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Galley Gossip: The problem with "soaring" ticket prices
Remember what airline tickets used to cost? Oh no, I'm not talking about last year, go back a little bit further, okay a lot further, like 1950 further...remember those prices? I didn't think so.
A couple years ago I went just a wee bit crazy, spending too much time (and money) on eBay bidding on airline ads from the 1960's and 1970's. They were big and bright and colorful and they said things like: "fly me," "just a working girl working," "think of her as your mother." They were sexy and sexist, totally wrong, and yet so right -- at the time. I loved them. Still do. Had them framed. Hung them on the wall. And then, last year, tucked them away in a drawer for safe keeping (and a clutter free office). I think of one of those ads often whenever I hear people complaining about the price of airline tickets, or whenever I read articles like the one by Dan Reed in USA TODAY entitled "Airline Tickets Soar This Summer" that was featured on AOL with the caption, "Passengers Can't Bear to Look."
Well I've got something for those passengers to look at, something that may force them to rethink the definition of soaring ticket prices. I mean, soaring? Don't you think we're being a bit dramatic here? Especially when people are willing to spend hundreds of dollars on fast food, botox, designer clothes, and even video games for the kids. Give me a break. Because the ad, the one I mentioned above from 1950, lists the price of a ticket from New York to Paris for $326. Please, can anyone tell me, what else out there costs the exact same price as it did over fifty years ago?
Yeah, I know, service in the air has gone down hill big time. You don't have to tell me. I live it every time I put on my uniform. In fact, I spend most of my time at work apologizing because we don't have this and we don't have that to a flight full of miserably cramped passengers. I feel for those passengers. I really do. It's gotten bad out there. Worse than bad. Flying, today, is just not what it used to be, for everyone involved - passengers and crew alike.
But what gets me is that thirteen years ago I worked at a no frills airline called Sunjet International Airlines. The ticket price back then was $99 to fly one way from Dallas to Fort Lauderdale, Newark, or Long Beach. That was thirteen years ago. Fuel prices were 1/3 of what they are today. Keep in mind that price was on an airline that offered pretty much nothing but a seat (a broken seat covered in duct tape), a lot of delays (I'm not talking a few hours delayed, I'm talking two-day delays), lost luggage (or no luggage at all. What do you mean you checked bags?), and a burnt chocolate chip cookie, depending on who happened to be in the galley that day. Then, in 1995, I found myself working for a major US carrier, on probation for six months without flight privileges, in the month of December. The price of a ticket from New York to Dallas was oh just $800. In Coach. Needless to say, I didn't get make it home for Christmas that year.
Now flash forward thirteen years and you can fly nonstop on a major carrier from New York to Los Angeles for as little as $235 round trip. I'm sorry, but that's not bad. In fact, it's so not bad that I just bought myself a seat on that same flight (even though I'm able to fly standby for free) I challenge anyone to drive that same distance for less money. Yes, airline ticket prices are up 200% from last year, but when you realize they were down 700%, that's still a good ticket price! So when someone writes a piece about the "soaring" ticket prices of today, I have to shake my head and think, how soon we all forget.
Filed under: Airlines, Budget Travel, Galley Gossip
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
Mikael Jun 8th 2008 1:42PM
"Because the ad, the one I mentioned above from 1950, lists the price of a ticket from New York to Paris for $326. Please, can anyone tell me, what else out there costs the exact same price as it did over fifty years ago?"
Adjusting for inflation $325 in 1950 is equivalent to ~$2800 today. So.. The price hasn't really stayed the same, has it?
Anyhow, people will always complain when prices are going up for a service you used to pay less for. Only in this case most of the airlines' customers see airtravel as an expendable "luxury" which leads to a large drop in demand as prices go up.
If people *had* to fly to go on vacation, visit family or do business then the airline industry would still be doing fine, the problem is that there are just too many alternatives.
LawyerChick Jun 9th 2008 12:10AM
I agree. I think back to when I was a starving grad student 20 years ago, and contemplating round-trip cross-country air tickets to visit my family. I would pounce if the fare got anywhere near $200. I still fly the same airline, and the service has not changed all that much (okay, we used to have meals in coach but really, they were not very good!), and a "cheap" cross-country ticket is still $225-$250.
It now costs almost $50 in gas for us to drive our car 4 hours to our weekend home in a neighboring state. For 4-5x that cost I could go to the other coast, not have to drive, and sleep, watch a movie, have a DRINK (cranberry juice or tomato juice) or read a book during that time. Air travel is still cheap, especially considering how much fuel costs.
karen Jun 10th 2008 5:54PM
Adjusting for inflation $325 in 1950 is equivalent to ~$2800 today. So.. The price hasn't really stayed the same, has it?
