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Independence Air's Accidental Free Fares

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dojetdriver said:
Come on Slapnutz/Etoper, rear your UGLY head here. We're waiting (not really).

Ok....but I had nothing to do with this. However, when I read the next press release by Indy boasting their load factor.....well you get the point.
 
Rogue5 said:
Independence Air's Accidental Free Fares
By Keith L. Alexander

Washington Post Staff Writer
Thursday, October 13, 2005; Page D04

Independence Air kicked off a fare sale this week, with seats as low as $49.

Some travelers did even better than that.

Because of a computer glitch Monday evening, customers grabbed nearly 100 tickets to any of Independence Air's 46 destinations on its Web site for $0.

The accidental giveaway lasted only an hour before the airline's executives realized the mistake. "Nothing like this has ever happened before," said Independence spokesman Rick DeLisi.

The airline said it would honor the tickets sold.

The glitch occurred as Dulles-based Independence pricing executives were loading the fare sale.

Independence Air and its parent, Flyi Inc., have been struggling under high fuel prices and increased competition. Wall Street analysts have speculated for months that the airline may be forced to file for bankruptcy protection.

Last month, the airline announced plans to cut about 600 of its 3,400 workers. It also announced plans to eliminate longer-haul destinations including Cleveland, Louisville, Indianapolis, San Francisco, San Diego, Seattle and Los Angeles.

Fast-moving travelers have swooped in on other airlines that offered inaccurate prices online. In April, US Airways -- while operating under bankruptcy protection -- set off a buying frenzy when it sold round-trip tickets for $1.86 to eight cities. Nearly 1,000 of the tickets were sold. Also that month, travelers snatched up $51 fares on Travelocity between Los Angeles and Fiji.

How does FLYI make money? Easy--VOLUME!
 
MickeySlapnutz said:
Ok....but I had nothing to do with this. However, when I read the next press release by Indy boasting their load factor.....well you get the point.

Ah, you were finally able to put down your pension garauntee fund paperwork and figuring out how you are going to get by on less than what you hoped and able to check flightinfo today.

Good job.
 
ClubORD said:
Did you happen to see what JetBlue is charging NYC-BOS?

yeah. I saw it on another thread. These fares beat the cost of driving any day.

It also trains the flying public and gives them the impression that flying can be done at these ridiculously low rates, which really isnt true. It's unfair to all that contribute to get the plane from here to there. When the public sees these fares they assume that it can be done profitably at these rates. When it's not, they think to seem its unfair. All of this seem to stem from the cut throat competition. Every other industry finds ways to increase profits by increasing the price of things. I can't see why flying should be perceived as a cheap service. I also don't understand how these large carriers that are in BKRPTCY can be so far in the red. Who the hell is running the corp. Its like some fiscally irresponsible teenager with a credit card.

Flying is a risky business and should be viewed with higher compensation. It's kind of like those laser eye surgeries. On the subway, I see these ads where one doctor will beat the other. LOW LOW prices on cutting the skin on your eye. 7000 an eye here 300 there. Down payments, no financing etc. I sure as hell would want to pay a little more to get it done right. Somehow maybe if the doc is making more, he'll be a little more careful.

Low fares = low class = lack of etiquette

It's a zoo at some airports.
 
Rogue5 said:
The accidental giveaway lasted only an hour before the airline's executives realized the mistake. "Nothing like this has ever happened before," said Independence spokesman Rick DeLisi.

"...but we've conducted an internal audit and discovered that the glitch was a directly related high fuel and labor costs. We are fortunate that our competent management team caught the error early to minimize its impact on our operation."
 
I refuse to believe that any airline has done this by accident.

Think about it. 100 tickets that should have been priced at 49 dollars. $4900, and what do they get for that, they got an incrediable amount of free GOOD press about the airline. This was printed in countless newspapers throughout the country and on countless web sites. Great marketing in my opinion as long it is not done many times.

UsAir, Independence, and countless others have had this "problem".
 
They got free press on "The Amazing Race" the other day. Many of the teams flew on Indy down to Greensboro or somewhere. They even showed one of their planes taking off!
 
Lets get us a pilots organization, buy up all the tickets period. Then we start our own website and resell them.... at a decent markup.
Kind of like those guys that corner the market on lotto tickets and clean up.

this would drive prices up to where they should be....and pilots would finally get paid what they deserve through the markup. Wonder what kind of $$ outlay we would need each day!

never mind me, I am three sheets to the wind.
 

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