HEMI6point1
Nitro Member
Basically, it's all a wash. I would rather have an airline show me an out the door price than show me a low price than pile on the fees, surcharges etc later....
Airfares are getting Ridiculous!!!! (2 Viewers)
- Thread starter Toejam
- Start date
Basically, it's all a wash. I would rather have an airline show me an out the door price than show me a low price than pile on the fees, surcharges etc later....
none
Nitro Member
Jack,
All that does is change the advertised price. You used to look at the add and just figure another $50. But the prices are nuts right now. I used to be able to fly most places for $300 total price. This year I'm thrilled if I find a ticket under $450.
They are WAY up from a year ago.
Alan
vegasnitro
Nitro Member
Told you it was cheaper LOL.
Speaking of airlines and ridiculous fees like Spirit ... NEVER fly Hawaiian Air. HO-LEE SH!T. Checking bags? 1st bag $25 second bag $35 ... more than 1 carry on ... $15 for the second item and it cannot weigh more than 25 pounds or they will make you check it. Only water, coffee and tea were free once on board ... Cokes $3, beer/wine $7, cocktails $10. There are LCDs in the headrests ... wanna play the games $6.99 ... watch TV $8.99 ... get a movie $12.99. Want a snack? Candy Bars $3 on up to a full meal for $15. It is a 6 hour flight, they are going to get you somehow. AND the Honolulu Airport SUCKS. My flight back to Vegas was the overnight leaving at 1030pm ... got to the airport at 9pm, just in time for everything to close ... including the bar. There was one vending machine that was out of everything that anybody would want ...
BaldyLochs
Nitro Member
Chicago, Atlanta, Minneapolis, Milwaukee, BWI.... are all heavy competition markets, so you'll see really low fares usually. Try to go on off-peak days. Keep monitoring each air carrier's websites, because as someone else said, they do fluctuate, sometimes 3 or 4 times within an hour. Expedia is a convenient way to gauge the overall fares for a particular route; then go look at Southwest & Spirit; they're ALL usually all right in line with each other though. Some airlines run web-only specials and sales too. You gotta really do your research.
The Swegian
Nitro Member
Minneapolis is not a heavy competition market. Delta dominates the airport and flying out of MSP typically ranks in the top 15% of highest fares in the country since Delta merged with Northwest. Spirit was recently introduced going into the MSP market, and while their fares initially look lower, they nickel and dime you for everything so much that you're really not saving anything. Southwest is a good alternative pricewise out of MSP. The only thing I don't care for about them is unless you're only flying to Chicago, St. Louis, or Denver, plan on stopping in one of those cities.
Airlines operate on razor thin margins (roughly 6% pretax). 1/3 of their costs are fuel, 1/3 are labor (largely unionized), and the barriers to entry are nil. It is a tough business. The "good ole days" pricing you recall aren't enough to stay in business. So as the business consolidates (Continental, Northwest, AmericaWest all gone) the operators are "smarter" about their pricing. Relatively remote (and non-competitive) markets get high pricing that helps shave the losses in competitive markets.
Some carriers are notorious about cutting losses by cancelling less than full flights ... I really try to avoid even booking those carriers. I received way too many calls at 3am indicating that my 8am flight has "mechanical problems."
On the whole airlines give us a pretty good deal, but if you want to save your money (and your time is of little value) Orbitz, Priceline, etc. will help you. Living in a hub city like Houston, I refuse to take connecting flights within the U.S. and just work harder to pay the freight.
Refining "crack spreads" have gone haywire since 9/11/01 (blame this on the banking industry if you know how the markets work) and interestingly this recently drove Delta Airlines to buy a refinery that had been shut down by ConocoPhillips (oil companies don't operate on razor thin margins ... again, thank the bankers). This allows Delta to save the un-hedge-able portion of fuel costs (e.g. you can hedge crude oil, but except in the winter you can't hedge anything equivalent to jet fuel).
We ran a divisional last weekend. Diesel bill was about $600, entry fee $220, maybe $150 on some great cajun cooking .... once your big capital assets are paid for, most of the cost of incremental racing is FUEL!
Some carriers are notorious about cutting losses by cancelling less than full flights ... I really try to avoid even booking those carriers. I received way too many calls at 3am indicating that my 8am flight has "mechanical problems."
On the whole airlines give us a pretty good deal, but if you want to save your money (and your time is of little value) Orbitz, Priceline, etc. will help you. Living in a hub city like Houston, I refuse to take connecting flights within the U.S. and just work harder to pay the freight.
