Archive for the ‘airline’ Category:
News Flash: Baggage Fees are Good for Passengers
The Economist magazine recently wrote an article in favor of airlines unbundling fees.
Ancillaries; You Know They Make Sense
Unfortunately, it seems that the benefits arise more from an accounting failure followed by a PR sleigh of hand than any actual rational corporate service improvement initiative.
By charging fees, once neglected baggage service departments have become star revenue performers for airlines. Department managers can now justify new technology and equipment. Where before, baggage service only represented a cost, it now provides millions in revenue.
It turns out that by charging money for baggage fees, those fees are entered into the revenue column of the accounting statement so they appear as an asset. In the past, baggage handling was in the cost column and appeared as a liability. From MBA 101, the function of a corporation is to collect all assets and unload all liabilities. But more than that, the once invisible baggage handling department can now SEE their value. The baggage handling manager can now grab some of that money to buy improved equipment, training, and qualified personell.
And The Carousel Spins
Of course the PR department will twist this into a statement of American Individuality by claiming that “freedom is all about having choices” and “our customers deserve a benevolent freedom fighter in the airlines to provide them with such choices”. If there is discontent, this is due to a fault of the passenger, not the airline:
Passengers will continue to complain about being nickel-and-dimed, but it may be that they are making false comparisons between the years when everything was included—but the ticket prices were higher—and these current, à-la-carte times. “When a la carte shopping is successfully implemented, it’s not an evil method. Quite to the contrary, it’s the ultimate compliment to the consumer—it acknowledges their right to choose.”
Now I have to ask, what is so hard about handling baggage? Why is this such a complicated accounting problem? How many other “material handling” problems, or account balancing problems do airline have difficult mastering? Seriously.
Social Flights Arrives as Frontier Cuts Service to Milwaukee
Frontier Airlines recently announced it’s dropping nonstop service from Milwaukee to six cities, cutting the number of daily flights nearly in half. Effective in April, the airline will end direct flights to Grand Rapids, Dallas-Fort Worth, Kansas City, Philadelphia, Phoenix and Newark. Frontier’s daily departures will be reduced from 32 to 18.
While Social Flights is announcing new air service between Milwaukee, Branson, Nashville, and Austin – Frontier Airlines is announcing the reduction of services and staff from Milwaukee. The following report from media FOX6now and Milwaukee Business Journal highlight some of the local implications, impacts, broken promises and lost dreams.
According to a notice filed Monday with the Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development, the layoffs are expected to occur in April. The notice states that 230 of the employees are flight crew members who will be reassigned to bases outside of Milwaukee.
230 of the 446 layoffs will be reassigned – as will their families, their children will move out of school, houses will be liquidated in a poor RE market, and communities will lose trust anchors. The new cuts are on top of Frontier‘s decision last fall to eliminate routes to eight other destinations.
Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett released a statement Monday after these layoffs were announced, saying: “The loss of 500 jobs is a setback for the region. My hope is that other airlines will step in and fill the void in this critically important market.”
Frontier is leaving Milwaukee for reasons that would also hold for every other airline; fuel prices, labor prices, large jets, corporate ROI thresholds, etc. Meanwhile, Social Flights operates under public charter regulations organizing local private operators and supports them with modern aircraft allowing communities to access important hubs as well as sister cities (such as Grand Rapids).
The Community Remembers the promises:
“When that whole deal was made, when Republic bought Midwest and Frontier, there were all these promises made to Milwaukee that they were not only going to keep the service here, but that they were going to bring in hundreds and hundreds of jobs,” Rovito said.
Instead, nearly 800 positions have been cut since November, and the most recent wave of cuts will move more than 200 jobs out of Milwaukee, while completely getting rid of another 200. “Just on its face, it’s really bad news for Milwaukee travelers,” Rovito said.
Who holds the cards?
Communities go through great efforts to attract air service from promising yields to providing public infrastructure to enduring noise and traffic – the airlines take this completely for granted.
Fewer flights means it will be more difficult for travelers to get to their destinations, and also likely more expensive. “It was a convenient flight for me in this particular instance,” Scott Sowa, who was on a Frontier flight heading to Grand Rapids, said. “I would hate to lose that convenience.”
Apparently, communities are not what Frontier needs to remain profitable. They no longer need Milwaukee because they found business elsewhere. They are an airline – they can go elsewhere…. they are not a community.
Where communities are the contingency plan
In a statement, the company says: “The reduction in service is another step in our continued effort to ensure that Frontier is a competitive and sustainably profitable airline.”
In other words, ‘Their survival is contingent upon your loss – not your gain.’ FOX6 tried to get in touch with someone from Frontier Airlines Monday, but our calls were unreturned.
Social Flights Solving for X
This morning we received a great comment from a reader named Peter. He posts a valid question and I had to think about it for a few minutes before I could bring up a response. Unfortunately, as with most questions, there is a simple answer and a complicated one.
Peter wrote:
I’ll be curious to see if eventually non-stop flights between these four cities will be established eliminating the need to connect through Branson. While this promises to be a great alternative to the airlines the current configuration is still a hub and spokes model. Here’s hoping we’ll see non-stop flights between these cities in the future.
