Yet another aviation thread.

Page 4 of 110<1234567>Last »
January 22nd, 2016 at 2:47:22 PM permalink
Pacomartin
Member since: Oct 24, 2012
Threads: 1068
Posts: 12569


Gives you an idea which airports you can fly nonstop from,
January 22nd, 2016 at 8:45:44 PM permalink
beachbumbabs
Member since: Sep 3, 2013
Threads: 6
Posts: 1600
Quote: Pacomartin

....
The Credit Card Surcharge is also technically optional, but you can only get out of it by paying in cash at above mentioned airline counters.

....


Kind of a damned-if-you-do charge. Paying cash for a flight is a TSA Red Flag for nefarious purposes. So is no checked luggage in many cases, another thing a lot of airlines are charging for that used to be free. But then, there you are, paying for the privilege of being suspected (Sept 11 fee). Starting to remind me of when Communist China would shoot dissidents in the head, then bill the family for the bullet.
Never doubt a small group of concerned citizens can change the world; it's the only thing ever has
January 23rd, 2016 at 2:12:57 AM permalink
Pacomartin
Member since: Oct 24, 2012
Threads: 1068
Posts: 12569
Quote: Nareed
That's what I mean. Those kinds of fees are ridiculous. It makes it look like gratuitously piling on of charges.


No kidding! Spirit Airlines has a Carrier Usage Charge, but at least in their case you can go to their counter at any airport and pay in cash to get the fee waived. They don't restrict it to a few hours per week at eight airports all located at common destinations as in the Allegiant Airlines.


==================== MON TUE WED THU FRI SAT SUN
Bellingham, WA (BLI) ====== CLOSED CLOSED 10AM–12PM 10AM–12PM CLOSED CLOSED 10AM–12PM
Fort Lauderdale, FL (FLL) === 1PM–3PM 9AM–11AM CLOSED CLOSED 1PM–3PM CLOSED CLOSED
Las Vegas, NV (LAS) ====== 9AM–11AM CLOSED CLOSED 9AM–11AM 9AM–11AM CLOSED CLOSED
Orlando / Sanford, FL (SFB) = CLOSED CLOSED 9AM–11AM 9AM–11AM 9AM–11AM CLOSED CLOSED
Phoenix / Mesa, AZ (IWA) == 6PM–9PM CLOSED CLOSED CLOSED CLOSED CLOSED 6PM–9PM
Fort Myers / Punta Gorda, FL (PGD) = 9AM–11AM CLOSED 10:30AM–12:30PM CLOSED 9AM–11AM CLOSED CLOSED
San Francisco / Oakland, CA (OAK) = 12PM-2PM CLOSED 4PM–6PM 8AM–10AM CLOSED CLOSED CLOSED
Tampa / St. Petersburg, FL (PIE) == 5PM–7PM CLOSED CLOSED CLOSED 5PM–7PM 2PM–4PM CLOSED


I think everyone saw the movie Airport in the 1970's where the desperate suicidal man pays for his one way ticket and life insurance money in small banknotes and coins and he leaves clutching a home made bomb.

------------------------------
Since December 2012, the SWISH mobile application introduced in Sweden has become hugely popular as a way to make person to person payments without any fee. You have to look at the website with Google Translate as it is in Swedish( https://www.getswish.se/ ). It has since been expanded as an alternative to credit cards and debit cards for paying at stores. The advantage over a debit card is you can instantly see the effect on your bank balance.

In the last 8 years, the Swedish central bank has removed almost $5 billion in currency from circulation almost completely eliminating the largest denomination banknote (now circulating at less than 1 banknote per capita).

114,324,000,000 SEK in 2007 = $13.2 billion
73,398,000,000 SEK in 2015 = $8.5 billion
4,198,000,000 SEK in 1000 SEK banknotes =$488 million (worth $116.32 per banknote) HIGHEST VALUE BANKNOTE
49,789,000,000 SEK in 500 SEK banknotes = $5.8 billion (worth $58.16 per banknote) BULK OF VALUE CURRENCY
January 23rd, 2016 at 6:40:19 AM permalink
Nareed
Member since: Oct 24, 2012
Threads: 346
Posts: 12545
Quote: Pacomartin
No kidding! Spirit Airlines has a Carrier Usage Charge, but at least in their case you can go to their counter at any airport and pay in cash to get the fee waived. They don't restrict it to a few hours per week at eight airports all located at common destinations as in the Allegiant Airlines.


I know how credit cards work and that the seller pays a fee for taking one. Naturally most sellers transfer the fee to the customer. But most other businesses simply include it in the price, or imply a discount if paying cash. For a long time, for issuance, both Sam's and Costco had differentiated cash and credit prices posted on all items. Airlines should do the same.
Donald Trump is a one-term LOSER
January 23rd, 2016 at 8:02:11 AM permalink
Pacomartin
Member since: Oct 24, 2012
Threads: 1068
Posts: 12569
Quote: Nareed
But most other businesses simply include it in the price, or imply a discount if paying cash. For a long time, for issuance, both Sam's and Costco had differentiated cash and credit prices posted on all items. Airlines should do the same.


I forgot that they will waive the fee for debit cards as well as cash. It's just a credit card fee.

But the surcharge to make a change in flight time is $75 per segment. But because everything is a tax or fee, the $75 is more than $72.47 for the airfare. So essentially what they are saying is that if you make a change, kiss all your money goodbye and start over.

PRICE ARE ONE WAY
$72.47 Airfare (base)
$5.44 Federal Excise Tax
$4.00 Segment Fees (on nonstop flight)
$2.25 Passenger Facility Charge (PFC)
$5.60 Sept 11 Security Fee
$13.00 Carrier Usage Charge
$4.22 Credit Card Surcharge
$15.00 One Carry-on Bag
$14.00 Trip Flexibility Insurance

So the "Trip Flexibility Insurance" while technically optional is in reality almost required unless you are willing to give up your whole ticket price if something happens.

If you paid a few more fees (like $5 to print a boarding pass, or $12 to pick a seat, plus possibly Carry on bag fee jumps to $50 because you didn't know about the wheels), then your Low Cost Airline ticket could easily cost more than the regular airlines.

I actually drove to the airport a few weeks in advance because I didn't believe they would reject the carry on bag because of the wheels. But the high school girl working the counter said they did it all the time.

You'll notice in the sign, they don't show the normal wheelie type bag for the carry-on. Instead they show a luggable bag. They show the wheelie bag for the check-in.

This sign is old. Currently, Bag fees paid at the airport for the first and second checked bag are $50 or $75 per bag, each way.
January 23rd, 2016 at 8:25:59 AM permalink
DRich
Member since: Oct 24, 2012
Threads: 51
Posts: 4943
On a side note, I have found that Spirit will give you their $9 fare club fare when you buy the ticket in person and they don't even ask if you are a member. The last time I flew Spirit I went to the airport to buy five tickets and the fare was actually $9 + taxes and fees.
At my age a Life In Prison sentence is not much of a detrrent.
January 23rd, 2016 at 9:48:47 AM permalink
Nareed
Member since: Oct 24, 2012
Threads: 346
Posts: 12545
I still prefer to just pay a fare with the inclusions and be done. That's getting rarer, I know.

Interjet won't even charge for exit row or bulkhead seats. But then the regular seats have so much leg room, there's no fierce competition to grab the best ones. The only fee they commonly charge is for changing flights, and it doesn't apply to every change. I'm not sure what the rules are, but the last time I changed mine, I simply wasn't charged a penny. They have fees for excess luggage, but they're not quite enforced every time. On my last trip from Vegas, the scale read 55 kg for my two bags, 5 kg over the limit. The agent just slapped on the tags and heaved them on the conveyor belt.

