The Great British Airways Rip-off

MarkyMarkD

Cardew wrote:

The issue is really quite simple.

WiseInvestor and MarkyMarkD have gone to great lengths to prove what is not in dispute. Namely that these practices by airlines are designed to maximise their profits.

The dispute is on the methods they use to achieve that aim.

I contend that their practices are restrictive and they have formed a cartel to artificially inflate prices on certain routes.

I don't think that's what we were going to great lengths to prove. I (personally) was just responding to student's arguments that:

(a) it's environmentally wrong for BA to price discriminate; and that
(b) they could make more money by reducing UK prices, rather than price discriminating

as I don't believe student's arguments on either of these points hold water.

odowdchr

Just my twopenneth worth.
I've never been able to fly BA.
Travelled scheduled from LHR, MAN, or BHX to USA 4 times, India 3 times, Bangkok 4 times, Turkey, Madrid, Prague, Dubai, Lisbon, Amsterdam and Eygpt.
BA have never offered me the cheapest, or even a competitive deal worth thinking about....plus their seating in cattle class is rarely up to the size you can get with most other airlines (i'm talking Emirates, AA, EVA, Thai etc..)
I also read somewhere that Michael Winner insists on flying BA.....so thats good enough reason for me not to bother :T

(however, i have just received a BA email offering an £83 return from BHX to Madrid in August...so might be interested at that price, but i bet it's not there when i look...)

Cardew

MarkyMarkD wrote:

I don't think that's what we were going to great lengths to prove. I (personally) was just responding to student's arguments that:

(a) it's environmentally wrong for BA to price discriminate; and that
(b) they could make more money by reducing UK prices, rather than price discriminating

as I don't believe student's arguments on either of these points hold water.

MMD,

I perhaps shouldn’t speak for Student100(who appears more than capable of presenting his own arguments) however it seems to me that the thrust of his argument is summed up by the following quote from an earlier post.

“What I am arguing is that they should be forced to offer competitive prices to all customers, more than anything to encourage people to use more environmentally sound routings.”

I suggest the aim of most of us is summed up in the first part of that sentence; namely to achieve a fair pricing structure.

Student has placed an emphasis on the environmental impact. Whether you agree with his arguments on that aspect or not, it does not detract from the main aim.

raeble

I think you need to factor into to consideration when discussing the different prices that airlines charge in different countries the strength of Sterling. BA isn't the only company that charges its prices based on the costs in the local market - I remember looking at eurostar tickets which were half the price in the states that they were to buy here. It isn't fair but they have to get custom from overseas consumers, they can't just rely on the home market. If sterling wasn't so strong, the price differential wouldn't be so large.

Yeknodathon

Okay, in an effort to take advantage of, to say the least, rather bizarre pricing...

I want to get to Chicago. Flights from London LHR or LGW quite pricey either direct or 1 stop (I prefer the latter).

Cheaper fares to be had by using Paris or Amsterdam (but then I have to buy the extra flights to either so its just about works out the same price plus I get the extra hassle of travelling and waiting etc) so really not worth any money saved which seems to be neglible.

I can get to Chicago cheaply by buying a ticket for Cleveland. All I do is stop travelling once I reach Chicago!

But if I want to do this, how do I stop my baggage from going on to Cleveland?!

... and I still have to buy the extra ticket to Cleveland to pick up the return flight back to London... which flies back through Chicago. It's all very bizarre!

MarkyMarkD

Cardew wrote:

I suggest the aim of most of us is summed up in the first part of that sentence; namely to achieve a fair pricing structure.

Student has placed an emphasis on the environmental impact. Whether you agree with his arguments on that aspect or not, it does not detract from the main aim.

Well, I didn't get the impression that student's argument was just that BA should be forced to price "fairly" (whatever that means) ... and like I've said before, I don't believe that would serve their shareholders' objectives correctly (i.e. profit maximise). I also don't accept the environmental argument, so I don't think there's much of an argument left.

There's NO good case for Government intervention to force airlines to charge the same price for different routings.

Yeknodathon

Take advantage of the price discrepancies!

That is exactly what I've done tonight. Heathrow - Chicago return for £300 however the airline wants me to fly on to Cleveland on the in-bound leg otherwise I'd be touched for another £200 (66% price hike).

Of couse, I've only an hour to catch my connection and I'll just be carrying hand baggage so if I happen to miss my connection in some unfortunate mishap I might just have to stay in Chicago?!

MarkyMarkD

But some airlines will cancel your return sectors if you fail to show for the second part of your outbound flight. I'm not saying that they WILL do this, but it must be a danger.

Yeknodathon

Ah, good point. I'll tell 'em in Chicago I missed the connection. Should keep the ticket open.

nelly_2

be carefull what if your luggage stays with the plane, we flew from cle through chicago to manchester and didnt see our luggage till we got home, tell em your wife has broke her leg and you have to stay