GreenReaper ([info]greenreaper) wrote,
@ 2008-04-02 20:41:00
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Current mood: pissed off

Sometimes it seems it'd be better just to drive
Everyone knows you can sometimes get a better deal with a connection than a direct flight, especially when one carrier has a monopoly over a particular flight.

But you'd think that booking that same flight plus another flight would cost more, right?





For comparison:



In all cases, these were the cheapest flights available.

Northwest Airlines' gouging disgusts me, and I'm only mildly less annoyed at whatever authority let this happen. I don't normally say "there should be a law", but if it costs about half as much to fly twice as far (United/American via Chicago), and three times less to have two more flights on your ticket, there's something desperately wrong with our air transportation system.


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[info]drys
2008-04-03 01:37 am UTC (link)
Okay, what the &*%#. That's just insane.

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o.o
[info]afevis
2008-04-03 01:40 am UTC (link)
I really don't understand the airline's logic.

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Re: o.o
[info]furrykef
2008-04-03 03:41 am UTC (link)
First off, you're assuming that there's logic...

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[info]pewter_skunk
2008-04-03 01:59 am UTC (link)
So if you add on another flight, do they pay you?

What accounting school did they graduate from?

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[info]coyoty
2008-04-03 04:23 am UTC (link)
So what happens if you buy the cheaper Chicago to Pittsburgh flight and just take it from Detroit? Do they allow you to do that?

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[info]greenreaper
2008-04-03 05:32 am UTC (link)
I believe if you do that, your subsequent flights will be canceled. This is called a "hidden city" fare, and while it is possible to do this on the return (since you don't care about the canceled flight), you can't carry luggage and as it is against policy you risk having your frequent flier account closed.

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[info]baphnedia
2008-04-03 06:09 am UTC (link)
it is their game. It is easier to sell two seats on two planes (than one), to keep planes full. Direct flights would make a whole lot of sense, and those who can afford to pay for convenience, do so. All airlines price gouge for conveniences.

If direct flights were better priced, we would all be doing it. As for myself, living in Kansas, I wind up connecting usually in Newark or Dallas to fly to Seattle.

The long trips are to fill up the planes that normally wouldn't be full otherwise. They still make a profit, even on the low fares.

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[info]greenreaper
2008-04-03 06:19 am UTC (link)
The thing is, the direct flights from Chicago to Pittsburgh are this cheap as well. NWA had to drop their fares for that trip to compete. They do not have to for Detroit to Pittsburgh simply because they do not have to compete.

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[info]reese_tora
2008-05-04 05:24 pm UTC (link)
You know, you could take Amtrak. I believe the station is right behind the Westin, and it's definently cheaper...

(I ran Detroit to Pittsburgh on June 25th through thier site, and they listed two fares both less than $100)

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[info]greenreaper
2008-05-04 09:52 pm UTC (link)
Yeah, it is very tempting, especially since I can get a discount. It'd be just $135 . . .

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[info]reese_tora
2008-05-05 02:16 am UTC (link)
oooh, nice. I'll have to bear that in mind for next year, as I'm considering riding one way from California, and taking a plane back.

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[info]gaz_a
2008-06-02 09:51 am UTC (link)
Crazy! Although I just checked on kayak and that first flight is showing up as $384 all inclusive right now (10:45am UK time), might be slightly cheaper in the mornings? Frysco also said he found the pricing does vary by weekday, something like Mon-Thu is most expensive. I have found NWA are very cheap for some transatlantic flights, eg. last FC I flew LGW > SFO for £280, and they had a seat sale a couple of weeks ago that would have made LGW > PIT (via. MSP) £32. Would have been a good deal had I not already sorted my travel plans (I'm doing LHR > BWI for £425 rtn, and doing stuff there before driving to Pittsburgh)

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[info]greenreaper
2008-06-02 02:00 pm UTC (link)
It does vary. This was a while back, and they may have been in a different situation regarding their seating availability.

Still, I just took a flight that went all the way to New York with NWA for $180 return, and it was packed, so I think there's a huge premium involved here. The fact that they can sell the same flights plus some others for 1/2 the price makes it clear their fixed costs aren't the issue.

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[info]hyperx
2008-06-13 12:41 pm UTC (link)
Just remember if you do not check in at Chicago... they will have gotten rid of your seat on the Detriot Leg. So they have you up the ass ;\

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