Barbara G.B. Ferguson’s Post

Considering Southwest was spared the flight meltdown last week due to its antiquated technology, it might be time to stop kicking them for a little bit? "Southwest Airlines is floundering because passengers will pay to not ‘fight for a seat,’ JetBlue founder says"   I mean, there is truth to this, but it’s hard to swallow when coming from a business founder. It’s one thing when the guests / consumers say this. It’s another when it comes from the POV of profit drivers. So I do think the fight for a seat method is dying, but we have to hear it from consumers.   And I keep finding these articles about Southwest’s issues, but I don’t expect a sudden implosion from them (but – we never do). I certainly hope they stabilize so we continue to have viable options outside of the big 3 airlines.   https://lnkd.in/e54aWpZb #letsmakeplans #themedentertainment #airlines #airports #southwestairlines #travelandtourism

It's almost hard to believe there's an airfare war going on amid this summer's record air travel. Delta Air Lines CEO Ed Bastien blamed it on excess capacity in the market. The other reason is that low-cost carriers, including Frontier and Spirit, are trying to claw back customers that the major airlines lured away with basic economy fares. This started back when leisure travelers were the first to return to the skies after the pandemic lockdowns. Read more in my latest column about why shares of major airlines tanked after Delta released second-quarter earnings while the low-cost carriers rose: https://lnkd.in/gEQR_w5z

Summary: The Wall Street Journal has released its annual rankings of the best and worst airlines in the US for 2023. Delta Air Lines secured the top spot for the third consecutive year, with Alaska Airlines following closely behind. JetBlue Airways ranked last due to issues with on-time performance, flight cancellations, and baggage handling. Takeaway: Delta Air Lines continues to lead the pack as the best airline in the US, excelling in on-time performance, low involuntary bump rate, and minimal complaints. Meanwhile, JetBlue Airways faces challenges in several key metrics, placing last in the rankings. Hashtags: #DeltaAirlines #AlaskaAirlines #JetBlueAirways #WSJRankings #USairlines #AviationIndustry #TravelNews

Have you noticed an upward creep in the cost to check your bag? JetBlue recently introduced dynamic pricing, which means the cost can vary widely depending on the route and when you book. This move was already used by budget carriers, including Spirit and Frontier, but analysts expect more airlines to follow suit. Earlier this year, United, American and Delta raised their bag fees, too. So why is this happening? Alison Sider and I explore the reasons in our latest for The Wall Street Journal. Among the causes: 🛄 Rising costs for the airlines. Carriers are having to shell out for costlier fuel and higher salaries. 🛄 Unlike airfare, bag fees aren’t subject to a 7.5% federal ticket tax 🛄 When it comes to JetBlue, the airline is tinkering with luggage fees as part of its efforts to become profitable again. Don't worry: There are ways to get around the fees, so we give some tips in the article, as well. Are these fees having an effect on the way you travel? #travel #checkedluggage #airlines #airtravel Remember to follow The Wall Street Journal on LinkedIn. https://lnkd.in/eAxRMnB9

WalletHub released a new report on 2024’s Best Airlines. Here are a few key stats to keep in mind: ● Best Overall – Alaska Airlines earned the highest overall WalletHub Score (68.07) for the fourth time in six years, followed by SkyWest Airlines (65.96). ● Most Reliable – Delta Air Lines has the lowest overall rate of cancellations, delays, mishandled luggage and denied boardings. The next most reliable company is SkyWest Airlines. ● Safety – Spirit Airlines is the safest, with a low number of incidents and accidents per 100,000 flight operations, no fatalities and fewer than 15 people injured between 2018 and 2023. Spirit Airlines also has a relatively new fleet of aircrafts. The safety runner-up is Alaska Airlines. ● Most Comfortable – Delta Air Lines and JetBlue Airways lead the pack in terms of in-flight experience, offering free amenities such as Wi-Fi, extra legroom, and complimentary snacks and beverages. Alaska Airlines, Southwest Airlines & American Airlines are tied for the third position in this category. https://lnkd.in/d9qQdQv #travel #money #wallethub

We need to hold DELTA and other major airlines accountable for their abuse of their passengers!!! Feeling incredibly frustrated with Delta Airlines right now. Our flight to Seattle was delayed for 5 hours only to be canceled because we were missing two flight attendants. To make matters worse, they’re lying and claiming the cancellation was due to weather, even though it's beautiful outside. This isn’t the first time either—last year, they delayed us for 12 hours before canceling due to the flight crew timing out. Why are we even flying with Delta anymore? Who is holding these major airlines accountable? They take so much money from us just to treat us poorly. Perhaps if they spent less time optimizing everything for maximum profit, disruptions like tech outages wouldn’t cause such chaos and ruin people’s important trips. We met fellow passengers missing weddings, crucial training, and other significant events. This needs to change. #DeltaFail #AirlineAccountability #CustomerService #DELTA AIRLINES

Starting May 1, Delta Air Lines will have a new numbered system for boarding. Here’s how it will work..

Can the Airlines get to record profits on the backs of luggage charges? Does it seem like it is a cartel? One firm raises bag fees & others follow suit. In case you needed yet another incentive to cram all your travel items into a carry-on, Delta Airlines just boosted the cost of your first checked bag by 17%. The increase adds $5 to the previous, and not-exactly-insignificant, $30 fee for domestic flights. Delta is the third major U.S. carrier to hike bag fees in the past several weeks. Its move follows similar increases that American Airlines and United Airlines announced in February, three days apart; those high fees themselves followed fee hikes by smaller carriers Alaska Airlines and JetBlue Airways. AP #airlines

Conventional wisdom is airlines are high-fixed-cost businesses. But what if that wasn’t true? Most airlines maximize flight hours, but one does the opposite. Allegiant Air prides themselves on operating older planes. Why? They’re cheap. But, like a used car you buy for $5,000, maintenance and gas are more expensive. Allegiant flies 20-year-old gas guzzlers. Other airlines fly new Priuses. Why does this matter? It means a higher proportion of Allegiant's costs are variable. https://lnkd.in/gZjkr8-Q