Is there any other industry that can price gauge it’s customers from the day they buy their tickets to selling inches of legroom. And yet, virtually all airlines are on the verge of bankruptcy?
An industry that enforces customer punctuality, but flight delays are accepted and expected.
Capacity planning is almost nonexistent. Flight schedules are overestimated, flights are specifically oversold (An industry first, selling customers goods known to be unavailable). Even the carry on baggage restrictions don’t account for the overhead space available per flight.
Inefficient. Have the fastest form of commercial transportation on Earth, yet have the entire logistics of air travel be so inefficient that the average flier loses 3 hours per flight (getting to the airport, security, delays).
Seemingly unlawful and unethical business practices are put in place, and considered innovative. Take a look at the new proposal for standing room only section on Ryan Air. Or where else can you be stuck in a place for 5 hours with no available food? Some airlines even charge for water.
Price discrimination runs rampant within each seating section (coach, business, first class), yet everyone treats this as the norm. Depending on what day you purchased the ticket, your price could be 2 or 3 times as expensive as the person sitting next to you. This pricing scheme is unique, as it follows no reasonable pattern. Purchasing tickets is so complex that an entire travel site industry is devoted to do just that: Orbitz, Expedia, Kayak.
Customer discrimination, a natural extension of the seating sections, is enforced to the letter in both service, lines, and amenities. Only the perpetually failing business of night clubs mimics the same red line segregation of others.
For a high tech endeavor, very little technological innovations have emerged. Ever since the last technical improvement, the Concorde, was shut down, every other “innovation” has been related to the entertainment system, leather seats, or charging for more things. You’d think there would have been a plane that was more eco-friendly by now.
Security. Without going into specifics, of which there are many, the TSA is the hallmark of security theater. Security always has a safety vs practical tradeoff, and we are definitely on the inconvenient side of the spectrum with no measurable gain in security.
Under the false pretense of security and rule making, airline employees act with an authority that must be respected or else. Thanks to the Patriot Act, it is now a crime to interfere with their service.
Rules. There is inconvenience all around, from show up early, to take off your shoes, squish into your seat, don’t lean back, put up your tray tables, you can or cannot use electronics, landing announcements 30 minutes prior to landing. It’s an industry built on archaic rules.
With all the induced stress of flying, people now behave differently in airports. There’s no civility anymore, it’s a fight to do anything from getting past the security line, to boarding early enough to make sure there is room for your carry on bag. Everyone is fending for themselves, and it doesn’t help to have flight staff treat everyone like a herd of cattle.
No one wants to be there. Employee morale is at an all time low, from TSA employees to flight attendants to the underpaid pilots. Customers are stressed throughout the entire experience. When’s the last time you looked forward to flying, let alone enjoyed a flight experience?
The only thing going for the industry is flying itself. It’s what keeps pilots working, they simply love to fly. And it still remains the most practical form of transportation for long distance travelling.
The industry cannot go on like this. A degrading level of service, comfort, and practicality will eventually lead to the general avoidance of flying; whether it’s choosing an alternate form of transportation, or simply connecting through the Internet. Maybe this is already reflected by the number of bankruptcies taking place. This mature industry needs to take a deep look at itself, eradicate its obsolete practices, and go back to its roots, serving customers.
Here’s a suggestion to get the ball rolling in the right direction:
Play the first time flying safety video in the gate area, before the flight. This will save time during takeoff preparation, as people can watch it in the “waiting” area before boarding.
An industry that enforces customer punctuality, but flight delays are accepted and expected.
Capacity planning is almost nonexistent. Flight schedules are overestimated, flights are specifically oversold (An industry first, selling customers goods known to be unavailable). Even the carry on baggage restrictions don’t account for the overhead space available per flight.
Inefficient. Have the fastest form of commercial transportation on Earth, yet have the entire logistics of air travel be so inefficient that the average flier loses 3 hours per flight (getting to the airport, security, delays).
Seemingly unlawful and unethical business practices are put in place, and considered innovative. Take a look at the new proposal for standing room only section on Ryan Air. Or where else can you be stuck in a place for 5 hours with no available food? Some airlines even charge for water.
Price discrimination runs rampant within each seating section (coach, business, first class), yet everyone treats this as the norm. Depending on what day you purchased the ticket, your price could be 2 or 3 times as expensive as the person sitting next to you. This pricing scheme is unique, as it follows no reasonable pattern. Purchasing tickets is so complex that an entire travel site industry is devoted to do just that: Orbitz, Expedia, Kayak.
Customer discrimination, a natural extension of the seating sections, is enforced to the letter in both service, lines, and amenities. Only the perpetually failing business of night clubs mimics the same red line segregation of others.
For a high tech endeavor, very little technological innovations have emerged. Ever since the last technical improvement, the Concorde, was shut down, every other “innovation” has been related to the entertainment system, leather seats, or charging for more things. You’d think there would have been a plane that was more eco-friendly by now.
Security. Without going into specifics, of which there are many, the TSA is the hallmark of security theater. Security always has a safety vs practical tradeoff, and we are definitely on the inconvenient side of the spectrum with no measurable gain in security.
Under the false pretense of security and rule making, airline employees act with an authority that must be respected or else. Thanks to the Patriot Act, it is now a crime to interfere with their service.
Rules. There is inconvenience all around, from show up early, to take off your shoes, squish into your seat, don’t lean back, put up your tray tables, you can or cannot use electronics, landing announcements 30 minutes prior to landing. It’s an industry built on archaic rules.
With all the induced stress of flying, people now behave differently in airports. There’s no civility anymore, it’s a fight to do anything from getting past the security line, to boarding early enough to make sure there is room for your carry on bag. Everyone is fending for themselves, and it doesn’t help to have flight staff treat everyone like a herd of cattle.
No one wants to be there. Employee morale is at an all time low, from TSA employees to flight attendants to the underpaid pilots. Customers are stressed throughout the entire experience. When’s the last time you looked forward to flying, let alone enjoyed a flight experience?
The only thing going for the industry is flying itself. It’s what keeps pilots working, they simply love to fly. And it still remains the most practical form of transportation for long distance travelling.
The industry cannot go on like this. A degrading level of service, comfort, and practicality will eventually lead to the general avoidance of flying; whether it’s choosing an alternate form of transportation, or simply connecting through the Internet. Maybe this is already reflected by the number of bankruptcies taking place. This mature industry needs to take a deep look at itself, eradicate its obsolete practices, and go back to its roots, serving customers.
Here’s a suggestion to get the ball rolling in the right direction:
Play the first time flying safety video in the gate area, before the flight. This will save time during takeoff preparation, as people can watch it in the “waiting” area before boarding.
