US Airways reports September traffic results

[FA Mikey]

When are the airlines going to step up and offer a few different reasonably-priced fare options which do not screw them at the low end, and screw customers at the high end? If US did a trial run of such a fare structure in a heavily-trafficked business market such as LGA-CLT, I'll bet they'd find that their RASM on these flights would actually increase.

An airline already tried that. It was called "Value Pricing" and offered 4 fares in any given market. Other carriers under cut it and it and it didnt last. Today with the glut in capacity and all the carriers going for every last cent, they would do the same if anyone tried to do a standardized pricing in any competing market.

 

[does this plane go to paris]

An airline already tried that. It was called "Value Pricing" and offered 4 fares in any given market. Other carriers under cut it and it and it didnt last. Today with the glut in capacity and all the carriers going for every last cent, they would do the same if anyone tried to do a standardized pricing in any competing market.

 

[AirbusAVE]

An airline already tried that. It was called "Value Pricing" and offered 4 fares in any given market. Other carriers under cut it and it and it didnt last. Today with the glut in capacity and all the carriers going for every last cent, they would do the same if anyone tried to do a standardized pricing in any competing market.

+1







The Low-fare carriers make profits and the legacies lose money... I wonder why....

 

[Dog Wonder]

US Airways is a low cost carrier,

What is US Airways?

 

[Art at ISP]

What is US Airways?

Correction-- US Airways is NOT a Low COST Carrier--it is a Low CLASS Carrier (with no offense to the great PEOPLE of the airline-I refer entirely to the product that mis-management has provided).

Nothing low cost about US....just about the highest costs of any airline.

In other industries, there are federal laws against dumping, that is, selling your product KNOWINGLY below your cost. Can you imagine the furor if they tried to enforce that law in the airline industry?

I am NOT a proponent of government regulation, but the only way to stabilize and rationalize fare structures industry-wide, may be some form of re-regulation. The value fare proposition which failed before only did so because not every airline adopted it. The ala carte fees represent an opportunity to commit fraud--false advertising--lower fares plus higher fees equal higher end cost to the consumer--misleading at least.

PRICE THE PRODUCT PROPERLY AND YOU WON'T NEED TO NICKEL AND DIME PEOPLE.

The fact is that the flying public is getting tired of the fees.....and there is a backlash coming.

WN got it right. I just flew to BNA last week on a last minute trip. Booking 36 hours before travel, WN was not only the lowest fare (by only $15 but still...), but it was unrestricted and offered Business Select at that price--meaning I was free to change flights (which I did) without penalty.
The next lowest fare on a legacy carrier was restricted, non refundable and would have cost $150 for a change...

The key is to come up with REASONABLE unrestricted fares, and then you'd see more people spend up a little to gain the flexibility.

The missing ingredient to the pricing formula today is VALUE. Add a little VALUE for the customer for the extra money and keep it reasonable and more people will spend up....

There is growing sentiment amongst business travelers that we're tired of subsidizing Ma and Pa Kettle....time to level the playing field a little--by any means necessary.

My BEST to you all....

 

[DLFlyer31]

WN got it right. I just flew to BNA last week on a last minute trip. Booking 36 hours before travel, WN was not only the lowest fare (by only $15 but still...), but it was unrestricted and offered Business Select at that price--meaning I was free to change flights (which I did) without penalty.
The next lowest fare on a legacy carrier was restricted, non refundable and would have cost $150 for a change...

Except that WN is now struggling to break-even...even though they are relatively fee free. And the two carriers who reported double-digit profit margins in the 2nd quarter (Allegiant and Airtran) are both heavy nickel and dimers. Granted, Allegiant isn't really an option for business travelers, but FL is and does compete head on with both legacies.

There is growing sentiment amongst business travelers that we're tired of subsidizing Ma and Pa Kettle....time to level the playing field a little--by any means necessary.

Problem is that if you run off all the Ma and Pa Kettles, you may find you have far fewer flights to choose from and fewer airlines too.

 

[AirbusAVE]

WN is so great and US Airways is so horrible that WN MHT and PVD lose a flight to Philadelphia and Austin is dropped from Philadelphia....

 

[Art at ISP]

And your point is?

Everyone has to adjust schedules based on demand.

The system is broken across the board--just less so at Southwest.

 

[AirbusAVE]

And your point is?

Everyone has to adjust schedules based on demand.

The system is broken across the board--just less so at Southwest.

Southwest has lately been dropping some PHL routes/destinations/frequencies over the years - or at least I thought they were. The way some of you guys make US Airways and Southwest Airlines out to be.... I find this very shocking...

 

[Dog Wonder]

Maybe Southwest decided PHL isn't going to be a crown jewel.

 

[redheadtempe33]

Maybe Southwest decided PHL isn't going to be a crown jewel.

For whatever reason, people in PHL just didn't flock to WN like they did in PHX and LAS (and BWI). I'm sure they do okay, but US seems to have ... beaten them back, lucked out, been blessed by the airline Gods? Take your pick.