Wow.. cheap air fair

AKBill

AKBill

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AKBill
Just booked 2 round trip tickets. Juneau to Seattle first class for an upcoming trip in May. Price per person round trip was $400, first class.

Heck I can remember paying that one way coach per person. I guess the airlines are really hurting, sure wish the trip was for pleasure. Follow up appointment for my right eye.

Rental car rates have been very low as well. I think we paid $30/day for the rental car last month
 
I just booked two round trips MI to FL for $95 total, would have been $90 each had I not got their stupid credit card and paid it off and am cancelling - but still...

we hope to shred em and fly Cessna airlines but that’s are our back up if it’s a nasty week.
 
It has been since Thanksgiving that I rented a car but I found the rates twice what I am used to. Maybe the are regional differences. But, yes my Wife looks at the airfares daily, reminding me of all of the wonderful trips we could be taking. I just hate flying commercial.
 
Flights to Hawaii are not. Had to cancel last Thanksgiving to Maui on Hawaiian Air because of COVID-19 so I wanted to use the credit I received from the cancellation. Went on line to book the flight and couldn’t because of the credit. Long story short, to use the credit, I ended up paying $80 per passenger more than what I could have booked the flights on line and spent over an hour to do it. So last flight on Hawaiian Air.
 
Glad to hear the commercial operators are suffering.
 
It's not going to get better for awhile. All of the meetings and trade shows I usually attend through the end of July have been either cancelled or pushed back to next year. A peptide meeting in early September has been moved to 2022. Right now, the earliest meeting I have is a virtual chemical society meeting in March. The earliest real meeting now is a pharmacognosy meeting postponed from March to August, and I won't be surprised it it gets canceled this year.
 
Cap'n Jack said:
It's not going to get better for awhile. All of the meetings and trade shows I usually attend through the end of July have been either cancelled or pushed back to next year. A peptide meeting in early September has been moved to 2022. Right now, the earliest meeting I have is a virtual chemical society meeting in March. The earliest real meeting now is a pharmacognosy meeting postponed from March to August, and I won't be surprised it it gets canceled this year.
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I am in that end of the events industry and the biggest blockade to getting back to normal business travel is not the ability to convene in larger gatherings again per government permission but rater corporations willingness to let employees actually travel for business due to Covid liability risks while on the job...its gonna be a while.
 
Shawn said:
I am in that end of the events industry and the biggest blockade to getting back to normal business travel is not the ability to convene in larger gatherings again per government permission but rater corporations willingness to let employees actually travel for business due to Covid liability risks while on the job...its gonna be a while.
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Thanks for sharing your point of view. Since so many of the things I attend have an international gathering, there's the issue of quarantine time- a week at a meeting, 2 weeks quarantine before, and another 2 weeks afterwards, isn't very effective, depending on the countries involved.

From your side, do cancellation penalties play a role? For example, a venue can be cancelled before a given date without penalty?
 
Cap'n Jack said:
From your side, do cancellation penalties play a role? For example, a venue can be cancelled before a given date without penalty?
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Nope. We still have been doing some virtual events from hotel ballrooms and convention centers and they are so desperate for any business they are giving client unheard of terms in way of cancellations, room attrition, and concessions.

Have had more than one venue contract that had full cancellations allowed to day before to put clients minds at ease to sign!

Some client/venues/cities really don't give an eff but the most of the main stream major players in the corporate world are not willing take on that liability with regards to their employees traveling for business until there is at least some immunity legislation that protects them.

I suspect you are gonna see a massive leisure travel push from that airlines like the OP experienced as Covid restrictions ease because they know even with easing up business travel is going take a looooong time to recover.
 
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Cap'n Jack said:
It's not going to get better for awhile. All of the meetings and trade shows I usually attend through the end of July have been either cancelled or pushed back to next year. A peptide meeting in early September has been moved to 2022. Right now, the earliest meeting I have is a virtual chemical society meeting in March.
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I can relate. I usually get to one of the ACS national meetings each year...but not last year and probably not this year. I haven't tried the virtual offerings, since if I'm not traveling to the meetings, I've got all of the other work stuff on my plate.
 
