News and notes from around the interweb:
- Metal credit cards, ranked by weight
- Frontier Airlines prepares to go public
- Couple arrested for overflowing their bathtub in hotel room. They’re the ones who called the cops but because they thought someone was trying to break into their room, not a good idea when you have drug paraphernalia in the room… (HT: Alan H.)
Officers, who spent more than three hours trying to get the couple to open the door, ultimately undid a security latch to enter the room, a police supervisor said. By then, the two had barricaded themselves inside a small closet, they were uncooperative, police removed the door, and deployed pepper spray.
- 20% bonus on hotel points transfers to Etihad Guest in April (HT: Loyalty Lobby)
- Nicki Minaj books two hotel rooms when she travels — one for herself, and one for her clothes (HT: Alan H.)
- The American Airlines uniform debacle so far, hopefully the new uniform option from another vendor helps many of the employees who report adverse reactions to the current uniform.
- Scare report from the RAND Corporation on Chinese investment in U.S. aviation (.pdf)
The Skift article notes that 42% of Frontier’s revenue is non-ticket revenue. Which is why the legacy carriers MUST use customer-unfriendly policies like basic economy to compete. If consumers are cheap, or fooled by tricks, that’s what you have to offer to compete. It’s like if you run a hotel and your major competitor hides his real price in a “resort fee,” you also have to implement a resort fee.
@ianphx which is a reason why we need regulations.
@iahphx our last election proved how people can be tricked.
@Joelfreak we do not need regulation, I think most people will see the tricks for what they are, and some people are willing to “save” money at all cost, but most won’t put up with them.
At first glance I saw “Unicorn debacle.” 🙂
Although they may be tricks to get people to pay more, these ultra-low fares have their uses. You can’t be “upsold” if you refuse to buy. Basic Economy is fine for VERY short trips, say NYC-BOS or NYC-ATL for two or three days. On a trip like that, I don’t have anything to carry-on that won’t fit under the seat so it doesn’t matter if I board last, the flight is only about 2 hours, so I don’t need peanuts or a soda, and for a VERY short duration I can put up with the center seat. Anything else and I’d pay the higher fare, or go first (domestic) or Business (international).
As long as they don’t get the idea to use RYANAIR’s stand-up “saddle-seats” design, I’ll be fine…