Airfare

[JamesK840]

RE: Airline problems

 

Pretty sure ATA customers (who weren't on a 'codeshare' from Southwest) received no such consideration.

 

Almost every American airline's been through chapter 7, reorgs, etc... it's a great way to shaft their employees, especially retired ones; but the customers may not even know its happening.

 

Now that they've done those with things still getting worse more may follow ATA into 'real' bankruptcy. Better that and screw over the customers than cut safety corners to keep flying though. Which is why I'm glad of the FAA wakeup call.

[Guest zipperzone]

RE: Airline problems

 

>I always remember that when I hear people bashing the current

>American system, which at least tries to get its stranded

>passengers where they've paid to go. Ohhhhh, Canada.

 

We never claim to be perfect :-) I could give you dozens of examples where we really suck.

[KMEM]

RE: Airline problems

 

Not to pick on you JamesK840 but the wake-up call to which you refer was a procedural question which is another way of saying a management issue. In the MD inspections there were no "real" safety of flight issues, more a question of what did you do and how did you do it and when did you do it. I know that sounds like it could be a safety issue and almost any and every thing eventually might be, to include a bad cabin evacuation briefing, etc. Here is a brief technical description of the issue. There are bundles of wiring throughout the aircraft. The bundles in question ran in the wheel wells. The are affixed to the aircraft in various ways and at various points throughout their run. The bundle itself is held together with plastic and metal fasteners called tie wraps. Now here is the issue the FAA was investigating. Were the tie wraps close enough together? The answer to this question is not spelled out in some manual as so many tie wraps to the inch but generally described as good maintenance practices. You can see where this might be open to some interpretation. To beat the point into the ground, let's say there is an instruction that says that wire bundles should be tied together with suitable fasteners so that there is no droop or unbundling of the wires. From that instruction, please tell me how close the tie wraps should be.

 

I am not defending SW or AA or any other airline or attacking the FAA. We all make real and paperwork mistakes, some times those are the same and sometimes not. No person or entity and certainly no government agency is perfect. Look at the highway toll in the US. Almost 40,000 killed each year. What is that answer?

 

It has been said that don't complain about things if you have no solutions but I think at least knowing what the question is can be equally important.

 

Best regards,

KMEM

[JamesK840]

RE: Airline problems

 

The American snafu is just a symptom of the wake up call... as I said in reply #8, American's problem was less severe than Southwest's and they just got caught up in the backlash against what Southwest did.

 

It is unfortunate that American had to bear the brunt of Southwest's mistake. I do feel that in ignoring ADs as old as 1999 *Southwest's* actions were reckless and dangerous. I've only flown them twice in my life, but because of their actions I will now actively avoid them in the future. Have there been any executive-level firings in this matter? Eh, even if there was they'd get a hell of a golden parachute. Southwest was the quintessential bargain airline and they've been caught cutting safety corners in the name of profit, exactly something they always promised would never happen as the deregulation that made Southwest possible was passed and expanded and expanded. With the industry in downturn I'm glad the FAA has been jolted back awake at the switch, because with so much maintenance now outsourced to the lowest bidder they are needed more then ever. That the FAA reached such a low point in the first place would've been scandalous and shocking in any administration before this one.

 

Also, while I didn't realize how late MD80s were still being built, it doesn't change the fact that the plane was primarily engineered in the 60s. Even though they have a good safety record, the pulleys, levers, and hamster in a wheel that make up the cockpit plus the cramped, uncomfortable and noisy cabin had me avoiding MD80s where possible long before this. It's too bad American stuck with them so long and doesn't have any money to buy the ATA or other newly available at cut-rates fleets from dead startup airlines.

 

http://articles.moneycentral.msn.com/Investing/Extra/MD80WhyIsThisPlaneStillFlying.aspx

[KMEM]

RE: Airline problems

 

JamesK840,

 

Did you read the article you cited? Except for the FAA CYA pontificating, it basically says the same thing that I did and that is there are no safety of flight issues and there is plenty of room for interpretation about the AD note and maintenance practices. The FAA is reacting to criticism from the Congress and others.

 

The article also correctly pointed out the MD-80 is NOT fuel efficient and its' replacement will be dictated by economics and management decisions.

 

I do not prefer to ride on the airlines because, and I supppose I could fairly be accused of being elitist,I do not like to have to waste time waiting for the airline to do its' thing or dealing with those Burger King rejects that work for the TSA and all the other rules and regulations but I would have no problem riding on SW or any other US airline because I sincerely believe in the US system of air transport. It is the best in the world. It is not perfect and, if you expect it to be, then you should solve the highway problems, the slipping in the bathtub problems and all the other ailments that plague the modern world. It is simply the price we pay for convenience and ease of traveling long distances. Every reward has its' risks.

 

Here is what you can do to minimize your risk on the airlines:

Do not fly when there is severe weather forecast or extant enroute or at your departure point or arrival destination. That alone will up your chances more than any other single thing one can do. It will be inconvenient, if you travel very much, but I promise it will be effective.

 

Best regards,

KMEM

[twinkboylover28]

RE: Solution ?

 

>My guess is that your seat will be at least as big if not

>bigger on the train, and you can walk around etc. Plus --

>think how much it will reduce your carbon footprint!

>

>Take the train, a couple of good books, and enjoy.

 

 

I decided to go with Via Rail. Round trip is $229 USD. Ofcourse, I have to pay $16 to have someone drive me across the border (four times at $4 = $16) and $30 for gas (four segments at $7.50 = $30)

 

Grand total = $ 275 USD roundtrip

 

Compared to Northwest Airlines at almost $800 ($760 plus $30 for exit seat since I'm 6'4" tall with size 16 feet).

 

Last year I had NWA on sale for $240 roundtrip and non-stop (plus $30 for exit seat) which included all taxes. Now it's insane at nearly $800 total.

 

I'm happy with the Via Rail plan. My first time doing it.

[twinkboylover28]

RE: Solution ?

 

..and actually I can just park my car at the Via Rail in Windsor saving me even more money and time.

[seaboy4hire]

>

>Why does it cost 3 times the price to fly from

>Detroit-to-Montreal ($750) as it would from Detroit-to-San

>Francisco ($220) according to bestfares.com

>

>Both are non-stop flights on Northwest Airlines; however,

>Montreal is only 500 miles from Detroit while San Fran is

>thousands-of-miles away.

 

As stated by a few there are many variables that go into pricing air fare. But one thing that was not mentioned is that the fuel that is used to get these birds off the ground is not the same as you put in our cars or in my case my scoot scoot. Heres a link explaining it better then I could http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aviation_fuel

 

Hugs,

Greg

seaboy4hire@yahoo.com

http://seaboy4hire.tripod.com http://www.daddysreviews.com/newest.php?who=greg_seattle

http://img182.imageshack.us/img182/6707/lebec084a9ad147f620acd5ps8.jpg

Tentative travel cities 2008: Los Angeles April 10 & 13.