for the most part the suckers arent paying (even the company has said the Business traveler isnt there) so why do they continue to business price the flights with no one paying vs lowering them SOME to a more reasonable price to get SOME last minute people? I thought that what inventory management was for. In many markets I've looked at though we dont offer ANY kind of decent last minute fare. Its advance purchase Sat stay or the FULL Y. That is why we arent getting the $$$ coming in.hack73 said:
While I agree the fare structure stinks (but probably won't change until US's business model changes), $1980 per ticket PIT-GSO seems way out of wack. US's web site lists the F fare as $1200. While I'm sure the fare was high, I don't believe the $1980 figure.
Piedmont4US
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Yield management at its best.
Although I cannot see US having a cap on last minute fares anytime soon, not until they operate in the black.
Although I cannot see US having a cap on last minute fares anytime soon, not until they operate in the black.
With the talk of fares from the website I did some checking. Talk about stupid... 
Asking for travel 2 Feb return 3 Feb PIT-GSO-PIT picking the 1st flight from PIT and the last returning from GSO the website fared out at $1014.20 rt for a ride on a J41 nonstop, but....
For $604.60 rt, we'll be happy to send you from PIT to ATL at 824am with a connection there and CLT arriving in GSO at 245pm with a return leaving GSO at 425pm with a change in CLT and ATL again arriving in PIT at 930pm.
Does this make ANY sense at all? We'll fly you on 6 planes instead of 2 and you'll save $400 bucks in the process plus you get ff miles and segment bonuses (if preferred) for each flight. Brilliant!
Asking for travel 2 Feb return 3 Feb PIT-GSO-PIT picking the 1st flight from PIT and the last returning from GSO the website fared out at $1014.20 rt for a ride on a J41 nonstop, but....
For $604.60 rt, we'll be happy to send you from PIT to ATL at 824am with a connection there and CLT arriving in GSO at 245pm with a return leaving GSO at 425pm with a change in CLT and ATL again arriving in PIT at 930pm.
Does this make ANY sense at all? We'll fly you on 6 planes instead of 2 and you'll save $400 bucks in the process plus you get ff miles and segment bonuses (if preferred) for each flight. Brilliant!
youngblood
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What gets my goat is that we are selling 7 day advance first class seats for $518 out the door between PHL and LAS but can't offer a decent last minute purchase between PIT and GSO. Imagine the cringe when the RSV agent had to quote the fare. Every body knows most of the short haul flights go with empty seats, so what is the harm in selling a ticket for a quarter of the cost. Inventory isn't the problem it's the structure of the fare. Maybe our key to success is concentrating on attracting customers to smaller, more convenient airports. Many of which we service. Why make someone from GSO drive when they can have the convience of flying? Wasn't that the start of Southwest's success? Sure they'll be originating from somewhere other than a HUB city, but most of the time connecting through one.
so there's no real planes from clt to gso? or did you mean from pit?AKA_trvlr64 said:
funny, i don't recall usairways having any dirigables or helicopters in the fleet, maybe i missed that memo
:down:
[rant]
ya know that idiotic attitude sickens me,
(not you personally, just the generalized bias as follows)
dumba$$ pax come out of terminal and start shaking their heads and making rude comments to the other pax or the fa when they board, thinking they're being funny or clever for the sake of the other pax
"look at me, i'm cool cause i can make uninformed comments about things i know absolutely nothing about"
so many times I've wanted to get out and tell them that if they don't like it they can get the hell off our plane, no one's forcing them ride US,
goddamn jacka$$'
[/rant]
*phew* there, i feel better now
Art at ISP
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The problem is that the overall revenue model is broken, and no one wants to fix it. I have posted before the comments of one of the VPs of the company who I spoke with not long ago. He acknowledged that there is a problem, but that there was no way they could fix it without reducing costs more.
For those who might not recall, he told me in no uncertain terms that if he could raise the absolute lowest fares by about $20, he could lower the high ones by about $300. I challenged him to do it, and then he said it wasn't that simple.
As you all know by my signature, it IS the fares. Whenever I discuss the fares with people from CCY they all say we can't afford to match the LCC's. I repeatedly tell them they don't have to. Business travelers will pay a REASONABLE premium for better service, more flexibility and more choices. By reasonable, perhaps $100 to $200 for a round trip, NOT $1000!!! If you raise the bottom a little but lower the top end alot, you will find a higher AVERAGE fare on most flights, which results in more overall revenue. This is the point they just don't get.
I can board a Dash 8 at ISP, connect in PHL to the west coast (or even Europe right now), for anywhere from $200 to $400 round trip--AND get upgraded on the main line portion. If, however, I chose to get off in PHL and not connect anywhere, the price is well over $700. I have been told that they do that because they can...and THAT is the problem. They are going to learn the hard way that they CAN'T anymore. We just won't stand for it.
Another recent trip I cancelled was a last minute trip from LGA to SYR. Again this trip was only available from US on a Buzz Bucket (term used affectionately by the way), but the fare was between $450 and $550 for a single day return. I also looked at your friends down at JFK in Blue--brand new A320 for $216 r/t same day return, but the times didn't match. I wound up driving. It took about 45 minutes longer than it would have if I flew (between security, waiting, rental car, etc.).
Finally, in order to charge a premium, you have to differentiate service. While I usually wind up in F, I gotta say that most people who try the guys in Blue at JFK, when given a choice, won't come back--Y in their Bus is much more comfortable.