Peter is referring to newly introduced air service between Nashville, Austin, Milwaukee, flying through Branson MO. Admittedly, this is a pretty strange arrangement, especially since Branson only has 20,000 people whereas the other three metro areas have over 500,000 people each.
Who in their right mind would put a hub in the smaller city?
Branson is the Live Entertainment Capital of the Midwest. The community of Branson came together to support these flights with a high level of civic involvement and passenger engagement with a high quality “service” model. Branson is safe, clean, and they even own the airport. The people of Branson are very proud of what they have built and want to share it with the world. They dare to be different.
Social Flights partnership with Branson demonstrates that air service can empower a community, not cowering to the whips and whims from the corporate boardroom of a publicly traded airline.
- Solving for X or solving for Eggs?
A hub airport is like a big egg sorter for people and planes (where people are the eggs and the planes are the cartons).
A big part of our business model is to integrate with what is happening on the ground. Imagine if Amazing places like Vail Colorado, or Chelan WA, or the Grand Canyon were easily accessible. Imagine your next industry conference at a resort in the Ozarks instead of downtown Newark.
***
Now, here’s the complicated answer
If nobody is going to Branson, the plane can just fly the hypotenuse. Try that with hub and spoke
Fly From Milwaukee To Branson MO For Under 100 Dollars
Beginning in June 2012, Branson Air in cooperation with CFM aviation and Social Flights, is offering a limited time 79 dollar special on air service between Milwaukee Wisconsin and Branson Missouri. This price will not last long since the route is filling fast. The next threshold special is 99 dollars…and there is no wonder why tickets are selling fast.
This announcement comes on the heels of air service between Nashville and Branson as well as Austin and Branson. All continuing flights connect all cities. This is a big deal for people who travel between secondary markets.
If you are asking yourself what you would do when you get to your final destination, just check out these posts:
Or, think of it this way:
Do a Google search on “Milwaukee Facebook” and you’ll received 183 Million returns. Next, perform a search on terms: “Branson MO Facebook” and you’ll receive 3.7 Million returns. Finally, do a search on the terms “Branson MO Milwaukee WI Facebook” and you’ll received 1.1 Million returns.
Next, search for airfare from Milwaukee to Branson you’ll find the following result:
NOW, look at the flight from Branson to Milwaukee !!
Hmmm … why does it cost 200 dollars more and take 4 more hours (stationary) to fly from Branson to Milwaukee than from Milwaukee to Branson???
A recipe for opportunity
While this is far from a scientific research study, there is little doubt that many people in Branson know somebody in Milwaukee and vice versa. There are many people in Milwaukee that can find a reason to hop a quick plane out to Branson with all of their friends. Look at the disadvantage that the smaller community has – small communities are SUBSIDIZING the larger community!! The distance is the same so the price should be the same.
By extension – look at all of the communities on the map above that social flight can connect for 1/2 the price and half the transit time of the airlines
Most importantly, there are many things that were never economically possible between these two cities, but now are. That is what opportunity is made of.
People who follow Social Flights know that our business model is hugely disruptive to the airlines. They know that Social Flights opens new frontiers of opportunity. They know that Social Flights liberates stranded communities from Airline Chess Masters. With air service between Branson and Austin for under 100 dollars – this is only the beginning.
So the choice is simple;
There are hundreds of things to do with millions of friends, colleagues, relatives, and business relationships for 200 dollars on a flight that lasts less than two hours. Or, spend close to 500 dollars on a 8 hour boondoggle losing two days of work and spending an two extra nights in a hotel with people you don’t know. The choice is obvious.
Who knew that having fun could be such serious business?
How To Improve Air Transportation For Everyone
If improving the aviation system is disruptive, then call us revolutionaries.
We could say that Social Flights is disruptive to the commercial aviation system, except that we serve markets that the commercial aviation industry has rejected.
We could say that we compete with the airlines, except we provide services that would be impossible for the commercial aviation system to deliver efficiently.
We could say that we found a way to exploit an inefficient market, except that we actually make that market more efficient.
- Available Airports In US
Social Flights is not an airline.
In simplest terms, Social Flights is a data platform for private aviation. The Social Flights platform will “systemize” the operations of up to 15,000 private aircraft across up to 5000 North American Airports. The beneficiaries will be travelers, aircraft operators, and the communities they support. We’ll even help the airlines do what they do better.
Where is the pain?
- Airlines are pulling out of smaller markets effectively isolating millions of people
- Smaller communities are cut off from the global economy
- The “Real Cost” to travelers flying into and out of smaller communities is stifling.
- The Private Aviation industry is manipulated by brokers; 40% of private flights are empty.
- The Hub and Spoke system serves large airplanes, not people
- Travelers have few other travel options; driving is difficult and trains are sparse.
- Very low utilization of private jet assets vs. commercial jet assets
Where is the opportunity?
- Next Generation air traffic management/control will open thousands of airports to ATC
- A huge inventory of efficient short haul aircraft is available.
