Earlier quoted context omitted.
How are 2 travelers priced in? If I rent a 4 passenger car are 4 people priced in?
Would a van cost more to rent then a sedan?
yes (car rental prices are mostly a function of size)
Airlines are charging solo passengers higher fares than groups
51–60 of 533 posts
Re: Airlines are charging solo passengers higher fares than groups
#52I don't have any data, but it wouldn't at all surprise me if single/business travelers are way more likely to cancel or change flights, and this is just pricing that into the ticket cost.
I've flown a good number of transatlantic routes with my family, and I've also flown over alone.
From my anecdata, being single greatly increases your chances of being bumped off a full flight. And it's a lot cheaper and easier to compensate/redirect one person than a family of four.
Re: Airlines are charging solo passengers higher fares than groups
#53I never would have understood this as a young, single person. Now that I have a family there are several times per year where we price out the cost of a solo ticket for one parent, the price of taking one or two kids, or the cost of all of us going for something. Having a quantity discount would absolutely tip the scales for us for certain trips. People will look at this as penalizing single travelers and want everyo…
We as a society already penalize people without families: 1. Higher taxes and fewer deductions 2. Higher workplace performance expectations 3. Higher costs in every aspect of life 4. Fewer options eat out, expensive solo tickets at events etc. This is just one more example in a long list of examples of how being by yourself is penalized in the society.
> Higher costs in every aspect of life
...except for the average $300,000 cost of raising a child in the US. That one would seem to rather balance out all those others.
Re: Airlines are charging solo passengers higher fares than groups
#54"Penalizing solo travelers" is a hell of a spin on quantity discounts. If this isn't click bait what is?
Re: Airlines are charging solo passengers higher fares than groups
#55Earlier quoted context omitted.
We as a society already penalize people without families: 1. Higher taxes and fewer deductions 2. Higher workplace performance expectations 3. Higher costs in every aspect of life 4. Fewer options eat out, expensive solo tickets at events etc. This is just one more example in a long list of examples of how being by yourself is penalized in the society.
how are there less options for people without families to eat out? I'm not following that part
Nicer restaurants often won't accept reservations for solo diners, leaving them to come at off-hours or eat at the bar.
Obviously that's a pure economic thing you can't get mad at as tables are designed for 2+ and you're trying to get in during a high traffic time.
Re: Airlines are charging solo passengers higher fares than groups
#56I think this is fair play, they can charge how they want (within reason) and it’s not too different than other bulk discounts. But someone should totally make a site for finding strangers to book the same flight with :)
lol I love that concept! Replying here so that I’m reminded of the idea in case I get the time
Re: Airlines are charging solo passengers higher fares than groups
#57Curious if any others are priced out of traveling? I haven't seen family in 3 years.
Re: Airlines are charging solo passengers higher fares than groups
#58Earlier quoted context omitted.
how are there less options for people without families to eat out? I'm not following that part
You can’t eat out alone everywhere
"Table for one" is nearly always accommodated. Bringing a family of 4 or 5 out, and you're much more likely to be denied, or to suffer a long wait.
Re: Airlines are charging solo passengers higher fares than groups
#59Earlier quoted context omitted.
Traveling solo is already brutal because hotels and Airbnbs are priced on the assumption of two travelers. Traveling solo essentially costs double automatically because of lodging, and it kind of sucks there’s a double whammy with airfare where, unlike lodging, the penalty doesn’t actually make any sense. I guess as a family be grateful that all hotel rooms come with a 50% (or more) discount per traveler?
I don't really find this relevant in the US because airline pricing is already the ultimate brutal form of pricing. Not only are they allowed to bill you whatever they want, they are never under any actual obligation to put you on the plane.
This seems surprising to me. I was under the impression that airlines are pretty low profit margin industries, pulling in only around 3-4% in a decent year, and that of that the airline tickets themselves are the lowest margin items percentage wise, with other things like baggage fees being much more load bearing.
Re: Airlines are charging solo passengers higher fares than groups
#60I think this is fair play, they can charge how they want (within reason) and it’s not too different than other bulk discounts. But someone should totally make a site for finding strangers to book the same flight with :)
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