Shawn said:
I suspect you are gonna see a massive leisure travel push from that airlines like the OP experienced as Covid restrictions ease because they know even with easing up business travel is going take a looooong time to recover.
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I would agree. Tami and I have had to spent a lot of time in hotels in Nov, Dec and January, I would say we have payed between 50 to 75% of the normal rates. Nice hotels, separate bedroom, living room with kitchenet.
 
Kritchlow said:
I’m blown away by this statement. Thousands of airline employees are out of work, can’t feed their families or pay their mortgage.... and you’re glad they are suffering??
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Perhaps guzziguy is not thinking of the human toll, but rather the years of predatory pricing and gouging and bag fees and all the other sundry charges that the airlines perpetrated on the traveling public that was thought to have no other choice but to use their services. Airlines reaped Hugh profits while the public suffered The countless indignities of flying human cattle cars. Arrogant airline CEO’s telling us that tiny seat pitches are good. That now things are not so rosy for commercial aviation. A little schadenfreude. He was Not thinking of the little guy pilot that is now on public assistance.
 
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Morgan3820 said:
Perhaps guzziguy is not thinking of the human toll, but rather the years of predatory pricing and gouging and bag fees ...
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That's probably what he meant and used a poor choice of words. Have a lot of friends doing reduced work at the airlines. One accepted the early retirement. I feel for that industry, but also point out that the CEO's didn't mind over-booking flights and dragging people off of flights bleeding in pre-COVID times ....
 
Morgan3820 said:
Perhaps guzziguy is not thinking of the human toll, but rather the years of predatory pricing and gouging and bag fees and all the other sundry charges that the airlines perpetrated on the traveling public that was thought to have no other choice but to use their services. Airlines reaped Hugh profits while the public suffered The countless indignities of flying human cattle cars. Arrogant airline CEO’s telling us that tiny seat pitches are good. That now things are not so rosy for commercial aviation. A little schadenfreude. He was Not thinking of the little guy pilot that is now on public assistance.
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Yeah, airline profits are huge, that's why they keep going bankrupt
 
Morgan3820 said:
Perhaps guzziguy is not thinking of the human toll, but rather the years of predatory pricing and gouging and bag fees and all the other sundry charges that the airlines perpetrated on the traveling public that was thought to have no other choice but to use their services. Airlines reaped Hugh profits while the public suffered The countless indignities of flying human cattle cars. Arrogant airline CEO’s telling us that tiny seat pitches are good. That now things are not so rosy for commercial aviation. A little schadenfreude. He was Not thinking of the little guy pilot that is now on public assistance.
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Sorry. Not buying it. Consumers get exactly what they are willing to pay for in the market. Many companies have tried to offer premium services and consumers will not pay for them. The post in question is hateful and without cause.
 
Tarheelpilot said:
Sorry. Not buying it. Consumers get exactly what they are willing to pay for in the market. Many companies have tried to offer premium services and consumers will not pay for them. The post in question is hateful and without cause.
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Okay. Probably right.
 
Tarheelpilot said:
Sorry. Not buying it. Consumers get exactly what they are willing to pay for in the market. Many companies have tried to offer premium services and consumers will not pay for them. The post in question is hateful and without cause.
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I own a 6 figure airplane to avoid the airlines and the security BS that goes with it. Your story doesn't fit all of us. If they all went belly-up, I'd smile a little.
 
AKBill said:
Just booked 2 round trip tickets. Juneau to Seattle first class for an upcoming trip in May. Price per person round trip was $400, first class.

Heck I can remember paying that one way coach per person. I guess the airlines are really hurting, sure wish the trip was for pleasure. Follow up appointment for my right eye.

