US Airways is predatory. My advice: Do not fly on US Airways.

Ray Lozano wrote:


Eric,

Right now there is overcapacity in the airline industry -- too many
airlines.

That is because it is taking awhile for the airlines to adjust to the
decline in the economy. In fact, airlines are still losing money, but a
higher percentage of available seats are being filled.

In a free market, the number of airlines providing service and
the number of passengers requiring service would meet within a range of
equilibrium.

If demand for air travel exceeded capacity in a free market, and drove
ticket prices up,

What about the price inelasticities of the leisure market?
If fares go up, fewer people fly.

existing airlines or new ventures would expand their
operations to get more of that higher-profit business. The result would
be that ticket prices would drop and/or service would be enhanced as
competition increased.

When a business has a monopoly, or is supported or protected by the
government, or both, it has greater command over prices because
competition is restrained. Moreover, such a business's incentives to be
a high-quality, efficient operation are reduced.

I am not an economist, but that's how I see it. Cheers.

It has been shown that people are willing to give up quality to pay
less. In your case, you could have gotten the result you wanted by
spending more money in the first place. If you would have bought
unrestricted tickets, they would have been stepping over each other to
help you book the next flight out.

mrtravel wrote in
. com:


That is because it is taking awhile for the airlines to adjust to the
decline in the economy. In fact, airlines are still losing money, but
a higher percentage of available seats are being filled.

Right. A higher percentage of seats are being filled as planes are taken
out of service and unprofitable routes are eliminated. As you pointed
out earlier, the $15 billion injection into the airline industry by the
federal government is a recent occurence, but I think it is delaying the
necessary shakeout. My beloved US Airways made $13 million in its first
quarter this year, but only because of $214 million of federal money it
booked as income:
http://www.usatoday.com/travel/news/...air-profit.htm

What about the price inelasticities of the leisure market?
If fares go up, fewer people fly.

Sellers will get what the market will bear, right? If prices get too
high, more people will drive to their destinations or, unfortunately,
just not go. Do you agree or am I missing something?

It has been shown that people are willing to give up quality to pay
less. In your case, you could have gotten the result you wanted by
spending more money in the first place. If you would have bought
unrestricted tickets, they would have been stepping over each other to
help you book the next flight out.

You are correct. People will pay less and accept less. I just bought a
used car for $7,900; it provides me with satisfactory transportation. I
saw no reason to spend more on a car for myself.

With regard to tickets with fewer or no restrictions, I later learned
that I could have spent $300-$400 more for the entire round trip on
American without any restrictions, I think, and American offered several
departures a day versus the single 6:00 AM departure on US Airways.

Joe Traveler that I am, I thought I'd save some money when I bought my
US Airways tickets. Besides, I reckoned, "a ticket is a ticket is a
ticket," which entitled me to at least some level of service from the
airline and/or some exchange value. I was willing to wake up a few hours
early to save a couple of hundred dollars. In the future, you can be
sure I will gladly pay a little extra if it means ensuring good service
from a competent airline.

Regards, mrtravel.

--
Flyer beware!
Ray Lozano
http://www.usairways.tv

"Ray Lozano" wrote in message
y.com...
mrtravel wrote in
. com:


That is because it is taking awhile for the airlines to adjust to
the
decline in the economy. In fact, airlines are still losing money,
but
a higher percentage of available seats are being filled.

Right. A higher percentage of seats are being filled as planes are
taken
out of service and unprofitable routes are eliminated. As you pointed
out earlier, the $15 billion injection into the airline industry by
the
federal government is a recent occurence, but I think it is delaying
the
necessary shakeout. My beloved US Airways made $13 million in its
first
quarter this year, but only because of $214 million of federal money
it
booked as income:
http://www.usatoday.com/travel/news/...air-profit.htm

What about the price inelasticities of the leisure market?
If fares go up, fewer people fly.

Sellers will get what the market will bear, right? If prices get too
high, more people will drive to their destinations or, unfortunately,
just not go. Do you agree or am I missing something?

It would be very difficult for me to drive to Amsterdam from Sunderland.
I could use the ferry from Hull to Zeebrugge and drive from there or I
could do North Shields to Ijmuiden and drive from there.

But then you probably don't realise that rta isn't exclusively populated
by Murkins.

JohnT

"JohnT" wrote in
:



Sellers will get what the market will bear, right? If prices get too
high, more people will drive to their destinations or, unfortunately,
just not go. Do you agree or am I missing something?

It would be very difficult for me to drive to Amsterdam from
Sunderland. I could use the ferry from Hull to Zeebrugge and drive
from there or I could do North Shields to Ijmuiden and drive from
there.

