Unions Agree To Negotiate With Airline

[CLT-Douglas]

Raising the fares to cover the cost does nothing if the competition isn't willing to do the same for the person that has to buy the ticket. The bottom line is if it's more expensive, even if it's just a little bit, people will always pick the cheaper fare. They don't think about customer service until they show up at the airport and problems arise. Sure it may make those passengers mad enough to swear they won't be back, but next time if the price is right, most will give a second, third, fourth, chance.

 

[mweiss]

The bottom line is if it's more expensive, even if it's just a little bit, people will always pick the cheaper fare.

You're overgeneralizing. For the occasional traveler, that's true. For the frequent traveler, it's very false.

Sure it may make those passengers mad enough to swear they won't be back, but next time if the price is right, most will give a second, third, fourth, chance.

Those are the customers you don't want anyway. There's no profit to be made from them, unless you have the lowest cost in the industry.

 

[PITbull]

CLT,

I happen to agree with Mwiess.

We are not talking about tens of hundreds of dollars here, but rather a few dollars extra on each segement.

Believe it or not, since I'm in the business, I've heard more stories about folks bad experiences on certain airlines. They always always say, that given a choice, they will not fly the airline that gave them headaches. If there is a choice they will pay the extra fare and fly a preferable airline.

Folks have one bad experience and they tell many folks and family members. This is how an airline erodes their customer base. You won't see it where there is less competition. But where their is competition and folks have a choice, they have a memory like elephants.

 

[mweiss]

They always always say, that given a choice, they will not fly the airline that gave them headaches. If there is a choice they will pay the extra fare and fly a preferable airline.

Absolutely true. I have had good experiences on NW. My wife had a horrible experience with them. As a result, if I'm traveling alone, I prefer NW (though, I will say, not at a 50% premium). If we travel together, it's usually UA. She did like the US Airbus experiences (and hated our DFW-PIT 737 flight), but for reasons I prefer not to disclose publicly we have limited our travel on US.

Frequent travelers are discriminating travelers, because the hassles take up a more significant percentage of their lives. Infrequent travelers are less so, because what's an extra 20 minutes, total, out of one's life? Plus, memories fade over time, so infrequent travelers won't remember just how bad it was.

 

[CLT-Douglas]

I would agree with you if the level of service by paying only a few dollars more would make a drastic difference, compaired to the competition. It would be up to US Airways to prove to passengers they are getting more for their buck.

 

[mweiss]

It would be up to US Airways to prove to passengers they are getting more for their buck.

Absolutely.

What do passengers value?

• Getting where they are supposed to, when they are supposed to. This is by far the number one.
• Having their luggage arrive with them. A close runner-up.
• Space. Nobody likes the sardine feeling, though this one becomes more important as stage length increases.
• Minimal hassle. Short lines and quick resolution of problems as they crop up are very important.
• Friendly service. Service with a scowl makes people resentful. This is why the Sky nAAzi name has stuck at one airline.
• Food. For all of the complaints of the entire history of the industry, they still want it.

You may notice that I don't list upgrades, but they're implicitly there in space, service, and food.

The real question is how much people are willing to pay for these things. There's no single answer to this, which is why airlines must start to differentiate if they wish to succeed in the new industry. In a competitive market, differentiation is the path to success. Always.

 

[700UW]

mwiess,

you forgot this one: A CLEAN AIRPLANE!

 

[mweiss]

700,

Yes. That, too. 🙂

 

[SpinDoc]

Consumer Affairs phone number and address
are being handed out left and right.

SpinDoc replies:
Stop giving out Consumer Affairs phone number
and address. The department has less resources
than Gen Res and CSD and I've been told the
hold time is very long there too. Better to encourage
customers to try and resolve their problems at
the front line level or to write/e-mail Consumer
Affairs through the Contact US section of the
web site.

 

[PITbull]

Nah....I think it is better to call and wait on the line for these suckers.

Yup, in fact, call the CEO and the main number. Give the VPs something to do.

 

[tadjr]

Better to encourage
customers to try and resolve their problems at
the front line level

If I could figure out how to get the website to work properly or how to not make people wait for 20 minutes or more to talk to a rez agent, I would do it. Otherwise, how are those of us on the front line supposed to handle these complaints? I dont have time to do the things I need to do now let alone listen to someone complain for 10 minutes about all the stuff thats happened to them (canx flight down/skd change/seats wrong/etkct not working at kiosk, yadda yadda yadda) while I have 100 other people in line. Either fix the problems or get more help in Consumer Affairs. Maybe the direct line to CCY would be a better option?

Just kidding, before someone hunts me down, I wouldnt give out that number. It wouldnt do any good anyway, I'm sure. 😛

 

[SpinDoc]

Absolutely.

What do passengers value?

• Getting where they are supposed to, when they are supposed to. This is by far the number one.
  
• Having their luggage arrive with them. A close runner-up.
  
• Space. Nobody likes the sardine feeling, though this one becomes more important as stage length increases.
  
• Minimal hassle. Short lines and quick resolution of problems as they crop up are very important.
  
• Friendly service. Service with a scowl makes people resentful. This is why the Sky nAAzi name has stuck at one airline.
  
• Food. For all of the complaints of the entire history of the industry, they still want it.

You may notice that I don't list upgrades, but they're implicitly there in space, service, and food.

The real question is how much people are willing to pay for these things. There's no single answer to this, which is why airlines must start to differentiate if they wish to succeed in the new industry. In a competitive market, differentiation is the path to success. Always.

Mweiss:

It's funny how all of these things can be
delivered if the employees actually did their
job every day. Flight irregularities aside, most
of what you noted could be provided if
everyone showed up readt to work every
day and gave 110% to the customer.

Need more be said?

 

[700UW]

Employees do their job everyday, where have you been?

They are not getting the resources to do their jobs properly.

Get a clue.

 

[tadjr]

I think someone needs to get out of the office and into the airport once in a while. Not even a clue is right.

:down: :down: :down:

 

[mweiss]

It's funny how all of these things can be delivered if the employees actually did their job every day.

No, they can't. Space has nothing to do with the employees. Neither does food.

Flight irregularities aside, most of what you noted could be provided if everyone showed up readt to work every day and gave 110% to the customer.

Only if there are enough of said people. But, yes, PHL sure makes things much worse, and it's not because of the number of people.

Need more be said?

Yes. Much.