Comments on: Delta Merger? Good for Wall St. but What About Cheap Airfare Sales? http://rickseaney.com/2008/01/11/possible-delta-merger-good-for-wall-st-but-what-about-us-passengers/ Thu, 04 Dec 2008 23:03:51 GMT http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.3 By: Rick Seaney http://rickseaney.com/2008/01/11/possible-delta-merger-good-for-wall-st-but-what-about-us-passengers/#comment-4059 Rick Seaney Mon, 14 Jan 2008 15:08:52 +0000 http://rickseaney.com/2008/01/11/possible-delta-merger-good-for-wall-st-but-what-about-us-passengers/#comment-4059 <blockquote> Elliot, I would never think well thought out commentary is crazy ... I don't agree with you however; time and time again I have seen what lack of competition can do to a city like Cincinnati and dozens of smaller regional airports. It is not a pretty sight when airlines have no checks and balances in a city... </blockquote>

Elliot, I would never think well thought out commentary is crazy … I don’t agree with you however; time and time again I have seen what lack of competition can do to a city like Cincinnati and dozens of smaller regional airports. It is not a pretty sight when airlines have no checks and balances in a city…

]]> By: Elliot http://rickseaney.com/2008/01/11/possible-delta-merger-good-for-wall-st-but-what-about-us-passengers/#comment-3974 Elliot Sat, 12 Jan 2008 03:04:30 +0000 http://rickseaney.com/2008/01/11/possible-delta-merger-good-for-wall-st-but-what-about-us-passengers/#comment-3974 I don't necessarily agree. I admit, I'm not an expert, however, before you call me crazy, I have a valid reason - Really, I don't believe the airlines really care about the passengers anyway (at least not more than they have to). Anyone who believes the legacy carriers are doing things for passengers because they are passenger-focused is not seeing behind things. For example, take United, who will claim they are focused on the needs of their passengers. They have Economy +, and will market this as showing that they are giving passengers what they want - more legroom. In reality, its not about what a passenger wants, but a marketing and revenue tool, for the airline to encourage frequent flyers to stay with them. Sure, there are a couple of rows less in a plane, but now thousands of frequent flyers who will pay extra $$$ to sit in the seats that are available. If they really cared about the passengers, they wouldn't be raising the "fuel surcharge" by $25 each way. In fact, I think, at least in the nearer term, a merger could actually help passengers. Again, I'm not crazy (or working for any airline), I know all the arguments against it. The fact is, the airlines will likely need to make many promises in order to convince agencies like the DOJ to allow the mergers. They will have to follow up on those promises, but have nothing they are bound to today. I don’t necessarily agree. I admit, I’m not an expert, however, before you call me crazy, I have a valid reason - Really, I don’t believe the airlines really care about the passengers anyway (at least not more than they have to).

Anyone who believes the legacy carriers are doing things for passengers because they are passenger-focused is not seeing behind things.

For example, take United, who will claim they are focused on the needs of their passengers. They have Economy +, and will market this as showing that they are giving passengers what they want - more legroom. In reality, its not about what a passenger wants, but a marketing and revenue tool, for the airline to encourage frequent flyers to stay with them. Sure, there are a couple of rows less in a plane, but now thousands of frequent flyers who will pay extra $$$ to sit in the seats that are available. If they really cared about the passengers, they wouldn’t be raising the “fuel surcharge” by $25 each way.

In fact, I think, at least in the nearer term, a merger could actually help passengers. Again, I’m not crazy (or working for any airline), I know all the arguments against it. The fact is, the airlines will likely need to make many promises in order to convince agencies like the DOJ to allow the mergers. They will have to follow up on those promises, but have nothing they are bound to today.

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