I don't get airlines and their rates.

Alex H.

Alex H.

Moderator
Staff member
I just got booked for a project in February. The drive from Knoxville to Cincinnati is about three hours, and the client is paying mileage or airfare. We calculated what the mileage would be, and have agreed on a quote of maximum $300 for travel, either way.

Truth be told, I'd rather not drive this one.

So I went to Delta's website to see what airfare was right now, months in advance. Someone please 'splain this to me:

Round trip airfare, Knoxville to Cincinnati, is $919.

However, round trip airfare from Knoxville to San Francisco, on the same dates, is $587. Connection is in Cincinnati... on the same flights.

And yes, I've already thought about getting the SFO tickets and simply exiting the airport in Cinci (I can take all I need for this one as carry-on if I have to). Might work on the flight up, but if I don't check in at the San Francisco airport on the way back, I think I'll lose my seat in Cinci.

Looks like I'm driving.
 
Yeah, the airline business is ridiculous. Prices are insane and many people can't afford to fly anywhere. I have had several opportunities present themselves but I can't get to the locations due to this issue.
 
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C2V said:
Might work on the flight up, but if I don't check in at the San Francisco airport on the way back, I think I'll lose my seat in Cinci.
Click to expand...

You're absolutely right.
I had a situation somewhat similar recently - and was told there was no way to use only one leg of a trip like that. As soon as you don't check in you'll be bumped off all connecting flights.
 
Between the outrageous rates, the high price they charge you for what used to be free peanuts and pillow, the long wait to get to the gate to wait for your flight that is not on time, and just the general way they make you feel like a piece of human scum... I'll take Greyhound every time. I haven't been on a plane since the late 80's, and it wasn't nearly as bad back then. More people need to stand up and say Piss Off!
 
It would cost me a fraction of those prices to drive 1000 miles instead of flying it. Thats assuming gas was $4 even and based on my cars MPG minus a few for good measure. It would cost me like 37 Gallons of gas to travel 1000 miles, @ $4 a gallon thats only $148 bucks. If it took longer to drive, I would be up for it....especially with those airline prices. I'm going to VA in Mid-November and I hate flying.

I feel bad for those in big trucks...lol. My little Toyota Camry cost me barely anything per month, even at $6 a gallon I would be fine, even at $10.
 
I drove 12 hours for a shoot outside of Atlanta. My PT Cruiser has a 12 gallon tank, gets around 300 mile per full tank, and it is much more pleasant than any airline.
 
I was once traveling from New York to Toronto then to Tampa and then back to New York. The flight from New York to Toronto was $200 for coach. From Toronto to Tampa was $80 First Class, and then from Tampa to New York was $70 economy. Made absolutely no sense.

Also, I once flew business class to Israel for $300 on Al Italia. The woman sat next to me paid 4,000. Why? I have no idea.
 
Also, I will add price fluctuates by the minute. You can search a site like orbitz at 2:10 and get a price of 1500 for a flight then hit refresh a second later and that same flight is now 3,000. Wait a few minutes and refresh again and it may be 1200. The systems are so screwed up today.

I now find myself searching for flights months in advance but not actually buying. I am searching just to gauge what the cheapest price I see that way when I get closer to the actually date I just buy anything at or lower than the cheapest ticket. It hasn't failed me yet. Have always managed to get the cheapest possible price.
 
Yeah, I guess in the long run it'll work in my favor to drive. You make money on mileage, and the only baggage restrictions are on the capacity of your vehicle.

I'm not driving the most efficient vehicle out there... Dodge Grand Caravan. I get about 22mpg with a 17 gallon tank. At $3.50 a gallon, I'm spending about 16 cents per mile. Mileage pays 58 cents per mile. Not bad.
 
Yeah, the airlines are crazy. I booked a ticked to South america and had a ticket to route to another country before heading home.

In short, I only needed a one way.

A one way ticket cost about 4 grand. A return ticket only cost 900 bucks. Does that make sense?

Worse, it is cheaper for me to fly from Toronto to Paris than it is for me to fly from Toronto to Calgary.

Again, makes NO sense.

I hate airline logic.
 
I consider airline pricing to be a form of price gouging. Let's not even get into their excuse for overselling flights aka selling you flights without assigning you a seat. They of course say its about "fares" and supply and demand, and these days its also about costs. DL might charge you that much because from HSV to CVG its more than likely an Regional Jet which costs more to operate. Whereas HSV to SFO regardless of connection is for the most part cheaper per seat on a 757 or MD80. Airlines are full of it when they say business is bad, when infact properly managed airlines are turning profits. Like Southwest which you could check out. First place you should always check out is www.kayak.com

With that said, I worked for an airline for 5 years while going to college. Let me tell you it is by far the best "job" you can have. The pay sucks, the schedules suck, the work conditions suck, but they lure you in with free flights. You and your family fly standby anywhere! $7,000 one way business class with 3 course meals and fully reclining seats to europe for free! You'll feel like a million bucks even though you only make $8/hour :(

/threadjack
 
I don't want to come into this thread defending the airlines... but it's a little more complicated then it's being made out to be in this thread.