But then you probably don't realise that rta isn't exclusively
populated by Murkins.

JohnT


Murkins!? Hell, I thought the internet was just state-wide!

Seriously, What airline do you take to Amsterdam from Sunderland? Is it
a private business or is it subsidized? Is it cheap or expensive? Does
it have competitors? Is it profitable? Does it have to be?

--
Ray Lozano
http://www.usairways.tv

Ray Lozano wrote:


With regard to tickets with fewer or no restrictions, I later learned
that I could have spent $300-$400 more for the entire round trip on
American without any restrictions, I think, and American offered several
departures a day versus the single 6:00 AM departure on US Airways.

Joe Traveler that I am, I thought I'd save some money when I bought my
US Airways tickets. Besides, I reckoned, "a ticket is a ticket is a
ticket," which entitled me to at least some level of service from the
airline and/or some exchange value.

Are you saying that you didn't realize there were multiple ticket prices
for the same seats on this carrier?

I was willing to wake up a few hours
early to save a couple of hundred dollars. In the future, you can be
sure I will gladly pay a little extra if it means ensuring good service
from a competent airline.

I would find it odd if AA has fully unrestricted tickets on this route
for $300 or so more.

Ray Lozano wrote:

Murkins!? Hell, I thought the internet was just state-wide!

Seriously, What airline do you take to Amsterdam from Sunderland? Is it
a private business or is it subsidized? Is it cheap or expensive? Does
it have competitors? Is it profitable? Does it have to be?


In the US,

Rail service is subsidized (AMTRAK)
City and regional public transit is subsidized
Even before recent times, air service to some destinations has been
subsidized

The recent airline bailout is a rare event.
For years, the marketing scheme for higher restricted fares (paid mainly
by business) and lower leisure fates has had benefits for all parties
concerned. I am quite sure that we both have saved substantially on our
leisure trips due to the pricing structures. Business was also willing
to spend more for greater flexibility of tickets. Now, with reduce
costs, business has reevaluated this flexibility and is increasing it
use of another option. This option is not traveling at all, or to demand
fare reductions from the carriers struggling for money. I recently made
a trip from SJC to MEX a very decent price with no Saturday stay
required. This was a corporate fare on a major carrier.

While checking fares for my family to visit from the midwest, I have
discovered that for about $350 round trip, you can fly Spirit in
Business Class from Chicago to LA over Christmans. For that kind of
seating, that seems to be an excellent price.

mrtravel wrote in
.com:


Are you saying that you didn't realize there were multiple ticket
prices for the same seats on this carrier?

I know tickets on the same flight can vary widely in price. I bought
them on bestfares.com after searching for the lowest price.

I would find it odd if AA has fully unrestricted tickets on this route
for $300 or so more.

You are correct. They are available today from $614 to $1013 each at
aa.com with restrictions.

--
Flyer beware!
Ray Lozano
http://www.usairways.tv

Ray Lozano wrote:

mrtravel wrote in
.com:



Are you saying that you didn't realize there were multiple ticket
prices for the same seats on this carrier?


I know tickets on the same flight can vary widely in price. I bought
them on bestfares.com after searching for the lowest price.


I would find it odd if AA has fully unrestricted tickets on this route
for $300 or so more.


You are correct. They are available today from $614 to $1013 each at
aa.com with restrictions.


With or without?
Are they fully refundable?
But, if you had to pay double price for a ticket, then that is like
betting there is a 100 percent chance that something will go wrong.
Personally, I'd rather pay half and take the risk, then make sure I have
excellent odds for making the flight. Why would you need to put birth
certificates in a bank's safety deposit box?

mrtravel wrote in news:ti99b.201$Yq4.19174502
@newssvr14.news.prodigy.com:

[cut]

excellent odds for making the flight. Why would you need to put birth
certificates in a bank's safety deposit box?


mrtravel,

I have great respect for your breadth of knowledge, and I thank you for
your thorough commentary, but this last question of yours is taking us in a
circle back to the beginning of the thread.

Regards,
Ray Lozano
http://www.usairways.tv

Whilst undoubtedly under the effects of alcohol, Ray Lozano
wrote:

mrtravel wrote in news:ti99b.201$Yq4.19174502
:

[cut]

excellent odds for making the flight. Why would you need to put birth
certificates in a bank's safety deposit box?


mrtravel,

I have great respect for your breadth of knowledge, and I thank you for
your thorough commentary, but this last question of yours is taking us in a
circle back to the beginning of the thread.

Which is where it should be, since you have, at no stage in this
thread, recognised that it was all your fault, NOT the US employees.

=========

Dave

Don't Drink Drive....
It's A Laundry Detergent