

Why every airline executive needs to be fired, and replaced with entrepreneurs. - mtjl79
http://blog.tripfab.com/2011/08/19/why-every-airline-executive-needs-to-be-fired-and-entreprenuers-need-to-be-hired/

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hnsmurf
This guy has apparently never heard of first class. You pay $200 extra, just
like he suggested, and you get every perk he suggested that isn't impossible
due to government regulation. They'll give you more legroom, better food (and
you don't have to pay for it), and even load your carryon for you.

~~~
mtjl79
Of course I have heard of first class.

But what I am talking about is an entirely different travel experience.
Airlines trying to be different and innovating - and airlines trying to MAKE A
PROFIT.

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true_religion
What's different between the experience you suggest and first class?

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mtjl79
I wasn't trying to define an experience, but give ideas of things I hate when
I fly.

The whole point of the article is why airlines can't make money - and maybe
it's because they are all the same?

So why do you think airlines can't make money?

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mtjl79
So you are saying if 20% of the 1 billion people that travel every year didn't
pay $200 more - it wouldn't generate profit?

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gte910h
First Class cabins are sized what they are because they reliably are all that
will pay for them.

Very few people find it worth it.

Many people just don't get how well off they are compared to random person in
a random town in the country.

$290. That's a weeks pay at minimum wage.

~~~
gte910h
$290 is pre-tax btw.

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qq66
This is just the incoherent rambling of someone who has no real knowledge of
one of the most complicated businesses in the world.

MOAR! BETTER! FIRE THEM ALL! He never got the memo that airlines operate under
thousands of regulations, with extraordinary capital costs, in a marketplace
where consumers will pick the ticket that's $20 cheaper every time.

~~~
mtjl79
So this is all because of regulations?

This is what this whole article is about - not picking the $20 cheaper ticket
every time. That all the companies are the same, so why should anyone NOT pick
the $20 cheaper ticket every time?

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qq66
The companies are not all the same. Virgin America, Singapore Airlines,
Southwest Airlines, British Airways, Emirates, all occupy different marketing
niches compared to the standard US carriers (United, Delta, Northwest, etc.)

What the few successful airlines have realized is that there isn't THAT much
room to go premium in economy class -- that consumers might pay $20 more for
an airline they like, but not $50.

This blogger wants business class service for an economy class price plus a
few dollars, and it's just delusional. A Boeing 777 costs $300 million.

~~~
mtjl79
What marketing niches? My different areas in the world - but airlines are all
pretty much the same.

Show me something amazing an innovate that an airline has done compared to a
competitor. There are slight differences - and I travel all the time, I don't
have any one airline I absolutely love and MUST fly.

And if I did, you can be assured I would pay more. I am not looking for
business class services for an economy price - I am looking for a DIFFERENT
airline.

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iwwr
Airlines don't control airports, air traffic control or airport security.
Flying has become a bad experience largely in the areas airlines are powerless
to correct. Granted, marginally solvent entities probably don't have the
capital to support these facilities too, but this just says the business model
is very broken as it stands today.

Could airports, air traffic control or the security detail (excluding the TSA)
actually pay for themselves from flight revenues? I would guess they should
since we won't go back to ocean liners or zeppelins.

~~~
mtjl79
I don't think you're completely correct. Flying hasn't just become a bad
experience due to the fact of airlines being powerless.

So it's TSA's fault that I can move my legs on a flight, or I have to fight
over armrests?

You are saying that every airline is EXACTLY the same because of TSA? I
completely disagree.

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sardonicbryan
"There should be two types of travel. Spit these airplanes up. People that
want to pay the cheapest possible price, and pack them into an airplane and
give them a shitty experience. And people that are willing to pay extra and be
loyal, give me a completely different experience."

This already exists, it's called First Class and platinum status. It may not
exist at the price point that OP wants.

~~~
mtjl79
But it's all still the same.

I agree, there are minor differences in first class with airlines in my
experience - but I am talking about an entirely different travel experience
than what exists.

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true_religion
For $45,000 down and about 15k a flight plus gas milage, you can have this
experience with Delta.

They'll fly you around the country in small jets used for business class
clientele only.

Now, its pricey but it exists. That's the seperate "class" that you're talking
about.

They meet you at the gate, take your luggage, and even send a limo to pick you
up and take you to your destination. You never see security screening either.

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gte910h
Flew Delta across country. Food was good (and you paid for it). Had TV+games
on the back of every chair in coach. Even served Ben and Jerry's icecream.

I think planes ARE being divvyed up like he is saying (business and or first
class, sky lounges, etc), just he's underestimating the amount of people who
don't want to pay to sit in luxury at 35000ft.

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tzs
I may be misremembering this because I'm not a major traveller, but wasn't
there a time when fares were regulated, so the government set the fare for a
given route and class of travel, and the airlines competed for passengers by
trying to make the travel experience better (since they could not compete on
price)?

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nagrom
Well, it seems there's a lot of the author's points covered by upgrading to
business class, but that's an extra $1000 transatlantic, not $200. If it was
$200, I'd pay the upgrade fee myself even if my employer wouldn't cover it.
Unfortunately, $1k is simply too much :(

