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From: sims@hou2b.UUCP (J.SIMESTER)
Newsgroups: net.travel,net.misc
Subject: Re: QUESTION ON TWA TICKET PRICING POLICIES.
Message-ID: <228@hou2b.UUCP>
Date: Wed, 7-Mar-84 16:30:49 EST
Article-I.D.: hou2b.228
Posted: Wed Mar  7 16:30:49 1984
Date-Received: Thu, 8-Mar-84 08:41:49 EST
References: <209@afinitc.UUCP>
Organization: AT&T Bell Labs, Holmdel NJ
Lines: 40

Mark Grieshaber wrote (in part)

> I am leaving from St. Louis, MO to visit a friend who lives midway between
> West Palm Beach, FL and Miami, FL.  Either airport would be convenient for
> her to meet me.
>   Case 1: TWA nonstop from St. Louis to Miami costs $210.00.
>   Case 2: TWA direct from St. Louis to Tampa with a stop in Miami; change
>         planes in Tampa to fly to West Palm Beach costs $185.00.
> Now, *why* would it cost more to fly a shorter distance?  What is to keep
> people from booking the second, longer flight and getting off in Miami?
> How does TWA justifying charging less for flying me farther?

Ah, yes, the immutable logic of air travel ticket pricing!  As I understand
such matters (not an expert opinion - just my impression), the objective
of such pricing schemes is to offer low rates on the high-volume routes
(make it up on volume!) which are subject to intense competition from
other carriers, and sock it to you on the low-volume routes that no one
(or almost no one) else flys.  (Actually there may be some justification
on the higher-priced low demand routes, as the planes frequently may
fly half empty.  On the other hand, if an airline is the sole carrier to
Podunk, what motivation do they have to offer low rates!)

One method I have read about to cut travel costs is to find a Super-Saver
offering for which your intended destination is a stop-over (e.g. NYC
to San Francisco, with a stop in St. Louis).  Just make sure you carry on
all of your luggage, and get off during the stop!  2 points: this may
not work so well if you want a round trip (for which an airline may offer
a discount over one-way); and I don't really know about the legalities
involved (any legal wizards out there??)

My wife just ran into another crazy pricing situation.  Her family lives
in St. Louis.  I'm driving out to Ohio (from NJ) this summer for a college
reunion.  She looked into flights from Columbus to St. Louis, figuring
to drive that far with me and fly the rest of the way for a visit home.
As it turned out, it was cheaper ($239) for a round trip from Newark,
NJ to St. Louis than from Columbus ($279) - yet Newark-Columbus is almost
2/3 of the distance!!!
-- 
                                    Jim
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