So what we have is a management who has managed to alienate the two groups of people they need the MOST to survive: The employees, who truly are the best in the industry (and as you know you are the reason I stay), AND the most frequent fliers, who are practically being walked to other carriers by the insane last minute fares. Add to that the embarrassment of the new Club Pricing scam, which is certain to backfire on them as most preferreds will wind up joining UA's Red Carpet Clubs instead of renewing US, and the handwriting is on the wall.
While I don't claim to know everything that goes on, I speak as a somewhat educated observer, and while I wish you all the very best, I fear the worst is yet to come. I am beginning to believe that the Daves DO have a plan, and that it is to drive the company into the ground.
As for me, I am sticking around--I want to show my support for you all on the front line as long as possible.
Thanks as always for all you do, and again, my best wishes to you all...
For those who might not recall, he told me in no uncertain terms that if he could raise the absolute lowest fares by about $20, he could lower the high ones by about $300. I challenged him to do it, and then he said it wasn't that simple.
As you all know by my signature, it IS the fares. Whenever I discuss the fares with people from CCY they all say we can't afford to match the LCC's. I repeatedly tell them they don't have to. Business travelers will pay a REASONABLE premium for better service, more flexibility and more choices. By reasonable, perhaps $100 to $200 for a round trip, NOT $1000!!! If you raise the bottom a little but lower the top end alot, you will find a higher AVERAGE fare on most flights, which results in more overall revenue. This is the point they just don't get.
I can board a Dash 8 at ISP, connect in PHL to the west coast (or even Europe right now), for anywhere from $200 to $400 round trip--AND get upgraded on the main line portion. If, however, I chose to get off in PHL and not connect anywhere, the price is well over $700. I have been told that they do that because they can...and THAT is the problem. They are going to learn the hard way that they CAN'T anymore. We just won't stand for it.
Another recent trip I cancelled was a last minute trip from LGA to SYR. Again this trip was only available from US on a Buzz Bucket (term used affectionately by the way), but the fare was between $450 and $550 for a single day return. I also looked at your friends down at JFK in Blue--brand new A320 for $216 r/t same day return, but the times didn't match. I wound up driving. It took about 45 minutes longer than it would have if I flew (between security, waiting, rental car, etc.).
Finally, in order to charge a premium, you have to differentiate service. While I usually wind up in F, I gotta say that most people who try the guys in Blue at JFK, when given a choice, won't come back--Y in their Bus is much more comfortable.
So what we have is a management who has managed to alienate the two groups of people they need the MOST to survive: The employees, who truly are the best in the industry (and as you know you are the reason I stay), AND the most frequent fliers, who are practically being walked to other carriers by the insane last minute fares. Add to that the embarrassment of the new Club Pricing scam, which is certain to backfire on them as most preferreds will wind up joining UA's Red Carpet Clubs instead of renewing US, and the handwriting is on the wall.
While I don't claim to know everything that goes on, I speak as a somewhat educated observer, and while I wish you all the very best, I fear the worst is yet to come. I am beginning to believe that the Daves DO have a plan, and that it is to drive the company into the ground.
As for me, I am sticking around--I want to show my support for you all on the front line as long as possible.
Thanks as always for all you do, and again, my best wishes to you all...
Colby
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USFlyer said:
It's all really simple.... Who is US Competing against in this Market????? 😉
I don't have a price right now but I know in my Travel Agent Days people would want to fly from FNT to DTW (A 20 min Flight~1hr20min Drive) and it was so ridiculous...like $900.00 if I remember correctly !!!!!!!!!!
So, it all revolves around the fact that the LCC's don't have these kinds of Markets..
pitflyer
Member
True case in point, needed to fly from ORF-PIT on 1 day advance notice, mid week. USAIrways has cancelled the later flight so I have to take a connection no matter who I fly -- USAIrways or other. The quoted fare for a ONE-WAY connection on a turbo-prop ORF-CLT and then CLT-PIT was $800. I said 'I will not have my client pay that much for the flight, even though I am going on business. Find me another option." My travel agent sucked, but I found a one-way flight on United -- unfortunately a RJ and a turbo-prop, but actually shorter since it was pretty much straight ORF-IAD-PIT .. for $200 one way. $600 savings, saved an hour on my flight time, and I still got USAirways miles to boot (not that those are worth much)
The best part was that I already had a refundable ticket on USAirways for a later date ORF-PIT -- so USAirways didn't just lose my business, they actually lost money they had booked earlier since it was cheaper to refund and buy a new ticket.
The flip side -- I'm flying PIT-SEA today and United sold seats on the USAirways non-stop for $150 one-way with 3 days advance. USAirways was about $50 more. COuldn't beat that... but of course the fares should be other way around.. but who knows what yield management thinks.
The best part was that I already had a refundable ticket on USAirways for a later date ORF-PIT -- so USAirways didn't just lose my business, they actually lost money they had booked earlier since it was cheaper to refund and buy a new ticket.
The flip side -- I'm flying PIT-SEA today and United sold seats on the USAirways non-stop for $150 one-way with 3 days advance. USAirways was about $50 more. COuldn't beat that... but of course the fares should be other way around.. but who knows what yield management thinks.
coolflyingfool
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Just tried to book a PHL-PVD r/t on Feb. 24 and return on Feb. 26 - - Congrats are in order because all 5 flights each way on both days are showing sold out! But, I discovered that the unrestricted COACH r/t fare is $1066. OUCH!!! That is 1 hour 15 minutes each way - come on. Someone in Revenue Pricing better get these fares in line so that when SW enters the market - U doesn't lose everyone. Just my 2 cents out loud........
