Column on Low-Fare airline tickets

[sweptback]

I am also about tired with TSA. The hassle they give crewmembers has really got to stop. So many times I have had problems with them over foolish things. Not only do airlines lose money to them, but our companies also pay for their "fine" services. I see no difference in TSA from the pre-9/11 security services aside from selective screening. Did I mention that the TSA employees are fighting for FREE airline privledges? have you ever had one on YOUR plane. They are completely obnoxious and without respect for authority. They have even "flashed" their badge to me. I will deny them access. MUHAHAHAHA

I have heard that there was a proposal to allow TSA jumpseat use via the CASS or something (although I assume the equivalent of a VP, not the rank & file), but I haven't heard anything about travel priveliges otherwise. Any links or more info?

I agree, the TSA has no reason to have even an ID75.

 

[atrdriver]

Just a thought, but what would happen if the majors withdrew the ability of people to buy tickets on the discount sites on the internet? If they all did this, the LCC's wouldn't take over, simply because they don't fly to most markets, that's not their business model. It is frustrating to have a full plane that is losing money because half the people got their tickets through priceline for $25. Seems to me that it would make a lot more sense to have a 50% load factor of real fares than a 100% load factor with money losing fares.

 

[Afixedwing]

Well said my friend, I completely agree with all of your statements.

Well, I can't take credit for these statements, they are not mine. Perhaps I wasn't clear about my post being a column that I simply copied and pasted (I left the copyright info at the bottom).

But my feeling about regulation is that while the government shouldn't have absolute control over routes and pricing, It should be illegal for an airline to sell seats for less than they cost (for the sake of gaining market share). Airlines should be competing on the basis of service and value, not price.

afw

 

[spitfire1940]

and too many pilots

If there are too many pax paying too little for tickets, then from the perspective of a pilot looking for a livable wage, there are too many pilots willing to work for nothing in the hope of someday, by and by, getting some o dat pie in the sky.

So why not limit the number of pilots and pay those who remain a decent wage? Let's say FOs at regionals such as ASA, Chautauqua, PSA, etc., would start at $35,000, which isn't much for regular white collar work.

Here are the new minimums to restrict the pilot pool:
1) Must have a minimum of 1,500 hours and ATP
2) Must have a four-year degree
3) Must have a spouse ... special consideration for pilot applicants with kids!

Wow, I haven't had an idea this crazy since the last time I drank a 12-pack at lunch ...

 

[PlanetK]

"But my feeling about regulation is that while the government shouldn't have absolute control over routes and pricing, It should be illegal for an airline to sell seats for less than they cost (for the sake of gaining market share). Airlines should be competing on the basis of service and value, not price."

Amen, brother! Just think, if that were the case all those starts-ups over the years would not have been crushed by the likes of AA, UA, DL, etc.

But seriously, are you proposing legislation to solve this? You still have the issue or lower cost airlines being able to charge less (and make a profit) than the legacies. For the mass majority of Americans, price is the number one issue when shopping for travel, hence WN carries more domestic pax than anyone else. basically my take on this is that the market is fixing the problems by forcing the legacies to become more efficient - and soon they won't have to charge less than their costs.