Fewer holiday flight choices

[TravelGal]

I try not to make new threads but I've been reading this so often that I thought it should stand on its own. I started looking last week to get flights the *first week* of December from LA to Tampa and found it difficult. I can only imagine what's left for the holidays. From today's briefing.

"Rick Seany of FareCompare has a comparison chart of the number of seats that will be available for Christmas bookings this year. Reading it you get a jolt because of the number of seats that have been cut.

It's going to be a tough time to get a seat to fly over Christmas and its going to cost you. Check it out at http://rickseaney.com/2008/08/04/no-seats-for-christmas-flights/ Look at the numbers for United who are cutting almost 60,000 seats from last year and American is cutting about 46,000 thousand while Southwest is adding 18,000 seats."

[Brickman]

I think soon the airlines are going to learn something from Oil.

Scarcity creates profit.

[TravelGal]

It's already working. Most of the airlines reported a profit this last quarter. ;)

[Methanolandbrats]

Very interesting piece on CNBC this morning. Airlines are on the way to becoming a luxury travel option unless fuel cost comes way down. They are all going broke spending an average $300 per passenger for fuel. Perks that were offered to fill seats (food, water, pillows) are going away because they are a possible source of funds and they may go away totally because they weigh too much. Fewer flights, no frills, very expensive........imagine a city bus with wings. :D

[Brickman]

Speaking of flying...

http://ktla.trb.com/video/?clipId=2769456&topVideoCatNo=79422&c=79422&autoStart=true&activePane=info&LaunchPageAdTag=homepage&clipFormat=

[TravelGal]

Speaking of flying...

http://ktla.trb.com/video/?clipId=2769456&topVideoCatNo=79422&c=79422&autoStart=true&activePane=info&LaunchPageAdTag=homepage&clipFormat=

So glad I just got an AA ticket to go visit my mom in September. LOL. At $15 and the lower award level (it's going up Oct 1), I probably still got a good deal, even if I have to evac like that.

Meth, you're right. Fact is, the airlines are racking it in big now and plan to keep it that way. Kaching.

[Elmo T]

The romance of air travel is long since gone.

We normally plan our travel arrangements around our accomodations. We book the hotel, then book the travel.

Seems like we will save far more money now by booking cheaper travel days and adjusting the hotel around that.

[Insomniac]

It's already working. Most of the airlines reported a profit this last quarter. ;)

:confused: I saw better than expected earnings, but not much on the profit side.

[eiregosod]

JetBlue offers flights to nowhere

http://www.rte.ie/news/2008/0807/jetblue.html

:rofl:

[JLMannin]

JetBlue offers flights to nowhere

http://www.rte.ie/news/2008/0807/jetblue.html

:rofl:

One of the "perks" will likely be no fees for the checked bags. :D

[Gnam]

New York-based JetBlue is looking for 1,000 of its frequent flyers to show up at JFK on 23 August to check bags given to them by the airline, go through security and wait at the assigned gate for their imaginary 'flight'.
How will they answer the "Did you pack this bag yourself?", or "Have you left it unattended?" questions? :p