For all that, Interjet doesn't include much. Or not until you see what the ULCCs charge for. let's see:

Seat selection
Premium seats (exit row/bulkhead)
Checked luggage
Carry-on luggage
Schedule changes (maybe)
One drink and one snack (and this incudes alcoholic beverages)
Payment with credit card
Boarding pass printing at the counter or gate

So it should be much more expensive then Volaris and Viva, right? I don't truly know, but the last time I priced flights to Vegas, sans any fees at all, Volaris was like $15 cheaper. Viva, also without fees, was more expensive as it required two flights, MEX-MTY-LAS.
Donald Trump is a one-term LOSER
January 23rd, 2016 at 12:34:37 PM permalink
Pacomartin
Member since: Oct 24, 2012
Threads: 1068
Posts: 12569
Quote: Nareed
For all that, Interjet doesn't include much.


From Volaris's presentation, I don't understand how Interjet stays in business. Volaris claims their costs are 40% higher, but their fares are only 13.5% higher, and their non ticket revenue is down by about two thirds.

You can use that at your office. Essentially Volaris argues that Interjet is a better value in their own corporate presentation. If by "better value" the increased cost is associated with better service.
From Volaris corporate presentation (Dec 2015) Aeromexico Viva Aerobus Volaris Interjet
Cost per thousand miles $113.00 $74.00 $74.00 $103.00
Average Fare (USD) $140.00 $35.00 $74.00 $84.00
Non-ticket rev. incl. Cargo per pax $19.10 $21.70 $22.40 $7.53
Average age fleet (years) 7.9 20.7 4.3 6.4
Block hours per day 11.3 8.6 11.8 9.1


Converted to USD at an average exchange rate corresponding to the period.

Volaris argues that
Mexico's Air Traffic is booming 2010-2015
24 to 36 million passengers domestic
18 to 25 million passengers to USA
8 to 12 million passengers to other international
January 25th, 2016 at 6:46:35 AM permalink
Nareed
Member since: Oct 24, 2012
Threads: 346
Posts: 12545
Quote: Pacomartin
From Volaris's presentation, I don't understand how Interjet stays in business. Volaris claims their costs are 40% higher, but their fares are only 13.5% higher, and their non ticket revenue is down by about two thirds.


I wonder about the average fare. AM operates flights to Europe, South America and Asia. These have much higher fares than the short hops to Monterrey and GDL that are more popular. They also have two classes, unlike the other airlines. A "Premier" class ticket costs a great deal more.


Quote:
You can use that at your office. Essentially Volaris argues that Interjet is a better value in their own corporate presentation. If by "better value" the increased cost is associated with better service.


I think Interjet is the first choice of most business travelers who don't need or want first/business class.
Donald Trump is a one-term LOSER
January 25th, 2016 at 9:11:08 AM permalink
Pacomartin
Member since: Oct 24, 2012
Threads: 1068
Posts: 12569
Quote: Nareed
I wonder about the average fare. AM operates flights to Europe, South America and Asia. These have much higher fares than the short hops to Monterrey and GDL that are more popular. They also have two classes, unlike the other airlines. A "Premier" class ticket costs a great deal more.

That is why I emphasized that the numbers were from a Volaris Investor presentation. They can't lie, but they can cherry pick numbers to make them look as good as possible. AeroMexico flies 1 international passenger for every 2 domestic passengers, and they have 34% of the domestic market, while Volaris and Interjet are tied at 24%.

Still, those are very high cost numbers attributed to Interjet.

Aeromexico in Jan 2016 presentation says Delta Airlines intends to buy 49% of AM and to promote more transfers to South America.




Sky Team's only other Latin American airline is Aerolineas Argentina who owns 13 widebodies. But Delta does not have a code share with them, and clearly they want to throw all business to Aeromexico since they own such a large percentage.
Page 4 of 110<1234567>Last »