Fly the Greedy Skies: "Why airfare keeps rising despite lower oil prices"

[modelamac]

Do you think Apple's suppliers, those that build the products, are getting a price reduction in their energy costs? That is what it would take. Apple is their customer just as we are the customer of the airlines.

Will Collier wrote:
Same reason Apple can get a 300% markup on iPhones: demand outpaces supply. Prices rarely drop when that's the case.

[DeusxMac]

davemchine wrote:
I only fly two routes on a semi-regular basis and I've noticed prices have gone up significantly in the last few years. At the same time service has gone down. I've tried to start booking 1st class but it is almost always full. I finally was able to book a first class ticket for my trip NEXT MARCH but only for one direction. To me the message is clear. People will pay for something better than cattle class. The airlines need to offer more opportunity for this.

I suspect the majority of flyers would love to be stuck with your "problem"; not enough first class seats.

Most could never afford to fly first class where prices run two, three or more times more expensive than economy.

Quick sample of cheapest first class and economy flights from a common run:

[davester]

DeusxMac wrote:
[quote=davemchine]
I only fly two routes on a semi-regular basis and I've noticed prices have gone up significantly in the last few years. At the same time service has gone down. I've tried to start booking 1st class but it is almost always full. I finally was able to book a first class ticket for my trip NEXT MARCH but only for one direction. To me the message is clear. People will pay for something better than cattle class. The airlines need to offer more opportunity for this.

I suspect the majority of flyers would love to be stuck with your "problem"; not enough first class seats.

Most could never afford to fly first class where prices run two, three or more times more expensive than economy.

Quick sample of cheapest first class and economy flights from a common run:


Also, for most non-coast-to-coast domestic first class runs the cost isn't even close to being worth it (unless you're someone for whom money is no object or have large numbers of airline miles) because the difference in service is negligible and most of the runs are so short.

[bazookaman]

I was looking at tickets as far out as possible for me and the girls to the UK. For 3 people, it was around $3000 for economy and around $13000 for business class. I didn't even bother looking at first. I really wish I was in a position to get a better seat than "cattle class".

[davemchine]

DeusxMac, normally I would not consider first class due to the price difference that you noted. My back has gotten bad enough that regular flight involves very high levels of pain killers though. I think the larger and more comfortable chair would be helpful. At least that is what I am hoping. My last travel day involved me being placed into a wheel chair half way through the security line. So my problem is not an excess of money it is an excess of pain.

[mrlynn]

davemchine, don't know where you're going, but for some trips you might look into Amtrak. Longer times, but more comfortable seating, and you can get up and walk around. On some intercity trains there are also compartments with beds, for a price (maybe comparable to first-class air, maybe even less). You also end up in the center of cities, and not miles away at some distant airport.

/Mr Lynn

[Racer X]

bazookaman wrote:
I was looking at tickets as far out as possible for me and the girls to the UK. For 3 people, it was around $3000 for economy and around $13000 for business class. I didn't even bother looking at first. I really wish I was in a position to get a better seat than "cattle class".

13K for biz class? That's getting near a private charter isn't it?

[Racer X]

mrlynn wrote:
davemchine, don't know where you're going, but for some trips you might look into Amtrak. Longer times, but more comfortable seating, and you can get up and walk around. On some intercity trains there are also compartments with beds, for a price (maybe comparable to first-class air, maybe even less). You also end up in the center of cities, and not miles away at some distant airport.

/Mr Lynn

Our June trip to Disneyland was on Amtrak from Seattle. Had a lot of fun.

Amtrak has a 10% AAA discount, or 15% for a disabled person, and one other helper. The AAA discount amount was the same as the mid grade AAA membership fee for the family, so it was like getting AAA membership for free.

[sekker]

Service at airports has never returned to pre-911 days in my experience.

And some airports are still horrible.

[sekker]

Service at airports has never returned to pre-911 days in my experience.

And some airports are still horrible - they haven't fixed thee structural issues after adding new security.

I think we want the airlines to see enough profit that they can no longer make seats smaller. I'm not particularly big 6'2" 195. And the new planes, my knees hit the seat in front of me.