WatchThis!

OK smart guy, explain Ted http://www.flyted.com/meetted/index.html

Business travelers on Ted, hardly. UAL operates TED with over 65 A320s growing to a fleet size larger than JetBlue by years end. I HAVE flown Ted and it was smelly and dirty cattle car operation staffed with disaffected employees (yes, I clearly understand why they are disaffected).

UAL will turn a profit in Q2, but it will be less than AMR's $290 million. AMR as you might recall hasn't been through Chapter 11, and their employees still have pensions. After three years under court protection, there is no excuse for such poor results after restructuring.

Low & Slow

Q: What has 9 shoes, 14 teeth, and 5 plastic bags full of clothes.

A: The front row of a Ted flight.


In all fairness, I think that these are adapted from SWA.

Skygirl

It means that hell hath frozen over!...

Skygirl

About a week ago. Been on 6 United flights in the last 8 weeks, and honestly, they've all been clean.

Well I suppose then that anyone who has more of anything, money, a bigger house, more jet lag, etc. is discriminating against those who don't. Wasn't someone here recently speaking of liberal socialists?...

Nope, didn't strike a nerve with me at all. I was just stating the plain and simple facts - Airlines need business travelers, who are often college-educated, and even sometimes affluent!

Strike that thought!..

CL65driver

Actually, there's a WalMart a mere 13 miles from SFO, in Oakland... but go figure, SWA serves that side of the bay.

Gotta hand it to WallyWorld- they do have some decent prices on .45ACP, saves me the trouble of having to do any reloads after a trip to the range.

Skygirl

I think they may have one up in Santa Rosa as well, but that is probably more than 50 miles from SFO.

My idea of a "range" is a range where one can hit a bucket of balls. BTW, for you pilots, there is a driving range conveniently located behind the Doubletree SFO - just in case you feel the need.

flaps 9

All I'm saying is that if Bill Gates and I were to fly Southwest, we would both stand in the same line to check in. If Bill and I flew United and paid the same fare, Bill would be escorted to a private lounge, boarded first, and given the royal treatmenet. I, on the other hand, would be lucky not sit in a middle seat and have to wait until my "zone" was called to board. Is that not a form of discrimination? Your not offering the same level of service for the same price.

Southwest doesn't care who you are, it's first come, first served.

Trust me, I understand there are those out there who are VIP's, but do they really make an airline profitable? Or is it the "average joe" who just wants a decent price on a ticket and doesn't meet the mileage level to become a "Premier" flier?

Last time I checked there are more "average joes" than true VIP's.

CL65driver

Been to that driving range many-a-time. Nice place, decent prices. It's sad they tore down the range in the SOMA district of SF. For anyone in the Denver area, there's a great range out by the Denver Tech Center.. forgot the name of it, but it's pretty cheap too.

Then there's the other type of range, where one goes to hunt paper. Can't beat the Chabot Gun Club in the East Bay, and Jackson Arms' reopening near SFO will be quite nice too.

Skygirl

Let's be realistic here. Bill Gates probably hasn't flown a scheduled airline in many moons. And I can assure you, if he chose to fly SWA, or any airline, the employees would make sure that he wasn't disturbed, and they would have him in a pre-boarding holding area with the seat in front reserved for him. He would then be escorted to the plane after everyone else boards. You see, it's just not a matter of elitism, it's a matter of safety and security. I know just more than a little bit about this subject.

Regardless, I see that you have somewhat socialist leanings... I'm not knocking that, I despise elitism! After all, I'm a San Francisco liberal pinko commie, right? I realize that you feel that you shouldn't give any perks to the road warrior business travelers with constant jet lag who spend thousands of dollars a year flying on your airline and paying your salary. Every airline, hotel chain, rental car agency, etc. wants and appreciates the road warriors. If you're a pilot, you should appreciate them as well - they keep you employed. Last night a man came up to me and shook my hand and thanked me for Starwars. I "thanked" him for being a fan, seeing the movies, and paying my salary and mortgage for years.


Well I don't know about VIP's making an airline profitable, but I know that those road warrior business travelers contribute a great share. Would anyone here beg to differ with me? I'm sorry. I may be new to the travel business, but I've got a good head for business and have already figured out who puts the money in the bank. Personally, after dealing with VIP's most of my life, I get WAY more satisfaction out of booking the holiday of dreams for regular folks than I do taking care of VIP's, so I hear where you're coming from. Facts are facts though. Road weary business travelers pay much of your salary.

flaps 9

I guess this got a little carried away and we are splitting hairs now. I understand that the "road warrior" is the backbone of the airline industry, and I do appreciate those that put up with all that comes with air travel. My brother and his girfriend are both 100k fliers with UAL. I'm not saying you can't offer perks, but how does having a customer base of "affluent, college educated" people equal profits? I'm sure if your selling BMW's it would be a necessity, but selling airline seats?

Maybe in five years all the legacy carriers will be laying on top of piles of cash, but for now every Sky Miles, Word Perks, or Mileage Plus program can't save an airline from losing BILLIONS of dollars. Southwest has none of these programs and has made money by catering to the common man for the last 30 years. Maybe it's time to re-invent the wheel?

Sky, it was nice to have this disscusion with you. Hopefully you can see my point. I do have a question for you, why would someone thank you for Starwars?