As Matthew correctly pointed out, there is a BIG difference between the practice at WN and the "Majors". The latter are NOT happy with back to back tickets and are making significant inroads into their elimination - TA's beware!. Liam. YVR. ----- Original Message ----- From: "Matthew Montano" <mmontano@direct.ca> To: <AIRLINE@LISTSERV.CUNY.EDU> Sent: Monday, May 06, 2002 8:41 PM Subject: Re: If I ran United... > Most, if not all airlines try and catch back-to-back by having a clause tha= > t > threatens cancellation of all outstanding segments if you book segments tha= > t > you don=B9t intend to travel on. The classic definition of back-to-back yield= > s > a situation where you physically can=B9t take the flights you=B9ve booked. > > WN may permit it, but they have clauses regarding the use of unused segment= > s > that make it unappealing. WN also have pricing that differs from major=B9s > standard pricing practice; their pricing is mostly segment based rather tha= > n > round-trip discounting. > > Matthew=20 > > > > On 5/6/02 8:18 PM, "Addison Schonland" <addison@schonland.com> wrote: > > > back to back is illegal - but buy one ticke on airline 1 and another on > > airline 2, you pick up the cheap fare and can't be caught doing anything > > "bad".... > >=20 > > -----Original Message----- > > From: The Airline List [mailto:AIRLINE@LISTSERV.CUNY.EDU]On Behalf Of > > Liam Tully > > Sent: Monday, May 06, 2002 8:09 PM > > To: AIRLINE@LISTSERV.CUNY.EDU > > Subject: Re: If I ran United... > >=20 > >=20 > > Mark. > >=20 > > My understanding is that "back to back" tickets are somewhat "frowne= > d" > > upon > > by most, if not all carrier's - is that not correct? I might suggest to y= > ou > > that in the > > event of an IROP situation, or having to make a change en-route, your cli= > ent > > with > > a B2B tkt. could find him/herself in a most uncomfortable situation. > >=20 > > Liam. > > YVR. > >=20 > >=20 > > ----- Original Message ----- > > From: "Mark Greenwood" <mgreenwood@telus.net> > > To: <AIRLINE@LISTSERV.CUNY.EDU> > > Sent: Monday, May 06, 2002 6:56 PM > > Subject: Re: If I ran United... > >=20 > >=20 > >> > We don't get a stream of random customers walking through our doors > > because we > >> > are not a store front agency. Yes it is more profitable to look after= > the > >> > clients I already have. 80% of your business comes from 20% of your > >> > customers. Very few of my clients travel on unrestricted tickets. Wi= > th > > the > >> > business climate the way it is, they are planning in advance or using = > back > > to > >> > back tickets. Many of them are top tier frequent flyers and are often > >> > upgrading from the 14 day advance purchase fare. > >> > > >> > Nick Laflamme wrote: > >> > > >>> > > At 07:37 PM 5/3/2002 -0700, Mark Greenwood wrote: > >>>> > > >How would doing away with FC adversely affect yield? Right now y= > ou > > have > >>>> > > >someone who has paid the lowest fare possible occupying a high yi= > eld > > seat. > >>> > > > >>> > > You're kidding, right? They people who fly the most often fly on > >>> > > unrestricted tickets or on very short notice. They may have a 5% > > corporate > >>> > > discount worked out by their employer (I did when I was with Nortel= > ), > > but > >>> > > that's 5% off a very high fare, not 5% off what the cheapest fare o= > n the > >>> > > plane is! > >>> > > > >>> > > United got my business last year on four IAD-MSP round trips (throu= > gh > > ORD, > >>> > > no less!) instead of NW because they treat me well, because I did l= > ots > > of > >>> > > Star Alliance miles in 2000. (UA and LH were by far the easiest way= > to > >>> > > Hamburg when I was doing lots of IAD/HAM trips.) When I say "treat = > me > >>> > > well," I mean extra leg room in Economy Plus and a less busy check-= > in > >>> > > counter at most UA airports. If United decides the only perk I get = > for > > my > >>> > > consistent patronage of them is the occasional free flights, I'll s= > pend > >>> > > down my current Mileage Plus balance on free tickets and then go ba= > ck to > >>> > > choosing between Midwest Express (I miss Legend Airlines!) and Sout= > hwest > >>> > > depending on when I'm in economy mode or more-room-please mode. And > > instead > >>> > > of counting on my patronage to fill seats on twenty or fifty flight= > s a > >>> > > year, UA will have to win over someone else to be their customer. > >>> > > > >>> > > Was I part of a niche worth being catered to when I worked for Nort= > el > > and > >>> > > travelled a lot as a consultant? United thought so. That's the whol= > e > > basis > >>> > > of the FF programs: it's easier to retain (and milk) an established= > FF > > than > >>> > > it is to compete for other airlines' frequent fliers. > >>> > > > >>> > > Tell me, Mark (and you other travel agents), is it more profitable = > to > > take > >>> > > care of your established customers or to try to make a profit on a > > stream > >>> > > of random customers walking through your doors? > >>> > > > >>> > > Sigh, > >>> > > Nick > >> > > >=20 >