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Air Fares 101 – Why do fares change all the time?

cheapair.com

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Re: Air Fares 101 – Why do fares change all the time?

#41

Post by rbcgerard »

jexe wrote: post #20

So has anyone built a site that lets you put limit orders on airline seats yet? I'd love to, say, have something automatically book a $250 flight across the country if the price happens to cross that threshold in the next week.

I think that's a pretty good idea -

two quick thoughts:

1.as a consumer its hard to do more than "technical analysis" on a chart of the ticket price to figure out where to set your limit order

2. What are the odds that the company doing this doesn't share their order book with the airlines?

still like the idea

Re: Air Fares 101 – Why do fares change all the time?

#42

Post by earlz »

zrail wrote: post #26

Southwest, as far as I can tell, doesn't change rates once they've published. Three rate tiers, optional early check-in to get a better boarding order position, and free baggage. The most striking difference is that, in general, the flight attendants are happy . They smile. They joke around. Sometimes they sing songs. I was on a flight a few months ago where the entire plane played a game because it was someone's bir…

I'm not 100% sure it is "legal", but I had the pleasure of flying on southwest with them half-singing half-joking throughout the mandatory safety stuff.. it was a pretty hilarious change of pace. Unfortunately, Southwest, though fairly cheap for where I go, has 2 stops minimum no matter what where as everywhere else can make it 1 stop

Re: Air Fares 101 – Why do fares change all the time?

#43

Post by jcfiala »

zrail wrote: post #26

Southwest, as far as I can tell, doesn't change rates once they've published. Three rate tiers, optional early check-in to get a better boarding order position, and free baggage. The most striking difference is that, in general, the flight attendants are happy . They smile. They joke around. Sometimes they sing songs. I was on a flight a few months ago where the entire plane played a game because it was someone's bir…

As a parent, I fly Southwest so that I can take advantage of the two free checked-in bags you get per ticket. Not having to wrestle several overfull bags of clothes on and off of the plane makes Southwest a great bargain for my piece of mind.

Re: Air Fares 101 – Why do fares change all the time?

#44

Post by gcb0 »

saryant wrote: post #31
michaelochurch wrote: post #28

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Airlines (Soviet service and morale, capitalistic price fluctuation) are a perfect microcosm of corporate capitalism, which exists to give the worst of both systems (that is, capitalism and socialism) to the masses and the best of both (social safety net/impunity of socialism, extreme upside of capitalism) to a well-connected elite (often called "the 1%", but closer to 0.1%).

Considering airfares are the cheapest they've ever been in the US, I don't know how that's even remotely true. More of "the masses" are able to fly than ever before.

it's not cheap because the system works.

it's cheaper because more and more jobs require constant travel so they have much more of the good predative revenue. for example at work I've never seen a 300 mile trip for less than 350. ever. let alone the la-Chicago for 100 they mention in the article. that would look like a bug in my employee's booking system.

what they get from the rest is just icing.

so, convince yourself of that lie all you want. but the system continues to be awful and inefficient. only the demand changed. to their advantage.

Re: Air Fares 101 – Why do fares change all the time?

#45

Post by canvia »

saryant wrote: post #31
michaelochurch wrote: post #28

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Airlines (Soviet service and morale, capitalistic price fluctuation) are a perfect microcosm of corporate capitalism, which exists to give the worst of both systems (that is, capitalism and socialism) to the masses and the best of both (social safety net/impunity of socialism, extreme upside of capitalism) to a well-connected elite (often called "the 1%", but closer to 0.1%).

Considering airfares are the cheapest they've ever been in the US, I don't know how that's even remotely true. More of "the masses" are able to fly than ever before.

You sure about that?

http://www.rita.dot.gov/bts/airfares/programs/economics_and_...

That shows 2014 has the highest CPI adjusted price since 2003 and the highest raw USD price going back as far as the data (1995).

Re: Air Fares 101 – Why do fares change all the time?

#46

Post by lizzard »

michaelochurch wrote: post #3

"We did that Uber shit before it was cool." -- The airlines. Another thing that surprises most people is how expensive business and first class are, relative to coach. After all, if you're only getting 1.5-2x as much space, it doesn't seem fair that you'd have to pay 10x prices. The truth is that many of those seats are filled via upgrades to frequent fliers and more fairly priced in that view. But someone who asks f…

Disabled people do not have to buy first class tickets. I am disabled, and often am seated in the very back of the airplane. There is a narrow aisle chair (a very skinny wheelchair) to help people get into the plane and through a plane's aisles. Airline agents at the gate often nicely switch my seats closer to the front of the plane, but not to first class. You are claiming some things that absolutely aren't true, here.

Re: Air Fares 101 – Why do fares change all the time?

#47

Post by jgroszko »

jexe wrote: post #20

So has anyone built a site that lets you put limit orders on airline seats yet? I'd love to, say, have something automatically book a $250 flight across the country if the price happens to cross that threshold in the next week.

Kayak.com allows you to set email alerts for this

Re: Air Fares 101 – Why do fares change all the time?

#48

Post by spdustin »

izacus wrote: post #35
spdustin wrote: post #22

Earlier quoted context omitted.

To be fair, they're not forcing anyone into anything. As much as I loathe handing over my money to airlines - an experience I sometimes have to face three times a month - they are a for-profit commercial enterprise with no requirements for how they operate beyond government-imposed ones. Want something legitimate to complain about when thinking of flying the friendly skies? Think about the airlines whining about the…

> To be fair, they're not forcing anyone into anything. I see this argument a lot of time but I still don't really know how exactly that redeems companies bad business practices and user hostility. What is the purpose of this argument? Saying that it's ok? If not, what else? Also, what is the alternative? Use a cargo ship over seas? Choose from another 5 companies with same crappy business practices?

It's offensive behavior, to be certain. But unless it's legislated otherwise, it's "okay", yes.

For the record, I'm 6'3" with rheumatoid arthritis, and I despise flying in coach. But I have to separate the irrationally perceived personal affront by the airlines from the reality of the situation: I am flying by choice. If I had a specific accessibility concern (and not a convenience or comfort one) the airline would accommodate me.

Re: Air Fares 101 – Why do fares change all the time?

#49

Post by ubernostrum »

phantom784 wrote: post #10
michaelochurch wrote: post #3

"We did that Uber shit before it was cool." -- The airlines. Another thing that surprises most people is how expensive business and first class are, relative to coach. After all, if you're only getting 1.5-2x as much space, it doesn't seem fair that you'd have to pay 10x prices. The truth is that many of those seats are filled via upgrades to frequent fliers and more fairly priced in that view. But someone who asks f…

People buy first class tickets just for the lounges? Usually, you can just pay $30 or so for a day pass to a lounge.

There's a difference between the regular lounge anyone can buy day passes/memberships to, and the premium-class lounges for international flights. Access to the former does not get you access to the latter; typically, only an actual premium-class international ticket for that day, or possessing top-tier frequent-flier status in the airline or alliance, gets you into those.

Re: Air Fares 101 – Why do fares change all the time?

#50

Post by spdustin »

encoderer wrote: post #34
michaelochurch wrote: post #15

Earlier quoted context omitted.

In the US, you can. In less enlightened countries, that's not the case. Of course, for a 2-hour domestic flight, the lounge is just a perk rather than a necessity.

The lounge really has nothing to do with the length of the flight, rather, it's the length of the layover. Though I suppose you mean as compared to an international lounge where the hot shower is desirable.

Now THOSE lounges are worth some self-righteous envy. I had the pleasure of using one a few years back. Did wonders for my feeling like a herd animal for my second leg.
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