Rental car rates have been very low as well. I think we paid $30/day for the rental car last month
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I used to pay a little over 400 for a round trip from College Station to Houston to Seattle to Anchorage. But that has been almost 20 years ago. And not first class. And I still had to jump seat in a DC-6 to Kotzebue. I bought seats during the Iditarod and spring break. Impossible to get a jump seat during those times.

Hope you get some good news from your doc.
 
I bought 2 business class tickets for $5200 total on Aer Lingus. JFK-Dublin-Dubrovnik round trip.
 
Country Flier said:
I own a 6 figure airplane to avoid the airlines and the security BS that goes with it. Your story doesn't fit all of us. If they all went belly-up, I'd smile a little.
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The airlines have no control of the security. Unfortunately we gave up a lot of our freedom in exchange for “security” with all the changes after 9-11.
If you have the wealth to avoid dealing with mass transit and all of its glory that’s great. I’m happy for you. For you to wish for harm to come to thousands of people and no access to travel for millions of others just because you don’t like the situation is messed up on a very basic level.
 
Commercial travel is going to take a while to recover. I cancelled (or had the meetings cancelled on me) three trips to Europe last year. All due to COVID-19. The one last November has been rescheduled for this November. Same location in Sweden. We'll see... The one that was planned for the beginning of June in Helsinki got delayed to this year and has been delayed to June of next year. Again, we'll see...
 
Tarheelpilot said:
The airlines have no control of the security. Unfortunately we gave up a lot of our freedom in exchange for “security” with all the changes after 9-11.
If you have the wealth to avoid dealing with mass transit and all of its glory that’s great. I’m happy for you. For you to wish for harm to come to thousands of people and no access to travel for millions of others just because you don’t like the situation is messed up on a very basic level.
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Losing a job <> harm. Sometimes, its the best thing that can happen to a person.

And for most travel, airlines are just a quick option, not the only option.
 
Country Flier said:
I own a 6 figure airplane to avoid the airlines and the security BS that goes with it. Your story doesn't fit all of us. If they all went belly-up, I'd smile a little.
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Until the current administration adds ATC fee for services (like Europe) and attaches a $4 a gallon gas tax hike on aviation fuel ... then that smile might recede a little ;):confused::eek:
 
danhagan said:
Until the current administration adds ATC fee for services (like Europe) and attaches a $4 a gallon gas tax hike on aviation fuel ... then that smile might recede a little ;):confused::eek:
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The politics wouldn't change my disdain for the airlines (aviation fuel tax / ATC fee would affect the airlines too, yes?)....try again. (strike 2)
 
Country Flier said:
Losing a job <> harm. Sometimes, its the best thing that can happen to a person.

And for most travel, airlines are just a quick option, not the only option.
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Wow. You’re over the top. You think you know what’s best for airline employees. That’s funny. Well. Nothing says you can’t be mean and hateful in life. Have it there buddy.
 
Last I checked, travel was a privilege, not a right, and airlines are businesses, so they usually act like them. If the market bears high prices, there is no reason why the airlines shouldn't charge them. The majority of the time, airlines provide an affordable way for those of us not blessed with the ability to buy and maintain a six figure airplane to travel.

And if human cattle cars are so awful, please get rid of subways and school buses while you're at it.
 
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SkyChaser said:
Last I checked, travel was a privilege, not a right, and airlines are businesses, so they usually act like them. If the market bears high prices, there is no reason why the airlines shouldn't charge them. The majority of the time, airlines provide an affordable way for those of us not blessed with the ability to buy and maintain a six figure airplane to travel.

And if human cattle cars are so awful, please get rid of subways and school busses while you're at it.
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Couldn't agree more...and crappy companies produce crappy outcomes, like employees losing their jobs.
 
Country Flier said:
Couldn't agree more...and crappy companies produce crappy outcomes, like employees losing their jobs.
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Could you explain why airlines in particular are "crappy companies"? What would make them better?
 