Uh, Mikael, maybe you should do a search on flights from JFK to CDG. There are dozens of fares less than $1000. This summer, not a year from now.
According to your numbers, the ticket price is less than it was 50 years ago, which I think is the point.
nadine Jun 8th 2008 4:10PM
About the drink issue - give me a break. You are in a customer service industry. Your job is to service the client. You are thousands of feet up in the air - with people who are vacationing, snoozing, or going to work - and you are upset that they are relaxing? And that you have to repeat the order request. They ARE not working for you - it's no wonder the airlines are suffering! Next time - place the empty cup on their tray and ask ' DRINK?' - that's just one word you have to worry about......get over it
mhaskell01905 Jun 8th 2008 4:32PM
First off, you posted this in the wrong area. See if you scroll up you will see the topic soaring ticket prices not how to serve drinks to idiots.
Second, you have obviously never worked in the service industry before. Because it seems like your head is wedged tightly up your butt. I'm sorry but flight attendants, wait staff, or any person who works in that kind of field deserves a little respect. They stand on their feet for hours, get yelled at, ignored, laughed at, and treated horribly by most people, and most of them make very little pay. And people like you think its your right to treat them this way because "it's their job". I'm sorry but their is to serve you, not wait on you hand and foot, and accept your attitudes, or ignorance. Maybe you should try working in a service field before you make suggestions on how anyone should or should not do their job.
Clara B Jun 8th 2008 4:40PM
Nadine, take your own advice. Get over it.
The woman had an opinion. She voiced it. You don't agree. We get it. End of story.
DJ Jun 9th 2008 2:54AM
I agree...a flight attendant is a service industry job. No different than waitressing, working as a sales clerk, etc. Part of that job is having to deal with rude "customers". If you can't take the heat, get out of the frying pan....
james Jun 9th 2008 5:31PM
I'm not sure what set off all the nutcases over the drink article, but please give it a rest...or go to the article itself and add to the hundreds of posts there already. Jeeezzzz
nancy Jun 8th 2008 8:22PM
Ridiculous! I do work in a service industry....one in which you are expected to spell correctly. It was her opinion that customers are rude and mine that the provider should take into consideration what that customer may be going through. That is part of a service-oriented field. Which most of you are obviously not! Read Good to Great - and you get over it.
Mike Jun 9th 2008 10:14AM
Quick somewhat unrelated question....
I've got status on a major airline and have for a couple years now - every time I requalify the airline sends me these little coupons to provide to the crew or any other airline employee that goes above and beyond. I always make an effort to be polite (I've noticed "Please" and "Thank You" go a *LONG* way - which is a little sad, but anyway) but I was curious the thoughts of any crew on these "coupons". Do these actually help in some way or are they just condescending? If it's something that will actually provide some help (real internal recognition, bonus, bragging rights, etc) I'll happily give them out when I get them, otherwise I'll stick to being polite...
LawyerChick Jun 9th 2008 3:49PM
If you're on AA, my understanding is that they do go toward some periodic drawings for prizes/perks, so they're worth something more than just a verbal "thank you."
shelly Jun 25th 2008 12:42AM
Good Goes Around. While, I sure appreciate the hot chocolate maker I received with my certificate redemption. I perfer kindness and to be treated like a human being..
DKD Jun 9th 2008 12:09PM
My point about serving drinks was not the service aspect of it, that is a given, it is your job. My point is that if you don't like your job, quit complaining about it and get a different one. I feel the same way about teachers, they complain about their pay, they complain about the kids. Why the heck did you get into this field. Maybe it's because you only have to work 120 days a year and maybe because you don't have to work an 8 hour day unless you are one of the exceptional teachers that choose to. It's that way with being a flight attendant, you work 12 days a month and get to fly for free, get discounted hotel and car rentals. It's all about the perks folks. The job is what the job is. Don't whine about it. And I have worked in the service industry!
beast55 Aug 4th 2008 5:41PM
I know I'm a couple of months late, and this has little to do with the original post, but holy shit DKD, really? Teachers work 120 days out of the year, and only put in 8 hour days??? HAHA, I wish. Get your facts straight before you post an ignorant rant.
I teach. I'm in the classroom just shy of 200 days out of the year. Literally all teachers put a minimum of 8 hours a day in, not just the exceptional ones, because student work can't be graded when children need to be taught, and if you fail to grade work, you're out of a job. And let's not even get on the subject of all the work that follows you home, which you don't get paid for, nor the necessary planning over our "summer break," which again brings no pay.
