Ok, this is my semi-informed opinion here, so feel free to flame away...
It seems to me that the major airlines have missed the boat completely.
When airlines first started service, they were a royal affair. Red carpet treatment, only the wealthy and government workers could fly.
Back in those days, flying was an adventure, an experience in and of itself. Many flights in the old piston airliners were all day adventures taking up to 14 hours to fly long distances with as many as 60 people on board. Even with the advent of the 707 and jet service, flying was still a "luxury" event that was to be treasured for the experience.
Today, flying is a way to get somewhere, no more and no less. A seat on an airliner today is like a bus seat, a place to put your fanny while you're taken from point A to point B in the least amount of time for the least amount of money possible
Airlines have gone from being luxury transportation to the flying Greyhound Bus service. Someone just forgot to tell the major airlines.
The people who founded Southwest figured this out 30 years ago. Forget first class, fancy meals, in-flight movies, and all that jazz. Just take a bunch of people from Point "A" to Point "B" as quickly, cheaply, and hassle free as possible.
That is what the vast majority of people want today in their airline. Simple, easy, hassle free.
When I need to fly to Oklahoma City, OK from Dallas, TX, American Airlines charges 6 different fares that change all the time, even during the day. I never can tell how much it is going to cost on any given day without searching.
I know Southwest will charge me $92 for a last minute purchase and $63 for a 7 day advance purchase ticket. Doesn't matter what day I fly, doesn't matter when I want to come back. The price is the same all week long, every hour of every day.
BTW, since I've flown this many times, I can tell you that most of the time, American's lowest fare is $109. Not bad, but still $17 more than Southwest. Hmm, let me think here. Same airplanes, same service, same amount of time in the air, one costs more than the other...
Gee, whichever should I pick?
And that is why Southwest makes money year after year while American only makes money when the economy is good.
American Airlines lost $3.5 Billion last year
Southwest made a few tens of millions (not much but hey, all things considered, that ain't bad)
AMRs management should be fired for gross stupidity. They should copy Southwest's business plan using a Xerox machine. Don't get cute, don't try to "tweak it", don't try to personalize it, don't try to "enhance it", just copy the damm business plan and run with it.
It is not rocket science, all short range routes use 737s, medium range routes use 757/767s, long range routes use 777s.
Get rid of all other airplanes. (yes, including the Stupid 80s, you should be flying 737/757s on those routes)
Oh yea, something else you AA pilots won't like... Match Southwest's pay scales. You can't compete on price if you're paying everyone 50% more than Southwest does.
Oh, and that's another point. As long as everyone is flying the same airplanes to the same airports at the same speed, the only thing you have to compete on is price.
These are my own humble opinions, flame away...
It seems to me that the major airlines have missed the boat completely.
When airlines first started service, they were a royal affair. Red carpet treatment, only the wealthy and government workers could fly.
Back in those days, flying was an adventure, an experience in and of itself. Many flights in the old piston airliners were all day adventures taking up to 14 hours to fly long distances with as many as 60 people on board. Even with the advent of the 707 and jet service, flying was still a "luxury" event that was to be treasured for the experience.
Today, flying is a way to get somewhere, no more and no less. A seat on an airliner today is like a bus seat, a place to put your fanny while you're taken from point A to point B in the least amount of time for the least amount of money possible
Airlines have gone from being luxury transportation to the flying Greyhound Bus service. Someone just forgot to tell the major airlines.
The people who founded Southwest figured this out 30 years ago. Forget first class, fancy meals, in-flight movies, and all that jazz. Just take a bunch of people from Point "A" to Point "B" as quickly, cheaply, and hassle free as possible.
That is what the vast majority of people want today in their airline. Simple, easy, hassle free.
When I need to fly to Oklahoma City, OK from Dallas, TX, American Airlines charges 6 different fares that change all the time, even during the day. I never can tell how much it is going to cost on any given day without searching.
I know Southwest will charge me $92 for a last minute purchase and $63 for a 7 day advance purchase ticket. Doesn't matter what day I fly, doesn't matter when I want to come back. The price is the same all week long, every hour of every day.
BTW, since I've flown this many times, I can tell you that most of the time, American's lowest fare is $109. Not bad, but still $17 more than Southwest. Hmm, let me think here. Same airplanes, same service, same amount of time in the air, one costs more than the other...
Gee, whichever should I pick?
And that is why Southwest makes money year after year while American only makes money when the economy is good.
American Airlines lost $3.5 Billion last year
Southwest made a few tens of millions (not much but hey, all things considered, that ain't bad)
AMRs management should be fired for gross stupidity. They should copy Southwest's business plan using a Xerox machine. Don't get cute, don't try to "tweak it", don't try to personalize it, don't try to "enhance it", just copy the damm business plan and run with it.
It is not rocket science, all short range routes use 737s, medium range routes use 757/767s, long range routes use 777s.
Get rid of all other airplanes. (yes, including the Stupid 80s, you should be flying 737/757s on those routes)
Oh yea, something else you AA pilots won't like... Match Southwest's pay scales. You can't compete on price if you're paying everyone 50% more than Southwest does.
Oh, and that's another point. As long as everyone is flying the same airplanes to the same airports at the same speed, the only thing you have to compete on is price.
These are my own humble opinions, flame away...
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