Why don't people respect the airline industry? (cheap, Hawaii, driving)

[slackjaw]

Originally Posted by jtur88

Maybe so. But if I'm driving there anyway, I'll sure take along a passenger or two a lot cheaper than the airline will.

Yup. Four of us going to Vegas in a car saves huge money.

[Chatteress]

Originally Posted by annerk

I disagree. Over half the people I know have taken a non-business related airplane flight in the past year--and that goes from people making $10 an hour to multi-millionaires. Also we are talking about air travel, not hotel rooms. Not everyoen who flies has to get a hotel room, many stay with family or friends.

Annerk ... These are people that YOU know ... Out of the people that I know personally who make much more than $10 per hour cannot afford a trip every year. I can barely afford it myself but I travel anyways because I only have one life to live and determined to enjoy my life. Also, correct me if I'm wrong but don't you live in Orlando? It is way more cheaper for someone in the Orlando area to fly coach to NYC, Bahamas, Caribbean, etc. than for someone on the West Coast to visit these same locales.

[annerk]

Originally Posted by Chatteress

Then you are a business traveler then who flies frequently that you accumulate miles faster than the average traveler and can benefit from frequent mileage programs. The average traveler travels much more infrequently.

I am a busienss traveler, however I also fly about once a month for personal/family reasons. I go for a long weekend to an area that's 1200 miles from my home, atwo days driving each way.

[Chatteress]

Originally Posted by slackjaw

If you travel regularly on SW for business you'd get upgraded to where you end up in priority boarding and have your choice of good seats. Otherwise just pay $10 for early-bird.

I actually find SW less stressful for general boarding for a couple reasons:

1. With numerical order boarding there is no mosh pit for each boarding group

2. Without the bag charges less people feeling compelled to bring too much crap as carryon

[annerk]

Originally Posted by Chatteress

No ... I am not assuming anything ... I'm just pointing out a perk of driving versus flying because you stated that flying is often cheaper than driving. Obviously, since the planes are pretty packed, driving is not practical for many folks due to time restraints and other considerations. I don't even HAVE the option of driving as I don't even have a driver's license so flying is my only option if I need to get to another state, etc.

As long as I buy the ticket in advance, it costs me less to fly to see my mother 1200 miles away than it would to drive given the cost of gas and tolls. That doesn't include an oil change at the end of the trip and wear and tear on my car.

[slackjaw]

Originally Posted by Chatteress

I'm not as well versed on plane configurations but I do know that I tend to feel more squished when I fly Delta and American versus Southwest. Maybe it's the way the seats are configured ... I dunno ...

Nah you aren't crazy, Annerk is feeding you some false info that 737 seat pitch are all 32 inches.

Southwest 32-33"
Delta 31-32"
American 31", or 31-32"
(United no 737)

An inch or two might not seem like a lot but can make a difference in how squeezed you feel.


Source:
Southwest Airlines: Best Seats - SeatGuru
Delta Air Lines: Best Seats - SeatGuru
American Airlines: Best Seats - SeatGuru
United Airlines: Best Seats - SeatGuru

[annerk]

Originally Posted by slackjaw

If you travel regularly on SW for business you'd get upgraded to where you end up in priority boarding and have your choice of good seats. Otherwise just pay $10 for early-bird.

Or pay nothing extra and get a first class seat and no checked baggage fees on other carriers. Hmm, as a regular busienss traveler, which makes more sense...

[Chatteress]

Originally Posted by PacificFlights

So take the bus!

Airline tickets are cheap, very cheap, and you are getting exactly what you pay for. You want a Rolex watch at Walmart prices, Get real!

As for the expense and not being able to afford it, that;s your problem because you have low income and high expenses. If you made a lot of money and had little expenses, you probably wouldn;t be complaining about the price.

You may think you desreve more for the price your paying but the airline is actually giving you more service than your ticket pays for. The fact that you personally don;t make enough money to afford the better service available (first - Business - premium class) doen;t mean the airline owes you that service. You are getting the level of service for the what your paying.

Boy ... This post is certainly full of assumptions ... Where should we begin?

1. I'm not asking for a "Rolex" watch at Walmart prices! I flew first-class once on American and frankly, not impressed with first-class and think it is a waste of money. Oh, I forgot, I also flew first-class on American Eagle and my seat was right across from the surly flight attendant AND there was a opened can of V-8 juice left in the pocket of the seat in front of me. I'm happy with coach but things could be improved with the level of service such as:

- Rude service: Why should someone who flies economy have to endure being treated as if they don't deserve courteous treatment? I've paid as much as $600 for a coach ticket and that isn't chump change so why treat me as if I am less than another passenger who may have gotten their first-class seat because they are a family member of an employee who barely anything for their ticket!
- Inflexible cancellation policies
- Plane configurations: This isn't my issue but for those who are tall, the average coach seat doesn't allow sufficient leg room. Not every tall traveler can afford the higher cost first-class seat.

2. I am not "low-income" but considered middle class. My monthly expenses are under $2,000 and don't have car payments. Any extra money goes towards savings and an occasional splurge. I am also not wealthy where I can just spend several hundred dollars without batting an eyelash. As a smart consumer, I believe in getting good value for my dollar and frankly, air travel could be cheaper.

3. The bus/train takes more time than driving to a destination. Neither bus/train/driving is an option as I don't have the luxury of time.

[slackjaw]

Originally Posted by annerk

Or pay nothing extra and get a first class seat and no checked baggage fees on other carriers. Hmm, as a regular busienss traveler, which makes more sense...

Now you are changing the context. You were specifically dismissing Southwest because:

"to check in so I don't end up sandwiched in the middle seat of the last row between a lady with a 40 pound lap baby and a sumo wrestler?"

That doesn't make sense as it isn't a valid concern for a regular business traveler on Southwest, that is what I was pointing out. I'm not saying Southwest is best for you, or that you don't have other business traveler advantages on another airline, but your quoted argument above against Southwest isn't really one at all.

[Chatteress]

Originally Posted by annerk

I am a busienss traveler, however I also fly about once a month for personal/family reasons. I go for a long weekend to an area that's 1200 miles from my home, atwo days driving each way.

That's good that you have that option ... Since you fly so often for business/pleasure, you must have a lot of frequent flyer miles and perhaps, tax write offs for the business travel. As an infrequent flyer, I don't have either perk.