But why do we do it? Well for many of us, it's our calling. Many of us enjoy it-the actual act of teaching. And yes, while we do complain, because it is literally hell on Earth, it's not the actual art of teaching that generates these complaints. It's dealing with the children whose parents think they can rely on teachers to do the parenting for them; who don't raise their children properly by teaching them proper manners, etc., and expecting public schools to shape them into model individuals. Or it's dealing with poor funding. Or a broken public education system (NCLB). Or imbeciles like yourself who know very little about the points they attempt to argue. It's so many things.
Far too much responsibility is dumped on teachers these days. That's why we complain.
Daniel Jun 9th 2008 4:07PM
Hi Heather,
Maybe you could post one or two of those old airline ads from your collection? I think they'd be fun to see.
Daniel
cady Jun 9th 2008 4:07PM
Great post, Heather. I am still shaking my head about the bizarre and utterly stupid comments from people still obsessing about your humorous take on drink orders. So many clueless people, so little time to waste understanding them. Don't even try. However, I do have to say this much: READ the post and lighten up! Or better yet, get some help dealing with your anger issues.
Heather Jun 9th 2008 5:35PM
DANIEL - I'll have to come up with a new post to incorporate those airline ads. Thanks for the idea.
MIKE - You are right, please and thank you do go a long way, a VERY long way, and that's on the airplane and off. As far as the coupons go, if they say to the employee that you think they're doing a good job, by all means, start passing those babies out today! Just like any job, it seems like all you hear these days are the complaints, rarely ever a compliment for a job well done. BTW, I hope you're on my next flight.
Melissa Nelson Jun 12th 2008 9:39AM
When I look at what my daughter Hollands dad has to pay for a round trip ticket for her to come see him 5 plus times a year i do grimace a bit and often have said thank God he has to pay and not me but then I look at the care she is given on the flight and how she has become part of the SWA family. She flew out of Raleigh for 6 years and is now flying out of nashville or Louisville depending on my driving mood and she can walk through terminal and will have flight attendants call her name and give her a hug. They tell her they miss her on the flights, or they hope they will be seeing more of her now they are flying a different route. She has done the same with them. That is worth every penny. It means someone is not seeing being a flight attendant as a "job" as much as a place where they WANT to be. I know her dad would pay more to have our child treated with respect, know she is safe, know that Holland is happy and loves to fly. If you think its expensive to fly try Amtrak! people say go Greyhound but then shut up when they look at 28 hours on a bus as opposed to 4 hours on a plane. It is so worth it.
So if airline prices go up I will accept it. They have costs just like i do here at my motel. We have to raise my rates accordingly as well. And that just reminded me most people who moan about airline ticket prices for example 329.00 from Louisville to San Diego do not bat an eyelash about paying 180.00 a night for a motel. A room that their eyes are closed for the most part in anyway. Oh well another topic I guess....as a 24/7 onsite motel manager i think i should start a blog site of my own. LOL
Heather I too would like to see the ads. I collect old horse trailer ads.
Heather thanks again for being a light in our often dreary worlds.
Heather Jun 13th 2008 5:25PM
Melissa (mom to Holland) - START THE BLOG TODAY! Seriously, I bet you see some some crazy stuff as a hotel manager. SHARE! I'd love to hear all about it.
Caimlas Jun 27th 2008 8:33PM
The cost of air travel is, for most people, not the actual cost associated with the purchase of the ticket. It is the inconvenience, lies, and unpredictable (and sometimes, seemingly unsafe) nature it has taken.
(Also, there's another factor with air travel in the Midwest I'll touch on in a moment.)
When a person pays that $400 or $500 for their round trip ticket ($235 round-trip? did you reserve it a year and a half in advance? that kind of price is nice when you can plan your life that far into the future) a month in advance, they're expecting for it to run smoothly. They've just paid a fairly large sum of money for a trip - for which their travel dates and times have been verified. That is the product they have just purchased.
Then, when they get to the airport, and they are fed an entirely different line of thought, they'll feel cheated. Because they paid $100 extra to leave by 1pm, and they're still leaving on the 4pm flight due to "delays". Or because they scheduled their flights mid-week to cut on cost and ensure a lower likelihood of delays, and the airport is packed, with cancellations and delays which were only common during the holidays, during bad weather, up until very recently.
And then, when you miss your connecting flight due to the official excuse of "flight delayed", the airline does nothing about but knock you to the next flight.
As for traveling on other modes of transportation, it's not reasonably tenable if you're in the Midwest. We're talking a full day of travel (24+ hours on-the-road) by car to get from the Midwest to a coast.