3 ms·

If skipped segments are such a problem for the airlines, couldn't they fix it by ensuring that they never priced an stopping flight cheaper than any of its subs

by hakfoo 3y ago

If skipped segments are such a problem for the airlines, couldn't they fix it by ensuring that they never priced an stopping flight cheaper than any of its subsidiary segments? Or maybe they could develop services that consumed those abandoned travel segments, allowing people to buy the ticket and explicitly waive the second segment. Maube expand standby services, or some sort of "you can buy a ticket for a package when even Fedex Overnight isn't fast enough for you."

CameronNemo 3y ago
AIUI, some of the price differences are caused by fees paid to airports for passengers that depart or arrive at that airport. If you are just passing through, the fee does not get applied to you/your airline.
- Guvante 3y ago
  My friend did skip flights many years ago, he said it was due to competition. You have three airports A, B, and C. Airline X has flights to B but most don't. For arbitrary reasons the flight from A to C stops at B. When pricing tickets flights to B can be more expensive due to lack of competition from other airlines flying into B. However flights between A and C (which is a popular flight) have to compete against other flights since it is a popular route. Thus you end up with an expensive midway but a cheap overall ticket.
SpicyLemonZest 3y ago
Pricing connecting flights lower is the whole point. The model I've seen is something like this: A has direct flights to B and C for $300. But B is a major hub while C is a random regional destination, and their network has too many staff members or individual aircraft that need to get to B. So one of the A to C flights is scheduled to connect through B, and customers who are willing to take that flight pay only $200 for their inconvenience. "Skiplaggers", even though they're getting the same service from a user perspective, are defeating the point from a route management perspective. The discount was offered to improve the airline's logistics by reducing the demand for A->C, and if you're on a hidden-city ticket you aren't helping with that.

by hakfoo 3y ago

CameronNemo 3y ago

AIUI, some of the price differences are caused by fees paid to airports for passengers that depart or arrive at that airport. If you are just passing through, the fee does not get applied to you/your airline.

Guvante 3y ago
My friend did skip flights many years ago, he said it was due to competition. You have three airports A, B, and C. Airline X has flights to B but most don't. For arbitrary reasons the flight from A to C stops at B. When pricing tickets flights to B can be more expensive due to lack of competition from other airlines flying into B. However flights between A and C (which is a popular flight) have to compete against other flights since it is a popular route. Thus you end up with an expensive midway but a cheap overall ticket.

SpicyLemonZest 3y ago

Pricing connecting flights lower is the whole point. The model I've seen is something like this: A has direct flights to B and C for $300. But B is a major hub while C is a random regional destination, and their network has too many staff members or individual aircraft that need to get to B. So one of the A to C flights is scheduled to connect through B, and customers who are willing to take that flight pay only $200 for their inconvenience. "Skiplaggers", even though they're getting the same service from a user perspective, are defeating the point from a route management perspective. The discount was offered to improve the airline's logistics by reducing the demand for A->C, and if you're on a hidden-city ticket you aren't helping with that.