As US1YFARE said, it would take about 10 "Silvers" to make up the revenue from 1 Chairman, about 6-7 for one Platinum, and 3-4 for one Gold. People are leaving, and it's beginning to show. We did a survey, and it shows that between $15 and $20M is already gone, and that is just people who responded. If you speculate that average survey responses are less than 10% and extrapolate, the real number of high yield customers who have taken their $$ elsewhere is much higher.
So they will say that the number of Preferreds is the same or growing, but the fact is the REVENUE provided by those Preferreds and Preferred Lites is significantly down.
And you are right, the business people like me will no longer pay top dollar to subsidize the leisure fares. But let me be clear. We never advocated the LOWEST fares-we advocated FAIR fares. In the end, they would raise RASM, and provide higher AVERAGE fares. A rational fare structure would be the way to go, but I think that ship has sailed.
As long as US delivers a substandard product with little expectation of on time performance or acceptable baggage numbers at the same or higher prices than the competition, there is no reason to fly them. Where is the VALUE in that proposition? In fact I am not sure they have figured out who the true competition is......
There's a reason why I paid for two Business First tickets on CO rather than use miles on US, and why most of my members and I have made US the LAST choice only when it can't be avoided......and THAT is the true problem.
When Tempe realizes that the Employees come first, the Customers second, and the Shareholders third, they MIGHT have a chance, but as long as they keep on the current path, the clock is ticking. Happy employees help make for happy customers, and when you take care of those two, the shareholders will be happy. Unfortunately, Tempe sees fit to look out only for shareholders (and themselves), and they do not care about you fine folks on the line or us, the (former) customers.
As my friend Bob puts it, they will become a victim of the high cost of cheap--they know the cost of everything but the value of nothing.
Get back to the fundamentals--fix the labor problems, and get the operation running. Get a reservation system which works, a web site which works, and GET THERE ON TIME WITH BAGS (to the best of your ability).
My best to you all.....