Simple Flying’s Post

Valentines might have been yesterday but I'd like to share KISS = Keep It Simple, Stupid There's a tendency to overcomplicate solutions to simple problems - see below. Rail fares are in serious need of a KISS. I'm sat on a train where the Train Manager has taken around two minutes to inform passengers of the vast number of ticket exclusions that customers should be aware of "because it's really confusing" and she "doesn't want anyone to have to buy another ticket". Good on her for realising the issue and looking out for her passengers! Yet this begs the question of why are train fares so complex? Is a simple solution the answer? I.e. Make all tickets via any permitted route as standard - unless a passenger opts for a cheaper ticket and books a seat on a particular train? Thoughts?

Maximize your points and miles earning: How to choose where to credit your next flight

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Join QBE Canada for our upcoming webinar 'Introducing Electric Vehicles to Your Fleet'. In this engaging session, you will hear from three industry experts on the specific risks associated with electric vehicles. The webinar will delve into selecting the most suitable vehicle for your requirements, navigating the physical considerations around their use, and driver training ideas. Don't miss out on this valuable insight; click here to register - https://lnkd.in/gYXAvzNc #insurancebroker #fleetmanagement #fleetmanager

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Me again. So, I just flew a one-hour flight Phoenix to San Diego, on Phoenix’s hometown carrier – American Airlines. By the way, isn’t San Diego one of the most beautiful places in the US? But I digress, so back to my experience. As we took off, I thought maybe American Airlines saw the ill of their ways and had changed their text and messaging offer. I did see many, many American Airlines Retailing and Revenue Management leaders had read my previous post, so maybe they realized a new direction was needed to take care of their travelers. I rushed to the AA WIFI page hoping to be surprised and be able to text with my family and friends. But, to my continued dismay, no free text and messaging on my American Airlines flight. I guess their planes are still not NDC ready! So, I thought maybe I’ll pay the WIFI fee to be able to text during the short one-hour flight. Can you guess how much American Airlines charges for WIFI on a one-hour flight? Maybe $5? Guess again. The charge was $12! Can you believe that? $12 for WIFI on a one-hour flight? That is crazy! All part of the AA NDC plan, with better offers, enhanced experiences, and more retailing…really?   I thought to myself, how does this compare to other airlines? Well, Delta made a commitment to free WIFI for all US domestic flights so long as you’re a SkyMiles Member. WOW! That’s an awesome offer and client commitment – way to go Delta! Every other airline I checked had free or cheaper WIFI fees than American Airlines, and some like United Airlines offer discounts for MileagePlus members. So, whether free on Delta, or greatly cheaper on others, how can American Airlines justify $12 for a one-hour flight Phoenix to San Diego? I’ve heard of price elasticity, but this price breaks the rubber band. American Airlines doesn’t even give a WIFI discount for AAdvantage members. I guess membership doesn’t always have its privileges! I’m sure someone could say T-Mobile can get you free WIFI on American Airlines flights, but what about the 80% of people who have another cellular plan? You shouldn’t have to jump through hoops, change cellular providers, nor pay outrageous fees for WIFI service. For American Airlines, I guess NDC = Nickel & Dime Customers!

It's a start...

Business lessons from flying two different airlines this weekend: 1. Every airline in 2024 should offer free wifi. Shoutout to Delta for being smart marketers. I’ll signup for your rewards to get free wifi. Win win. 2. Little things matter in any competitive market. What can you offer that diffferentiates you from your competition other than price? 3. Customer service can make or break a customers experience, especially if it is their first time using your service. If someone has a bad experience, very rarely will they use your service again.

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Some recent observations that my frequent flying connections may find interesting, despite my route being signifcantly more monotonous in recent years. Turns out, United Airlines's pricing engine has gone completely market-unaware. There are a surprising amount of empty planes (per the seat map) later in the year that are bonkers pricing vs. American Airlines flights for a comparable time on the same day for the same route. As dates have gotten closer and the route does not fill up, United's pricing engine does a good job of dropping to fill the plane. I've managed to save nearly another ticket's price by rechecking the rate of booked travel at a later time across only a few flights this summer (will post separately on that). If you hate throwing away money, but have been married to United as I have (year over year 1K, and now Founder Card discounted, more to come on that, too), be sure to check Delta Air Lines or American for the route. Their pricing engines are still structured for the traditional supply/demand ramp vs. United's new Swing-for-the-Fences OPP strategy. Will post tomorrow some data on rechecking rates. ...and my experience with the Founders Card United discount. Sample data I've tracked from my bookings: