Originally Posted by
TheManager
They don't need to raise the Base Fare. That, of course would put them on the last page of the all important online fare search websites.
One option is too raise the fees that are collected at then point of purchase much like tax and facility fees.
Knowing that you enjoy pass travel benefits and most likely don't purchase airline tickets, recall the last rental car, hotel room or cruise purchase you made. They all have added on fees for such things as energy consumption, stadiums, facility fees, docking and port charges, & etc.
Great idea, and one that our President EB has stated is his desire. I believe that what you are seeing with the decoupling of services is step one, and step two and three will be surcharges for variations in fuel, landing fees, etc, but right now our sector of the market does not support more than the limited fuel surcharges that they levied a few years ago.
Why not a modest fee to supplement pilot wages. A fee that is per passenger and less than what they spend per day parking their car at the airport. A fee that is less than what they will spend in line at Starbucks when they transition the terminal. (The hardest part of that is giving it a name that is benign and p.c. I say leave that to the corporate comm. and marketing folks.)
Again a great idea, but like a fare bump, unless it is supported by the sector it will not sustain. DAL would never sign a contract with us for money that they are not 100% sure that they could reel in. I like the idea though.
We are living in the 21st century in a connected world that has dramatically reshaped all sorts of business and economics over the past 20 years. We have been deregulated now since the 1970's. Why then do we still cling to the same pay models that were formed when airline travel started?
We need to change and adapt as well.
ALPA could go along way in restoring confidence in themselves if they could solve this problem and offer a solution. I am sure their competition will also be looking at this.
Everyone is looking at way to add revenue to the bottom line. I think that if the full service airlines could add the fees you suggested they would. What I do find ironic is that pilots are begging for more fees when they were complaining about how cheap it was to charge for bags a few years ago.
