Comments on: Time to Revolt: Don’t Fly American Airlines in the U.S. http://travel.booklocker.com/2008/05/21/time-to-revolt-dont-fly-american-airlines-in-the-us/ Bargain destinations and the cheapest places to travel Sat, 21 Nov 2009 12:12:04 -0500 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: tim http://travel.booklocker.com/2008/05/21/time-to-revolt-dont-fly-american-airlines-in-the-us/comment-page-1/#comment-131000 tim Sun, 25 May 2008 14:38:09 +0000 http://travel.booklocker.com/2008/05/21/time-to-revolt-dont-fly-american-airlines-in-the-us/#comment-131000 Thanks for chiming in Ron. The high price of gas has (in my opinion) had as many positive outcomes as negative: SUV sales have tumbled, carpooling is returning, more people are taking public transportation, hybrid and small car sales are exploding, and my local bicycle shop is doing a booming business. All this affects public policy, with politicians scrambling to find a way to "get green" all of a sudden. Economic incentives can be wonderful things even when they look painful on the surface. Same thing with the airlines. It wouldn't necessarily be a bad thing for everyone to fly less this summer, especially if they stop taking those "weekend getaway" trips to far-flung airports and instead either take a real vacation or just drive somewhere close by (or take the train) instead. Thanks for chiming in Ron. The high price of gas has (in my opinion) had as many positive outcomes as negative: SUV sales have tumbled, carpooling is returning, more people are taking public transportation, hybrid and small car sales are exploding, and my local bicycle shop is doing a booming business. All this affects public policy, with politicians scrambling to find a way to “get green” all of a sudden. Economic incentives can be wonderful things even when they look painful on the surface. Same thing with the airlines. It wouldn’t necessarily be a bad thing for everyone to fly less this summer, especially if they stop taking those “weekend getaway” trips to far-flung airports and instead either take a real vacation or just drive somewhere close by (or take the train) instead.

]]> By: Ron Mader http://travel.booklocker.com/2008/05/21/time-to-revolt-dont-fly-american-airlines-in-the-us/comment-page-1/#comment-130975 Ron Mader Sat, 24 May 2008 23:25:37 +0000 http://travel.booklocker.com/2008/05/21/time-to-revolt-dont-fly-american-airlines-in-the-us/#comment-130975 Excellent points in this blog and the responses. What would I like to see? An e-conference that connects the dots between the various websites AND that includes airline reps. And in this age of climate change concerns, maybe we might want to address not just the ticket price, not just the way flyers are treated but how transportation affects the environment. Excellent points in this blog and the responses.

What would I like to see? An e-conference that connects the dots between the various websites AND that includes airline reps. And in this age of climate change concerns, maybe we might want to address not just the ticket price, not just the way flyers are treated but how transportation affects the environment.

]]> By: tim http://travel.booklocker.com/2008/05/21/time-to-revolt-dont-fly-american-airlines-in-the-us/comment-page-1/#comment-130903 tim Thu, 22 May 2008 15:54:04 +0000 http://travel.booklocker.com/2008/05/21/time-to-revolt-dont-fly-american-airlines-in-the-us/#comment-130903 Jeff - you have a point, but this part of your post is absolutely not true: "What we as consumers have asked for and gotten is the menu option. It gives us an impression at least, that we are getting a better deal. We see it in virtually all consumer purchases we make. Therefore, it seems inappropriate to say that American Airlines is somehow unfair in assessing today’s fee, no matter how much we dislike it." I pay one price at an amusement park for all the rides I want. I pay one price at a hotel for everything except incidentals, including WiFi at the majority of them. (The few that defy this with "resort charges" end up with a lot of irate guests.) I pay one charge at a ski resort, not each time I get on the lift. I pay one price for an all-inclusive vacation and leave my wallet locked up for a week--it's why they are so popular. I pay one price on Southwest airlines--the most popular one with customers I might add--with no surprises. They should disclose everything they are charging us in the ticket price, not add it on afterwards and say, "Screw you." Otherwise it's like the bread companies charging us for a wrapper because the price of flour went up. Jeff – you have a point, but this part of your post is absolutely not true:

“What we as consumers have asked for and gotten is the menu option. It gives us an impression at least, that we are getting a better deal. We see it in virtually all consumer purchases we make. Therefore, it seems inappropriate to say that American Airlines is somehow unfair in assessing today’s fee, no matter how much we dislike it.”

I pay one price at an amusement park for all the rides I want. I pay one price at a hotel for everything except incidentals, including WiFi at the majority of them. (The few that defy this with “resort charges” end up with a lot of irate guests.) I pay one charge at a ski resort, not each time I get on the lift. I pay one price for an all-inclusive vacation and leave my wallet locked up for a week–it’s why they are so popular. I pay one price on Southwest airlines–the most popular one with customers I might add–with no surprises.

They should disclose everything they are charging us in the ticket price, not add it on afterwards and say, “Screw you.” Otherwise it’s like the bread companies charging us for a wrapper because the price of flour went up.

