Was there ever any doubt?

Lé púsh

 

According to FlightTracker only 9 cancellations today. Almost 80 yesterday, so it seems like we are getting closer. Well, until the next snow storm anyways.

 

Is it supposed to snow again this weekend?

 

Sunday, I believe.

 

Biffle's explanation.

“First of all, we want to apologize to everyone affected by the recent events. In the last three years, Indigo and this management team have turned Frontier — then an airline emerging from bankruptcy and facing an uncertain future — into an expanding and profitable carrier. The airline’s success and improved operations have won over a steadily growing, loyal customer base. The size of this week’s snowstorm took everyone by surprise being considerably worse than forecast, and was extraordinarily disruptive in Denver, where Frontier is more concentrated than any other airline. Heavy snow and gate constraints created a difficult situation for passengers and our teams. We think our teams did an outstanding job under very difficult circumstances and we thank them for their efforts. Given the circumstances, we view recent finger-pointing statements as uninformed and unhelpful. Unfortunately, during contract negotiations, it is common to take advantage of situations.”

Cut and paste from CBS4 Denver

 

In other words... "Sorry, not sorry".

 

Christmas day.... a day in which every other airline pulls back the flight schedule after noon... except for you know who....

I am sure our ramp personnel will be glad to come in on Christmas and work in the snow for their min wage. No sick outs here....

 

It seems simple: the ULCC business model views airline seats as a commodity and nothing more, for better or worse. If investing in the infrastructure needed in order to prevent these meltdowns from ever happening creates a CASM too high for the business model, these meltdowns will just become an unfortunate and accepted reality. What remains to be seen is how the market will respond to these types of events - if consumers in the aggregate are willing to accept them once or twice a year in order to (usually) make it to their destination on the expected day at a rock bottom price, or if they consider the risk just too high and are unwilling to take a chance even at a low price.

My guess is that no significant changes will be made, at least not any that substantially raise costs, and they will effectively hedge their bets that the next time people see that $50 fare to Miami they will still book it enough to fill up the plane. Perhaps maybe an attempt at a positive PR cycle through social media, etc, but I just don't see much else if they are true to this new business model. I feel it's just going to be a new norm.

 

As long as Indigo is at the helm, this is what life will be like. Whether it's underpaid rampers, snow, or heck anything that upsets the status quo, if the balance sheet from the previous eleven weeks is higher than the loss in week twelve it will just continue.
I just hope next time everyone bones up on the reassignment language in the contract instead of hanging out in hotel rooms on their days off, or sitting on hold with scheduling for three hours. Just go home...

 

I heard the fines imposed on F9 will be well in excess of 4 million because of the tarmac delays in Denver. Would've been much cheaper to pay the rampers/agents triple and and not have them walk off.

But who am I kidding, that makes too much sense