Flying Gets Rough on Regional Airlines

[jayme]

Huh, so ticket prices are based on the cost to run the flight? I always thought it was supply and demand. Stupid me.

 

[UHBlackhawk]

Huh, so ticket prices are based on the cost to run the flight? I always thought it was supply and demand. Stupid me.

I was responding to a question about cost to the airline, not supply and demand.
Fairs between large cities... say ATL and JFK are normally cheaper. Great amount of demand, but great supply as well. Large number of seats spread among a large number of "bidders". Fairs between smaller cities... say ATL and MYR will be more. Less supply. So if you want to fly, you will pay more for the seat since there are fewer seats.

 

[jayme]

Sounds like you agree: supply and demand set fares. ATL to MYR costs a lot because supply is tight compared to demand.

I'm not just responding to you. YPF was the first to mention that regional sized airplanes cost more operate than larger aircraft. He was grinding his axe by making the faulty argument that because regional aircraft cost more to operate, then the fares (which are set by the mainline partner) must be higher.

 

[wms]

I talked to a pax doing a short notice business trip from ATL to JAN. DAL wanted $1600 direct on an RJ. He ended up on USAir through CLT for $900. Unbelievable.

 

[flyer172r]

Huh, so ticket prices are based on the cost to run the flight? I always thought it was supply and demand. Stupid me.

I was beginning to think fares were based on what kind of deal expedia was running that day.

 

[YourPilotFriend]

Sounds like you agree: supply and demand set fares. ATL to MYR costs a lot because supply is tight compared to demand.

I'm not just responding to you. YPF was the first to mention that regional sized airplanes cost more operate than larger aircraft. He was grinding his axe by making the faulty argument that because regional aircraft cost more to operate, then the fares (which are set by the mainline partner) must be higher.

Huh???? The actual jet itself costs more to operate at a regional than it does to operate the EXACT SAME airplane at mainline.

 

[CA1900]

I talked to a pax doing a short notice business trip from ATL to JAN. DAL wanted $1600 direct on an RJ. He ended up on USAir through CLT for $900. Unbelievable.

Not really -- a nonstop flight has intrinsically more value than one that makes a connection. Is your time worth that price difference?

For a businessman closing a deal, absolutely. For an underpaid pilot taking a vacation, no. That $700 is worth a lot more to me than a few hours in Charlotte, so the latter is what I'd book. But it makes perfect sense for a nonstop to be priced higher than a connection.

 

[Stifler's Mom]

Not really -- a nonstop flight has intrinsically more value than one that makes a connection. Is your time worth that price difference?

For a businessman closing a deal, absolutely. For an underpaid pilot taking a vacation, no. That $700 is worth a lot more to me than a few hours in Charlotte, so the latter is what I'd book. But it makes perfect sense for a nonstop to be priced higher than a connection.

The jokes on the businessman anyways. In the end, that RJ flight (hmmm, wonder what airline?) for an extra $700 probably arrived 4 hours late, thus he could have saved that money and arrived at the same time as the CLT connection.

 

[CA1900]

:beer:

Beautiful! And very true.

 

[flyer172r]

Huh???? The actual jet itself costs more to operate at a regional than it does to operate the EXACT SAME airplane at mainline.

Not meant as flame (honestly) but where are you getting that info? I've never heard that before.