]]> By: beatofhawaii.com http://travel.booklocker.com/2008/05/21/time-to-revolt-dont-fly-american-airlines-in-the-us/comment-page-1/#comment-130865 beatofhawaii.com Wed, 21 May 2008 20:52:08 +0000 http://travel.booklocker.com/2008/05/21/time-to-revolt-dont-fly-american-airlines-in-the-us/#comment-130865 I have a completely contrary opinion about the $15 fee. It is nothing to do with AA and everything to do with consumer pricing model expectations. http://beatofhawaii.com/why-aas-15-checked-bag-fee-is-fair/ Aloha, Jeff I have a completely contrary opinion about the $15 fee. It is nothing to do with AA and everything to do with consumer pricing model expectations.

http://beatofhawaii.com/why-aas-15-checked-bag-fee-is-fair/

Aloha,
Jeff

]]> By: Joe http://travel.booklocker.com/2008/05/21/time-to-revolt-dont-fly-american-airlines-in-the-us/comment-page-1/#comment-130864 Joe Wed, 21 May 2008 20:42:41 +0000 http://travel.booklocker.com/2008/05/21/time-to-revolt-dont-fly-american-airlines-in-the-us/#comment-130864 Old joke: Business school student to millionaire: "Tell me, Sir, how did you become a millionaire?" Millionaire: "I started as a billionaire and then bought a US airline!" Old joke:
Business school student to millionaire: “Tell me, Sir, how did you become a millionaire?”
Millionaire: “I started as a billionaire and then bought a US airline!”

]]> By: Christine Gilbert http://travel.booklocker.com/2008/05/21/time-to-revolt-dont-fly-american-airlines-in-the-us/comment-page-1/#comment-130862 Christine Gilbert Wed, 21 May 2008 19:36:35 +0000 http://travel.booklocker.com/2008/05/21/time-to-revolt-dont-fly-american-airlines-in-the-us/#comment-130862 I'm conflicted on this front. At first I was outraged! But then I also think the airlines must be in pretty bad shape to make this move. Didn't American also say that they are cutting service by 11-12 percent? Possible layoffs? And their stocks fell 25% after this announcement! So what I wonder is, how long can American stop the bleeding by gauging customers? Will we be losing another airline? I’m conflicted on this front. At first I was outraged! But then I also think the airlines must be in pretty bad shape to make this move.

Didn’t American also say that they are cutting service by 11-12 percent? Possible layoffs? And their stocks fell 25% after this announcement!

So what I wonder is, how long can American stop the bleeding by gauging customers? Will we be losing another airline?

]]> By: tim http://travel.booklocker.com/2008/05/21/time-to-revolt-dont-fly-american-airlines-in-the-us/comment-page-1/#comment-130861 tim Wed, 21 May 2008 19:16:10 +0000 http://travel.booklocker.com/2008/05/21/time-to-revolt-dont-fly-american-airlines-in-the-us/#comment-130861 Bryan - you are right, people put up with the nickel and diming from RyanAir and the like because the fares are so drastically lower. Over here they put up with it from Spirit for the same reason. American, on the other hand, keeps trying to act like it's a real airline and is charging as much or more than competitors on its domestic routes. Recipe for disaster. This is going to be one they're reading about in business school case studies for a long time: "How to run your multi-billion-dollar business into the ground." Bryan – you are right, people put up with the nickel and diming from RyanAir and the like because the fares are so drastically lower. Over here they put up with it from Spirit for the same reason. American, on the other hand, keeps trying to act like it’s a real airline and is charging as much or more than competitors on its domestic routes. Recipe for disaster. This is going to be one they’re reading about in business school case studies for a long time: “How to run your multi-billion-dollar business into the ground.”

]]> By: Austin http://travel.booklocker.com/2008/05/21/time-to-revolt-dont-fly-american-airlines-in-the-us/comment-page-1/#comment-130857 Austin Wed, 21 May 2008 18:21:44 +0000 http://travel.booklocker.com/2008/05/21/time-to-revolt-dont-fly-american-airlines-in-the-us/#comment-130857 I haven't flown American in a long time and don't typically even consider them when choosing tickets. But when I'm looking for cheap airfare, I'll keep this extra fee in mind. I haven’t flown American in a long time and don’t typically even consider them when choosing tickets. But when I’m looking for cheap airfare, I’ll keep this extra fee in mind.

]]> By: bryan in san francisco http://travel.booklocker.com/2008/05/21/time-to-revolt-dont-fly-american-airlines-in-the-us/comment-page-1/#comment-130856 bryan in san francisco Wed, 21 May 2008 17:40:51 +0000 http://travel.booklocker.com/2008/05/21/time-to-revolt-dont-fly-american-airlines-in-the-us/#comment-130856 It's not unusual. Ryanair and Easyjet charge that fee in Europe. Of course the difference is that Ryanair and Easyjet are actually affordable. AA is a premium priced airline. It’s not unusual. Ryanair and Easyjet charge that fee in Europe. Of course the difference is that Ryanair and Easyjet are actually affordable. AA is a premium priced airline.

]]> By: Mike http://travel.booklocker.com/2008/05/21/time-to-revolt-dont-fly-american-airlines-in-the-us/comment-page-1/#comment-130855 Mike Wed, 21 May 2008 16:44:30 +0000 http://travel.booklocker.com/2008/05/21/time-to-revolt-dont-fly-american-airlines-in-the-us/#comment-130855 I just saw the headline and immediately came here, "I hope he's already written about it... I hope he's already written about it..." I'll join you in the boycott of American Airlines - we just flew them last winter and it was amateur hour. I couldn't believe how clumsily they were operating their business. I just saw the headline and immediately came here, “I hope he’s already written about it… I hope he’s already written about it…”

I’ll join you in the boycott of American Airlines – we just flew them last winter and it was amateur hour. I couldn’t believe how clumsily they were operating their business.

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