Pillows? Not on US

[HAZ-MAT]

August 11, 2008, 11:59 am
US Airways to Take Blankets Off Flights

Posted by Matt Phillips

[FONT=Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif]This is living.
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Word is ricocheting around the Web about US Airways’ plan to yank blankets off its flights. Citing an Aug. 7 newsletter from the carrier, USA Today’s “Today in the Sky” blog quotes Sherri Shamblin, the carrier’s vice president of in-flight services, as saying the carrier is “going to take pillows and blankets off the aircraft. We’re looking at selling a combo pillow and blanket pack onboard. We’re down to three potential vendors and are getting really close to a decision, probably sometime during the fourth quarter. We don’t want to take the current product off until we can offer something as a replacement.”
US Airways isn’t alone in its pursuit of snuggly revenue. It was only last week when JetBlue started charging $7 for its own pillow-and-blanket packet on flights. But judging from some of the comments on our earlier post on US Airways’ move to begin charging flyers $2 for bottled water, the carrier seems to have rubbed some flyers the wrong way. Also, last week Time Magazine essentially called US Airways the “stingiest,” in an item recounting the myriad fees on flyers. What do you think? Is US Airways catching an unjust amount of flack for fees? Any ideas why?

 

[Tweaker]

"THOSE AREN'T PILLOWS!"
J. Candy and S. Martin - Trains, Planes and Automobiles

 

[Whataburger]

I heard that USair is gonna just put rails along the overhead bins to hold on to, but for $50 you can buy a seat as you walk down the jetway. True?

 

[dugan jones]

I heard that USair is gonna just put rails along the overhead bins to hold on to, but for $50 you can buy a seat as you walk down the jetway. True?

I heard that Southwest was gonna make it that you didn't have to pay for your job. True?

 

[Whataburger]

I heard that Southwest was gonna make it that you didn't have to pay for your job. True?

Not true sorry. You'll still have to pay for your type, after your offered a chance at the job. However, you will pay nothing if you had the chance to scoop the type up at a previous employeer.
You picked the wrong dog for this fight. I think that mgmt's motivation behind employees having the type is brilliant. I just think they should change it back to needing a type to apply.
I did have to put $.50 in the lav door to use the pisser on a USair flight the other day.

 

[johnsonrod]

Let me get this straight. No pillows. No free drinks or pretzels/peanuts. Flight crews who hate each other. Limited frequent flier miles usage. Yeah, I can see why passengers will want to fly USAirways when given a choice in a competitive market... The standards continue to plummet.

But wait, I've saved up $7 in dimes to buy a funky pillow (and get a gift certificate from BB&B)!!!!! Whoops, wrong airline.

 

[McNugget]

Let me get this straight. No pillows. No free drinks or pretzels/peanuts. Flight crews who hate each other. Limited frequent flier miles usage. Yeah, I can see why passengers will want to fly USAirways when given a choice in a competitive market... The standards continue to plummet.

But wait, I've saved up $7 in dimes to buy a funky pillow (and get a gift certificate from BB&B)!!!!! Whoops, wrong airline.

I hear ya! Who will die 1st? United or US Air?

 

[eatme]

Let me get this straight. No pillows. No free drinks or pretzels/peanuts. Flight crews who hate each other. Limited frequent flier miles usage. Yeah, I can see why passengers will want to fly USAirways when given a choice in a competitive market... The standards continue to plummet.

But wait, I've saved up $7 in dimes to buy a funky pillow (and get a gift certificate from BB&B)!!!!! Whoops, wrong airline.

That stuff is overrated anyway.

 

[UALjan15]

I hear ya! Who will die 1st? United or US Air?

I've got a dog in BOTH of those fights! I can't lose! I mean win! How the heck did I get here, anyway...it seemed like such a bright future 8 years ago.

 

[9rj9]

lowest fare

Doesn't matter what you charge for a bag, pillow, bottle of water, Americans will still buy the cheapest ticket period. They will happily pony up 5 dollars at starbucks for a coffee/muffin in the terminal then complain about the airlines charging them for anything. Its the new standard, the bag fee for the first bag was a brilliant move, American will make millions off it.

 

[On Your Six]

Doesn't matter what you charge for a bag, pillow, bottle of water, Americans will still buy the cheapest ticket period. They will happily pony up 5 dollars at starbucks for a coffee/muffin in the terminal then complain about the airlines charging them for anything. Its the new standard, the bag fee for the first bag was a brilliant move, American will make millions off it.

Yeah, and that's a great market to be in - always competing to provide the lowest airfare. Margins erode to zilch.

As USAirways' standards and reputation continue to sink, Southwest (which now provides "luxury" service in comparison) is going to beat it to a pulp on competing routes. I know people who live in Phoenix who do anything possible to avoid flying USAirways now. SWA will benefit tremendously from USAirways' lowering standards.

 

[Amish RakeFight]

You can thank the proliferation of LLC's around Europe who began to implement this practice.

 

[Mamma]

I can't for the life of me understand why anyone would want to use an airline pillow. I find them disgusting and would rather buy one like Jetblue is offering. Look at some of the folks piling on aircraft these days....fat, sweaty hairy guys wearing tank-tops (Chuklehed) with dandruff flakes. I saw this chick from India on an international flight with an oozing head wound...the goop was oozing out and creating strands from her head to the seat. Yuk. Would you go to a hotel and use the same pillow someone else used prior to your stay?

 

[rajflyboy]

Yeah, and that's a great market to be in - always competing to provide the lowest airfare. Margins erode to zilch.

As USAirways' standards and reputation continue to sink, Southwest (which now provides "luxury" service in comparison) is going to beat it to a pulp on competing routes. I know people who live in Phoenix who do anything possible to avoid flying USAirways now. SWA will benefit tremendously from USAirways' lowering standards.

USAIR has assigned seats and first class. USAIR also goes to LGA, EWR. SWA doesn't.

USAIR has nothing to worry about. SWA is the true discount carrier. Just look at the pax on their airplanes.

 

[rajflyboy]

I can't for the life of me understand why anyone would want to use an airline pillow. I find them disgusting and would rather buy one like Jetblue is offering. Look at some of the folks piling on aircraft these days....fat, sweaty hairy guys wearing tank-tops (Chuklehed) with dandruff flakes. I saw this chick from India on an international flight with an oozing head wound...the goop was oozing out and creating strands from her head to the seat. Yuk. Would you go to a hotel and use the same pillow someone else used prior to your stay?

Very True