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This works differently for retail businesses than it does for airlines. If I'm looking to buy a pair of shoes online, I have multiple options that are all rough

This works differently for retail businesses than it does for airlines. If I'm looking to buy a pair of shoes online, I have multiple options that are all roughly the same price. But I always buy them from Zappo's because I know I'll get good customer service. When I buy a plane ticket, I have a specific route I need to fly on a particular date. I want the flight with the fewest stops. The price difference is often hundreds of dollars. I've had good experiences with Virgin and JetBlue, but I often wind up flying United or Delta anyway, even though I hate them. In that circumstance, it's rational for large carriers with monopolies on important routes to cut costs on customer service.

kingkilr 16y ago
I'm not sure, I've passed up moderate savings ($70 on a $400 flight or so) to go on an airline I prefered. Delta has been a PITA every time I've flown with them, where Southwest has been my airline of choice for over a decade, it's an easy decision to give my money to the people who don't cause pain for me every time.
- megablast 16y ago
  Cool, most people aren't like you, and if they ever do end up like you, then we will have the situation improve. It does not matter what you do, or your friends do, until a lot of people do it.
  - kingkilr 16y ago
    Sure, it's an anecdote, note a statistic. But people purchase favored brands in everything else, I hardly see a reason airlines should be different; particularly given a carrier like United makes most of their money on business class seats, and they do treat those passengers well.
krschultz 16y ago
If you live in a metro area with multiple carriers, often the price differences are negligable. If they weren't, there would be no point of frequent flyer miles. They are trying to lock you into their airline even if their prices are slightly higher, but if the prices on the other airline are drastically lower (hundreds of dollars), it wouldn't make any sense to stick with your normal carrier.

kingkilr 16y ago

I'm not sure, I've passed up moderate savings ($70 on a $400 flight or so) to go on an airline I prefered. Delta has been a PITA every time I've flown with them, where Southwest has been my airline of choice for over a decade, it's an easy decision to give my money to the people who don't cause pain for me every time.

megablast 16y ago
Cool, most people aren't like you, and if they ever do end up like you, then we will have the situation improve. It does not matter what you do, or your friends do, until a lot of people do it.
- kingkilr 16y ago
  Sure, it's an anecdote, note a statistic. But people purchase favored brands in everything else, I hardly see a reason airlines should be different; particularly given a carrier like United makes most of their money on business class seats, and they do treat those passengers well.

krschultz 16y ago

If you live in a metro area with multiple carriers, often the price differences are negligable. If they weren't, there would be no point of frequent flyer miles. They are trying to lock you into their airline even if their prices are slightly higher, but if the prices on the other airline are drastically lower (hundreds of dollars), it wouldn't make any sense to stick with your normal carrier.