Refining "crack spreads" have gone haywire since 9/11/01 (blame this on the banking industry if you know how the markets work) and interestingly this recently drove Delta Airlines to buy a refinery that had been shut down by ConocoPhillips (oil companies don't operate on razor thin margins ... again, thank the bankers). This allows Delta to save the un-hedge-able portion of fuel costs (e.g. you can hedge crude oil, but except in the winter you can't hedge anything equivalent to jet fuel).
We ran a divisional last weekend. Diesel bill was about $600, entry fee $220, maybe $150 on some great cajun cooking .... once your big capital assets are paid for, most of the cost of incremental racing is FUEL!
Hey Robert, where you been?? As for Deregulation, for my HS graduation present my parents flew me out to Los Angeles to visit relatives and Go to Magic Mountain, Knotts Berry farm, etc....my airfare was $235! In 1978 that had to be what $600 in today's dollars???
HEMI6point1
Nitro Member
That isn't always a good thing. Remember what happened to the housing industry?
Sometimes it's a GOOD thing to have a leash around a company's neck.Jeff, in years' past I would have agreed with you! But these days most carriers are charging for everything but using the Head anymore! American charges $25 for each checked bag, even if it's under 20 lbs!
I was looking into flying from Charlotte, NC to Canton, OH on US Scare.
Thought it would be an cheap trip, since I've flown from Phoenix via Charlotte to Canton. Guess what? It cost $177 to fly from PHX to CAK through Charlotte or $177 to fly from Charlotte to Canton. WTF I guess the trip from Phoenix to Charlotte is free. LOL
Thought it would be an cheap trip, since I've flown from Phoenix via Charlotte to Canton. Guess what? It cost $177 to fly from PHX to CAK through Charlotte or $177 to fly from Charlotte to Canton. WTF I guess the trip from Phoenix to Charlotte is free. LOL
Jim
Nitro Member
DON'T give em any ideas Joe. Next thing you know they will put meters on the bathroom doors.
I'm flying Bos to Chi O'Hare next weekend for the Red Sox-Cubs interleague series. We got R/T for $285 last Nov. A friend of mine had an extra upgrade he wasn't going to use and just upgraded me to first class. I'll make sure I take advantage of it
DON'T give em any ideas Joe. Next thing you know they will put meters on the bathroom doors.
I'm flying Bos to Chi O'Hare next weekend for the Red Sox-Cubs interleague series. We got R/T for $285 last Nov. A friend of mine had an extra upgrade he wasn't going to use and just upgraded me to first class. I'll make sure I take advantage of it
Love Wrigley Field, been there twice!
DrRocket
Nitro Member
Don't laugh too hard. Ryanair announced about 2 years so they were going to do this very thing. I don't think they ever followed through on it, but they thought about it.
If an airline exec told me they've never at least considered it, I'd call them a liar right to their faces.
Jim
Nitro Member
I was there in 05 for a Red Sox-Cubs game. Happened to be the same weekend as Joliet. Guess where I spent Saturday? Got to meet Big Zappy that weekend too.
Jimbo
Nitro Member
I agree airfares are really getting crazy.
Some airlines seem to have a lock on certain airports which makes it hard to find another airline who is willing and able to rent space for their terminal which jacks the fares through the roof.
I am thinking of Dallas/ Rt. Worth where American Airlines seem to be the only game in town unless you are willing to make a few stops at other airports before you get there.
Even trying to flight into Love Field in Dallas means stopping at other airports first because of some old rule or law and you must be on a plane with I think it's 56 seats of less in order to land there.
Flying is not a fun experience anymore.
Jimbo
Some airlines seem to have a lock on certain airports which makes it hard to find another airline who is willing and able to rent space for their terminal which jacks the fares through the roof.
I am thinking of Dallas/ Rt. Worth where American Airlines seem to be the only game in town unless you are willing to make a few stops at other airports before you get there.
Even trying to flight into Love Field in Dallas means stopping at other airports first because of some old rule or law and you must be on a plane with I think it's 56 seats of less in order to land there.
Flying is not a fun experience anymore.
Jimbo
SundayNiagara
Nitro Member
Welcome Jim!
Joe- Southwest is having a sale for the next 3 days. I just booked my flight for Maple Grove for $275.
Joker
Nitro Member
You beat me to it. This is the 3 day sale I was telling you about Joe they have every year. They are even a little more expensive this year than in the past but still cheap compared to what they are currently going for without the sale. And buy today bc the price will go up as the plane gets full, just fyi.
