Feedback from the Frontlines of Travel
"I saw something recently where you were looking for persons with good experiences with FF programs.
"I would have to say that, in my experience, American is the only carrier which actually offers standard award seat availability. I can frequently find seats at the standard level." [Jeffrey]
"In reply to David Z. from Los Angeles [in last week's newsletter] and Delta's Best Fare Guarantee of a $339 tix vs. what David found at CheapTickets.com for $252 and Delta's reply that Delta must be able to verify the lower online published fare at the time of the claim -- those of us who travel every week understand that airflines change fares literally minute by minute based on what "fare monitors" see for every flight in the system. I've seen a flight from JAX to LAX priced at $850 RT, went through my company approval process, and found it the next day for $299. On another occasion a $388 fare zoomed to $620. There's no rhyme nor reason we can see -- it's the 'seat pricers' who look at any given flight, factor advanced demand and change the fares on a minute by minute basis.
"The real question is, will $399 buy enough fuel to fly one person from origination to destination, round trip and make a profit for the airline? Probably not. I realize the non-frequent flyers don't care, but I want my airlines to stay in business. To do that they must make a reasonable profit and I understand we have to pay enough for a ticket to cover the cost of fuel, maintenance, flight attendants, pilots and gate attendants salary, airport landing and gate fee charges and then the airline profit.
"Yes, the airlines play games with fares to intice the early buyers and later (maybe only 5 minutes later) lower or raise the Internet price to what the market will bear. Ticket brokers such as CheapTickets.com quote a rate based on the minute you inquire -- maybe you hit a low point and maybe a high point. Wait a day and see if the price is the same -- and remember, 'nonrefundable is nonrefundable.'
"Just the ramblings of a Delta two million miler and FF for 25 years -- I've been down the slides and seen it all." [Chris T.]
"It almost makes one yearn for the days of Robert Crandall.
"Besides the gone-out-of-business flurry of airline closures (not even a fire-sale "before we close our doors"), at least shark-that-he-was Crandall kept American Airlines flying without hundreds of cancellations on account of lax inspection procedures.
"We are finding that 'free markets are not free,' and most everyone is running scared, putting on a smile all the while. With all the forces at play at home and around the world with which we can't come to grips and have no viable solution, travelers can expect that the airlines are going the way of the passenger railroads in this country. Don't bet it won't happen. Our systems are busted, and the airlines are at the tipping point." [Ed N.]
"I recently had to change a SkyMile award ticket, which had been ticketed since Feb and it cost $100. At the time of booking, changes were $75, as of April 1, it is $100, regardless of original ticket date. Purchased ticket changes were increased the same amount and price but only occur if the ticket was purchased April 1 or after, any changes to a previously purchased ticket only incur the old change fee of $75. I can't even find any specific dollar amount for changes to award tickets listed on the website or my eticket receipt (old or new).
"It's kind of hard to fight what isn't in writing. Just sad to think that Delta places more value on the $200 ticket than my 25,000 miles, which I guarantee cost me more than $200 to earn! Lots of other fee increases as well, pets, minors, changes for outside agencies, Delta ticket with other airline segments, just to name a few (which makes me wonder why an airline would brag about all the airline partners it has and where they can take you if they are going to charge you extra to use them).
"Keep up the good work." [Amy in Atlanta]
"I've been a journalist for 35 years and frequent flier for 50 years.
"I bought a ticket from L.A. to Geneva through Delta on Air France to get mileage credit on Alaska Airlines which is a partner of both. Alaska's website clearly states that travel on both accrues miles towards elite status. Air France has 4 classes of fare that doesn't count so I paid extra to get a fare class that does and confirmed it twice with Alaska's mileage desk before purchase. After the trip, I waited a few weeks and didn't see the trip show up on my account so sent in boarding passes and waited 2 months before calling Alaska today. I scanned and emailed my docs and got a quick response that Alaska doesn't honor Delta flights assigned in the 8500 and 8600 levels which are code share flight numbers with Air France because it's not part of their contract. I called Alaska back and they said that they were just fined after a Delta audit should a breach of the contract. I sat in a middle seat on the 11 hour outbound flight and caught the flu from a passenger next to me on the return 12 hours for NO MILES!" [Richard S.]
Until next week...
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