what would FEDEX/UPS charge for the same bag to the same destination?

 

The International Air Transport Association (IATA) has raised its 2011 overall profit outlook by a massive 73% to $6.9 billion on the back of strong demand in Europe and the Middle East as well as improving passenger traffic and cargo volumes in Japan.

Increased ticket prices and improved ancillary revenues further led to the upward revision. Several airline companies such as United Continental Holdings Inc. (NYSE: UAL - News), Delta Air Lines (NYSE: DAL - News), Southwest Airlines Co. (NYSE: LUV - News) and JetBlue Airways Corporation (NasdaqGS: JBLU - News) implemented fair hikes several times in a year.

 

Most large asian and european carriers now charge for checked bags over 20kg. You get 20kg free, then, for international flights, they charge 10-15 USD (or Euros) per kg. 100 lbs might cost 400-500 USD.
Some asian carriers are even charging for carry-ons over 7kg. If your bag weighs more than 7kg, you pay the same rate for kg over 7. It is getting painful.

 

United Continental expects to make more from passengers as capacity shrinks

Reuters
7:42 a.m. CDT, September 21, 2011

United Continental Holdings Inc., parent of United Airlines, Wednesday said it expects its third-quarter passenger revenue to grow between 9.5 percent and 10.5 percent amid declining domestic capacity.

The world's largest airline, formed last year from a merger of United Airlines and Continental Airlines, said in a regulatory filing that its total consolidated capacity will likely fall 0.8 percent for the quarter.

Capacity on domestic routes is likely to be down 1.9 percent, while international capacity is estimated to rise 0.6 percent.

The company expects to end the third quarter with $8.4 billion of unrestricted cash, cash equivalents, and short-term investments.

 

Despite the delays, Smisek called the wide-body jetliner "a spectacular and game-changing aircraft.''

The new jet is the first commercial airliner built using carbon fiber--a strong, lightweight, high-tech plastic--rather than the typical aluminum skin. It is quieter and uses about 20 percent less fuel than a comparably sized aluminum aircraft.

"That's staggering,'' Smisek said about the fuel savings. "If you substitute them for an existing aircraft, your profits will improve like that. It will also permit us to fly routes we couldn't otherwise profitably fly. So it's really a homerun.''

Smisek said 787s will mostly replace existing aircraft instead of adding capacity because, "I don't see us growing our mainline fleet in any significant way under these current conditions.''

http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/...w/10180587.cms

 

Are you a UAL or CAL line pilot? You've posted about 350 post in less than a year and they are all about the same as this one. Is it possible that you are a shill for Smisek?

 

Only 350? I must be slacking off. Post #1: "If this contract doesn't break the mold on the upside, then we may as well pack it in..."

Mountains of Cash. That's the thread. If I've posted it 350 times that's because that's how many times I've seen that there's cash for a great contract, regardless of how many times the company tries to say there isn't. Look for 350 more posts saying precisely the same same thing until we get a fair contract.

They're making mountains of cash yet JS says "you'll never go back to wages you made in 2000"---a poorly veiled and cynical use of 9/11 to keep the boot on our necks. Executive comp has gone up 40% or more in this time period.

Believe it or not, there are still a lot of line pilots who think we make too much money and that asking for a restoration of our pay/benefits would break the company. There's cash for a great contract--mountains of it.

 

A near mirror image of Delta — in a very positive way — is United Continental (NYSE:UAL). Like those of Delta, United shares are down in 2011 — 15% in this case. That is significantly better than the 30%-plus losses for Delta, but it still offers investors today an opportunity to buy on the cheap. Perhaps helping United is the fact the company has beaten Wall Street estimates in each of the past four quarters.

With that strong performance, estimates for the period ending Sept. 30 have been climbing over the last 90 days. Three months ago, the estimate for profits was at $1.94 per share. Today, Wall Street analysts are looking for $2.08 per share. They are likely to be proven correct Thursday.

For the full year, United is expected to make a profit of $3.74 per share. That number jumps 37% in 2012, to $5.13 per share. At current prices, United trades for just five times current-year estimated earnings. I would challenge you to find another stock expected to grow profits at such a rate while also trading for such a low valuation. I would buy UAL at these levels.

 

As a former MEC chair once said (to paraphrase) "we don't want to strangle the golden goose, but we do want to squeeze every last golden egg out of her".

When this company is ready to realize the synergy of a merged operation and staff, then they'll negotiate and they'll find it's going to cost them. When they'll be ready is anyone's guess, but in addition to the new contractual mandated changes, it will cost them retro pay . However, cash is cheap, the money they save on work rules today is a cost that pilots will never recover. Even with full retro, pilots will lose on that deal.

Count me in with the growing legions of pilots who are sick and tired of watching our fellow pilots let the company take what they want out of our current contract either through ignorance or greed. There is no excuse for either, ever. With a TRO in place "the union" doesn't have a lot of wiggle room to suggest that you know, and uphold your contract. As a line pilot, you're the tip of the spear - know it, live it - YOU ARE the union. Please do the right thing.

 

These are the same folks who feel that billionaires and millionaires don't live well enough and have to struggle each day to make a mortgage payment. They believe that even though many in management get their earnings/bonuses "grossed up" so they pay NO TAXES on ANY OF IT, are taxed too high and DESERVE MORE TAXES BREAKS/CUTS. You really have to wonder...........................