SkyChaser said:
Last I checked, travel was a privilege, not a right, and airlines are businesses, so they usually act like them. If the market bears high prices, there is no reason why the airlines shouldn't charge them. The majority of the time, airlines provide an affordable way for those of us not blessed with the ability to buy and maintain a six figure airplane to travel.

And if human cattle cars are so awful, please get rid of subways and school busses while you're at it.
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School buses are pretty sucky.
 
Tarheelpilot said:
Wow. You’re over the top. You think you know what’s best for airline employees. That’s funny. Well. Nothing says you can’t be mean and hateful in life. Have it there buddy.
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But, I wonder if anyone would care if me as a government employee would lose my livelihood, through no fault of my own? Maybe, but if the IRS was replaced with robots??? IRS people have families. TSA? If TSA was disbanded, would you feel for the employees or happy that now you can walk onto a plane without the security theater?
 
Morgan3820 said:
TSA? If TSA was disbanded, would you feel for the employees or happy that now you can walk onto a plane without the security theater?
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When Homeland Security periodically sends undercover teams out to try and sneak weapons and bombs past TSA checkpoints, TSA routinely fails to catch 95% of the contraband.
So while I think those employees should have jobs somewhere, I don't think they should be taxpayer-funded to have jobs at which they are so very ineffective.

I'd get on a commercial flight that had not been subjected to TSA screening without a second thought. If I was inclined to worry about such things, I'd know that I should worry just as much about getting on a flight that had been screened by TSA.
 
Morgan3820 said:
But, I wonder if anyone would care if me as a government employee would lose my livelihood, through no fault of my own? Maybe, but if the IRS was replaced with robots??? IRS people have families. TSA? If TSA was disbanded, would you feel for the employees or happy that now you can walk onto a plane without the security theater?
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You are comparing apples to oranges.

Edit: to honestly and effectively answer your question I would have to violate the ROC.
 
GaryM said:
I can relate. I usually get to one of the ACS national meetings each year...but not last year and probably not this year. I haven't tried the virtual offerings, since if I'm not traveling to the meetings, I've got all of the other work stuff on my plate.
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That what I thought would happen. I've submitted a poster but I suspect there will be few visitors. I wouldn't otherwise bother, either, except for that poster. Last year, we tried a virtual booth with no leads.
 
Shawn said:
Nope. We still have been doing some virtual events from hotel ballrooms and convention centers and they are so desperate for any business they are giving client unheard of terms in way of cancellations, room attrition, and concessions.

Have had more than one venue contract that had full cancellations allowed to day before to put clients minds at ease to sign!

Some client/venues/cities really don't give an eff but the most of the main stream major players in the corporate world are not willing take on that liability with regards to their employees traveling for business until there is at least some immunity legislation that protects them.

I suspect you are gonna see a massive leisure travel push from that airlines like the OP experienced as Covid restrictions ease because they know even with easing up business travel is going take a looooong time to recover.
Click to expand...
Thanks for sharing. It depends on the company. My employer is opening up travel somewhat again, but I think you see a bigger picture.
 
danhagan said:
Until the current some administration adds ATC fee for services (like Europe) and attaches a $4 a gallon gas tax hike on aviation fuel ... then that smile might recede a little ;):confused::eek:
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FTFY. I've been hearing this sort of thing for some time no matter who is in charge.
 
A guy delivering cabinets yesterday said he got $59 round trip tickets for end of April for Atlanta to NYC.



Sent from my SM-G781U using Tapatalk
 
Morgan3820 said:
But, I wonder if anyone would care if me as a government employee would lose my livelihood, through no fault of my own? Maybe, but if the IRS was replaced with robots??? IRS people have families. TSA? If TSA was disbanded, would you feel for the employees or happy that now you can walk onto a plane without the security theater?
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People used to make buggy whips. Industries come and go.
 
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