Nor do they airplanes. Buy all you want after going through security.
Also, to Clue's point, Amtrak does charge a change/refund fee now. They have for several years. I'm on Amtrak several times a month, I know the drill.
United Embraces A La Carte
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Nor do they airplanes. Buy all you want after going through security.
Also, to Clue's point, Amtrak does charge a change/refund fee now. They have for several years. I'm on Amtrak several times a month, I know the drill.
The $2 soft drink access fee doesn't bother me much, but I think if US would have thought out this al a carte program a little bit, it could have been released as a real positive, and still accomplished the same thing.
Say, water is free, soft drinks $2 charge, maybe vita waters for $3, Doritos, Fritos, Potato Chips, Peanuts for $2...
The part about US that really annoys me is that if they would just think things through a bit more from the customer perspective, they could release a program that would generate more revenue, and wouldnt annoy people so much. They could position it as, "we now offer all these great choices" vs. lets punish our customers by charging for something that was once free - without any enhancement.
Successful marketing is all about packaging. Just improving something slightly makes charging for it less likely to annoy people.
Amtrak also has a much better system. I doubt the Flight Attendants would have a hard time selling things if it was done like Amtrak. They'd have a little snack bar in the galley with a cash register and people would get up when they are thirsty and come get their own stuff...
Say, water is free, soft drinks $2 charge, maybe vita waters for $3, Doritos, Fritos, Potato Chips, Peanuts for $2...
The part about US that really annoys me is that if they would just think things through a bit more from the customer perspective, they could release a program that would generate more revenue, and wouldnt annoy people so much. They could position it as, "we now offer all these great choices" vs. lets punish our customers by charging for something that was once free - without any enhancement.
Successful marketing is all about packaging. Just improving something slightly makes charging for it less likely to annoy people.
Amtrak also has a much better system. I doubt the Flight Attendants would have a hard time selling things if it was done like Amtrak. They'd have a little snack bar in the galley with a cash register and people would get up when they are thirsty and come get their own stuff...
vantheman63
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robbedagain
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Im just curious, even if US sold it soda, juice, coffee, etc, yet with oil prices being s1so darn high, will it matter how much they get from in flight sales because as long as oil is above the earth, aint no airline going to be making money and just how long do we wait to see how high ol goes before arlines start parking, then ovbiously those sales wont mean a darn penny
In the end the only thing the company can look forward to is a bad rep. Passengers will get savvy and carry-on and bring their favorite Java and water along with eats. I don't foresee any real profitability when word catches on. The vacation traveller and families will stock up on goodies beforehand.
What the company should do though is offer discount coupon books as in the past for beverages and cocktails if they were smart enough. That program years ago brought in a tremendous amount of cash reserve and they didn't expire. Lets say a booklet with about 25 coupons for fifty bucks. One coupon gives you coffee, soda, water. Two coupons gives you a cocktail and 3-4 coupons give you a snack or sandwhich. The business traveller could stock up on these and have a receipt for expenses to write off. Now that makes sense doesn't it?
What the company should do though is offer discount coupon books as in the past for beverages and cocktails if they were smart enough. That program years ago brought in a tremendous amount of cash reserve and they didn't expire. Lets say a booklet with about 25 coupons for fifty bucks. One coupon gives you coffee, soda, water. Two coupons gives you a cocktail and 3-4 coupons give you a snack or sandwhich. The business traveller could stock up on these and have a receipt for expenses to write off. Now that makes sense doesn't it?
Is inflight sales what the company is after or is it to reduce the number of beverages that are hauled around to reduce fuel costs?
PHLfa88
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Because these PUNDITS on this board have nothing better to do then to BASH US..It's the same posters Over and Over and Over again! :down:
Travels2mch
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Well it's not like the company, and some select employees don't provide the material......
Travels2mch
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Can you take beer/wine etc. on trains? It's been many years since I have ridden a train and I can't remember if you could back then.
robbedagain
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how about both... just think about it, they want inflight sales to get rid of the beverages which would reduce fuel costs. However mgmt could also be saying We dont care about you our pax!
No. If Amtrak personnel see you drinking alcohol not sold by them, they will confiscate it.
A few weeks ago, I actually had a conductor tell me I couldn't bring food/non-alcoholic drinks either, but I'm assuming he was just new. I know this isn't the policy.
Not that I'm saying I agree 100% with the concept (and certainly not with the (non)marketing and pathetic way its been introduced), but how in the world does IBERIA and SAS provide similar services? Have their customers quit flying them because of it? I dont remember seeing anyone have a fit on the Iberia flight I was on. I wasnt even aware they sold soda/water on their flights until I flew on them and saw the menu card in the seatback. I also wouldnt call Iberia or SAS European LCCs so even some of the European Legacies have already started selling food/drinks on intraEuropean flights. I think its only a matter of time before most of the legacy US carriers are doing this.
SAS is E3 for a soda. In todays conversion that is $4.72 for a can of soda!
SAS is E3 for a soda. In todays conversion that is $4.72 for a can of soda!
Dont call me Shirley
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The offerings do look tasty, if rather pricey given the horrible Greenback/Euro exchange.
Great points, Tad. Perhaps IB and SK put a liitle more thought into the process?
While charging for soft drinks may be the way of the future, US should have waited until a cashless system became available.
Note that SK calls a flight longer than 1hr 45 mins "longer" and offers an expanded selection.
(How longer does a US flight have to be to have In flight Cafe?)
One reason may be that the European LCC competition charges for everything but the seat (correct me if I'm wrong), whereas US' competition, legacy or not, doesn't. US admits it won't work unless the others follow suit (much like lemmings). Criminy, Metrojet was far more useful to passengers and well-planned than the $2 Coke, cash only, maybe we'll have change, and even that failed against Southwest back when US could buy jet fuel for much less.
US claims this is to offset fuel costs but I don't buy it. Seriously, are they that stupid? $2 for a Coke is not going to pay the fuel bills for an airplane unless you're in a taxi with wings painted on it going on a 17 mile trip.
N965VJ
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I was on KL Cityhopper recently and received a soda water as well as a tasty little sandwich.
It must have been that my charming rustbelt American personality won over the FA, because she didn’t charge me for either.
It must have been that my charming rustbelt American personality won over the FA, because she didn’t charge me for either.