Flights are oversold based on the estimated cancelation and missed flight numbers, to best plan for a full aircraft. Seats cost more for some passengers then others because there's a price structure that you're buying into... that applies to every leg of the flight... and there are sometimes odd-ball situations like this that don't make any sense (OK, plenty of them)... but the thing that hasn't been said in this thread yet, is that any airline makes it's money on the last 30% capacity of the aircraft. I realize that this explanation doesn't make sense to the OP, but in this case the goofy connection isn't what Delta is looking at... it's whatever pricing they are competing with in that route (or NOT competing with)... i.e. you have to make your money where you can... and in this case it sucks, but apparently they have little competition in that route.

The best time to buy a ticket is on sale... but too far in advance or too close to the flight day, is usually not a good time. If it was a simple case of per-seat pricing under a simple structure then every flight would have a guaranteed point of empty seats, or unprofitable seats.

Southwest is definitely the best run airline... and I think more airlines will evolve towards their model... but a regional jet isn't MORE expensive to maintain and operate then a larger jet... It's way way less to fly and maintain. It just happens that Southwest made some good decisions early on... ALL their jets are 737s... a nice size jet that can serve beyond regional, but not really a coast to coast flyer. This system makes it easy to sub planes if one is down for maintenance, etc.

Back in 2000 I was working on a commercial pilot's license and we flew night charters in a 310... that was a 4 position aircraft, flown with 2 guys and some lightweight cargo... in a multi-stop flight of only 500 or so miles we burned 106 gallons per night... the jets are probably burning 10x that... plus everything else.

Based on current fuel prices (as well as the cost of everything else) I think you're kidding yourself if you don't think the airlines are hurting... or maybe you can ask my 8 or so friends who had fantastic airline jobs... and have never been back to them since 9/11.
 
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have been seing better rates recently. Los Angeles to london $900 Virgin Atlantic. Los Angeles to PA for $350 via Delta. Los Angeles to Vermont for $295 via US Airways.
 
What Matt says is true. This is why we see so many airline companies going under, they are putting a lot of money out and not getting it back (due to a number of reasons, including people's inability to pay). I read an article not too long ago about one company (I think American) flying their planes a bit slower, only adding a few minutes to the trip, but saving a TON of money in fuel. That's great and all, but they should also pass that savings onto the consumer.
 
I wasn't a pilot for TWA... but that's what got me started in that direction when I worked for them... because a bunch of my friends showed me a great way to get there... now NONE of us work there, because TWA is gone... plus... most of us (not me) went to American... where they were quickly dropped because of no seniority... even though they were qualified to fly the best jets... and, as I was saying... they've never been called back since... not in 7+ years.

I get the thread... but I'm just saying there's a little more to it then page 1 implies.

I agree that SouthWest kicks ass. Recently I flew US Airways and I was stunned at the nickel and dime crap on every last detail... it made a very strong negative impression.
 
I believe one of the key reasons Southwest is profitable today is because they locked in fuel costs on a multi-year contract several years ago when the price was low. In essence they bet that fuel prices would rise and they were right. So while everyone else is struggling with fuel prices Southwest is coasting because they are paying much lower fuel prices.

Airlines are definately struggling but from a consumer standpoint you really have to be on the look out because pricing fluctuates wildly.
 
Knoxville to Cincy is a pleasant drive. :) Besides, it would almost take you as long to fly considering going to the airport, waiting at the airport, boarding, waiting to take off, landing, waiting on a cab, driving into Cincy (the Cincy airport is in KY), etc., etc. -- for a short drive like that, I wouldn't even consider flying.

But them, I'm not you. :)
 
Capt Quirk said:
Between the outrageous rates, the high price they charge you for what used to be free peanuts and pillow, the long wait to get to the gate to wait for your flight that is not on time, and just the general way they make you feel like a piece of human scum... I'll take Greyhound every time. I haven't been on a plane since the late 80's, and it wasn't nearly as bad back then. More people need to stand up and say Piss Off!
Click to expand...

You prefer Greyhound!?!?!? I've always found it to be like traveling by air...but taking ten times longer and with smellier people who will sometimes decapitate you for no reason.
 
Batutta said:
You prefer Greyhound!?!?!? I've always found it to be like traveling by air...but taking ten times longer and with smellier people who will sometimes decapitate you for no reason.
Click to expand...
I'd rather deal with a nut wielding a knife, than a Stewardess with a superiority complex any day.
 
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