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Favorite airline rant copy/pasted from reader comments

Discussion in 'General Topics' started by wheelsup, Apr 25, 2012.

  1. wheelsup Well-Known Member

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    So this has to take the cake for me. I'm not the biggest fan of 'nickle and diming', and honestly really don't care much for the business model, however it is what it is.

    So this guy paid $102 ROUND TRIP from somewhere in the US to Jamaica. He then has to pay $50 for his bags, which was his own fault for over packing (pretty much everyone owns a scale at home) so just over $200 EVEN WITH the excess bag fee, and the ticket wasn't competitive? To what? Swimming?
  2. WacoFan What difference, at this point, does it make.

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    I think it is just the business model that people object to. Tell me what the ticket costs - don't entice me with teaser rates and then load me up on extra fees - just sell me the damned ticket. That is the incredibly irritating part for me. A long time ago, when you bought a new Mercedes (or BMW) there weren't a whole hell of a lot of options. Color and interior color, etc. That was a beautiful business model - You are buying an expensive car, M-B made the car they wanted to sell you at "x amount" and that was it. It was much better than picking Corinthian leather or whatever else - and that was truly when buying a Benz was a different kind of experience. Still good - not like it was though.
    killbilly likes this.
  3. Lee D Well-Known Member

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    Wow. Someone has an over developed sense of entitlement. We live in a Wal-Mart world with a, everything should be as dirt cheap as possible, Wal-Mart mentality. I doubt a Greyhound bus fare, not to Jamaica of course :), on a trip with equivalent miles across 4 or 5 states would be that cheap.
  4. SoonerAv8r Well-Known Member

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    Henry Ford had the best business model ever. Yes sir you can have your Model T in any color you want.....as long as it's black!!!
    Bud01 likes this.
  5. Autothrust Blue Conveying multiple attitudes

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    The VLCCs depend on sucking you in with a low sticker price and then gouging your eyes out with fees. This is their model. This is how it has always been and how it always shall be, but for some reason, people will put up with it and convince themselves they got an awesome deal. Which may or may not be the case.

    Not commenting on the model, merely stating "yep, that's how it works".
  6. wheelsup Well-Known Member

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    In other news the sky is blue
  7. Autothrust Blue Conveying multiple attitudes

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    No , Sherlock.

    For reasons unclear, people complain about it, but still do it.
  8. contactground.9 Banned

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    I just paid 26 bucks for carry on....And 40 for "convenience fees" This guy can pound sand..
  9. Murdoughnut Well sized member

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    This story of a local guy is what's causing a lot of recent animosity.

    http://overheadbin.msnbc.msn.com/_n...nes-no-refund-policy?chromedomain=usnews&lite

    I like the people who say "well I'll never fly Spirit again!" Yes, but please show me the airline that simply refunds your ticket because you can't go on the trip. Spirit even offered him a credit for another flight, but since he's dying, he says that isn't good enough. Isn't this what trip insurance is for? And why does being a veteran somehow change it?
  10. contactground.9 Banned

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    People try that all the time and it bothers me. I have nothing but respect for veterans, but vet status doesn't somehow exclude you from basic social rules.
  11. Hacker15e Member Of Extraordinary Magnitude

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    It's the airline business' own fault that they've fostered unrealistic expectations amongst passengers in terms of ticket costs.

    Either that, or many Americans are self-entitled idiots.
    ChasenSFO likes this.
  12. Soul Brotha' Well-Known Member

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    I don't think it's just Spirit. I've seen numerous times where people are screaming about how they paid X amount of $ and think they own the plane. "Well security held us up, that's why we are late." Gate agent(s) calmly explain, "Sorry you missed you're flight but 150 other people made the flight on time."
  13. Zidac Well-Known Member

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    Ironically, people in the military often have such a sense of entitlement. I'm in the Navy and I see it all the time.

    Yes, the occasional discounts are nice... but I don't expect or demand them.
  14. Autothrust Blue Conveying multiple attitudes

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    "I'll never fly [airline name] again!"

    "Yes you will..."
  15. Murdoughnut Well sized member

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    How great would it be if the airlines had their own "no fly" list. Unruly or rude passengers get added and then can't fly. Ever. Would be hilarious! and good news for Greyhound stock.
    Soul Brotha' likes this.
  16. SpiraMirabilis Possible Subversive

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    They do.
  17. killbilly Vocals, Lyrics, Triangle, Washboard, Kittens

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    These are not mutually exclusive.

    This "bait" business model is effective if irritating. People feel duped because they forget the following phrases:

    "If it's too good to be true, it probably is."
    "Read the fine print."
    "Caveat emptor."

    As for that self-righteous sense of entitlement, it is probably the number-one behavior that makes me cringe over our continued survival as a species.
  18. Derg Major Domo

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    I have no problem with the Spirit model.

    They're giving the consumer exactly what they're asking for. America wants to click the lowest price and claims no responsibility for reading any of the fine print. Last I checked the website, it's pretty clear that there are a variety of fees too.

    Did he really think $18 was "reasonable"? What the hell, that would barely but a beer and a hamburger at the local tavern, but you want to fly 500 miles per hour on a multi-million dollar jet, across an ocean and well, $18 is reasonable.

    I don't even work for Spirit but I want to punch that guy in the mouth! :)
  19. tomokc Well-Known Member

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    What drives customers nuts about pricing is that nobody pays the same amount, they don't understand why, and there's little transparency. Passengers in a 140-pax 737 will have paid 140 different fares, even before they check a bag or buy a snack. All they want to know is how much from A to B with a checked bag, a Coke and a bag of pretzels. Instead of maintaining a transparent pricing system, airlines compete based upon the lowest published price, and then add a bazillion fees. I respect and appreciate the crew and employees, but I hate the airline and the industry.

    Remember the story earlier this week about appendectomy prices? They ranged from $1,500 to $180,000. You can't simply call a hospital and ask "how much?" Similar to the airlines, I respect and appreciate my surgeon and his medical team, but I hate the hospital and the industry.
  20. Eagle421flyer Well-Known Member

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    We get these people all the time especially at our outstations where the ticket agents are also the gate agents. On the website it says "be at the airport 2 hours prior and at the gate 45 minutes prior." You would be suprised at how few people can read...or how many people think they get get to the LAS airport 30min prior to the flight leaving and actually make it through the security line.

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