Andy, my definition of value is not exclusively measured in dollars.
Lets see... airline travel is anything but low-cost these days. Clearly, if something comes up or changes, you get gouged in fees. Taking a bag? Pay a fee... Want different time? Pay a fee. Want a stale airline sandwich? Pay a fee. About the only thing that's 'free' or included in the price is the attitude of airline employees.
I loaded up my kids and made a Spring Break trip in our plane from Texas to California and back... on our time. Made several changes along the way because we could and had an awesome time. Cost? Fuel, oil, parking, maintenance reserve came out slightly less than buying tickets on SWA for all of us - thank you Foreflight.
Not standing in lines - priceless. Not dealing with TSA Barney Fife - priceless. Not catching attitudes from cranky airline employees - priceless. Traveling on our time and not airline's - priceless.
As I said - different definition of value. I own a plane because I can. I enjoy the ownership and utilize it. I don't like dealing with traffic and driving 2-3 hours if I can fly the same distance in 20 minutes. Time has value to me, so does the convenience.
Airlines have chased away the business traveler and premium passengers by catering to and focusing on the lowest dollar. Note the explosion of the business jet industry in the same time frame. Some things just can't be put on the spreadsheet. That's why foreign airlines are leaving US airlines in the dust. Someone on a different thread said it perfectly: to a US airline, a customer is a necessary annoyance. To a foreign airline, the customer is everything. Sadly, it shows, and that's unfortunate.
These fees should all be included in your out-the-door fare when you buy your ticket. Getting hit with various fees at the airport simply adds to the annoyance factor. Airline travel is no fun. People dread dealing with all the crap associated with airline travel. I know I do... and I'm not the only one.
Different priorities, different values....