- Empty legs on existing private flights are available
- Favorable FAA and DOT regulatory environment in “Public Charter” classification
- Millions of people travel to their “Social Networks” not their hubs and spokes
- Communities are willing to participate in their own air-service destiny
What is the solution?
CASP: Community Air Service Program
Social Flights deploys turbine powered commuter aircraft to small communities to provide frequent direct service to the nearest major hub allowing access to the world.
Uniform Booking Platform
The Social Flights provides operators with a free online scheduling and automating quoting system that will save them thousands of dollars per actual flight.
Systemized inventory listing
Operators effectively list their inventory and the system matches the right aircraft with the right mission thereby improving yields.
Ride Sharing
National itinerary allows for the sale of private jet service on a “per seat” basis instead of a customer chartering a whole jet.
Corporate Travel Programs
Corporate and VIP owners can increase Yield and utilization of aircraft for greater profits without sacrificing benefits of ownership.
Community Organization
Social Flights helps communities to determine where they want to fly. We provide aircraft, training, operations, consulting, and regulatory authority to operate community charter operations. Then we integrate the system into our Nationwide platform.
How do we do it?
Social Flights provides a single platform that acts as a clearinghouse for community information about REAL ASSETS – not just demographics for sale to marketers.
The social flights data can be used to create opportunities with a new class of business methods and applications from scheduling air service, to organizing a group of friends for Spring Break.
Social Flights allows smaller communities to access hub airport quickly, directly, frequently and inexpensively so that they can have economic access to the world.
Social Flights allows corporations and VIP aircraft owners to maximize the return on their aircraft investment while retaining the flexibility of ownership.
Social Flights liberates millions of people from the weaknesses of the increasingly fragile and segmented commercial aviation system while retaining the strengths of the hub airport efficiency.
Social Flights improves aviation.
Announcing Air Service Between Branson and Nashville for 79 Dollars
Branson Air, in cooperation with CFM aviation and Social Flights, is offering a special on air service between Branson Missouri and Nashville Tennessee. This limited time price may not last long since the route is filling fast – both of these cities are world recognized for their entertainment and cultural attributes. Now Social Flights brings them together at an astonishing low price.
To put things in perspective, simply perform a search for airline pricing between these cities:
You’ll find that major airlines are willing to give you the privilege of paying 500 dollars and waiting 8 hours (including security and check in) to take the same trip. These cities are only 435 miles apart – you can drive in less time than that. Seriously, who is watching these numbers?
Social Flights will get you there in 1/3 the time and 1/3 the cost of flying commercial airlines. When you fly Social Flights you can often avoid extra overnights, hotel fees, and days off work. You wouldn’t even need to carry all that extra baggage in the first place!
If you are wondering how you can spend all that extra time check out these two lists that we’ve compiled with our friends in each city.
102 things to do in Branson 102 things to do in Nashville
You will find some of friendliest, hard working, and talented people in the United States in these two cities. Now you can experience all the magic and none of the harassment for 1/3 rd the price.
A recipe for opportunity
Most importantly, there are many things that were never economically possible between these two cities, but now are. That is what opportunity is made of.
People who follow Social Flights know that our business model is hugely disruptive to the airlines. They know that Social Flights opens new frontiers of opportunity. They know that Social Flights liberates stranded communities from Airline Chess Masters. With air service between Branson and Nashville for under 100 dollars – this is only the beginning.
Who knew that having fun could be such serious business?
Air Service Between Branson MO and Austin ONLY 99 Dollars
Branson Air, in cooperation with CFM aviation and Social Flights, is offering a special on air service between Austin Texas and Branson Missouri. This price may not last long since the route is filling fast and there is no wonder why.
If you are asking yourself what you would do when you get to your final destination, just check out these two posts:
102 Things to do in Branson 101 Things to do in Austin
Or, think of it this way:
Do a Google search on “Austin Tx Facebook” and you’ll received 134 Million returns. Next, perform a search on terms: “Branson MO Facebook” and you’ll receive 3.7 Million returns. Finally, do a search on the terms “Branson MO Austin TX Facebook” and you’ll received 1.1 Million returns.
Next search for airfare between Branson to Austin and you’ll find the following result:
A recipe for opportunity
While this is far from a scientific research study, there is little doubt that many people in Branson know somebody in Austin and vice versa. There are many people in Austin that can find a reason to hop a quick plane out to Branson with all of their friends.
Most importantly, there are many things that were never economically possible between these two cities, but now are. That is what opportunity is made of.
People who follow Social Flights know that our business model is hugely disruptive to the airlines. They know that Social Flights opens new frontiers of opportunity. They know that Social Flights liberates stranded communities from Airline Chess Masters. With air service between Branson and Austin for under 100 dollars – this is only the beginning.
So the choice is simple;
There are hundreds of things to do with millions of friends, colleagues, relatives, and business relationships for 200 dollars on a flight that lasts less than two hours. Or, spend close to 500 dollars on a 15 hour boondoggle losing two days of work and spending an two extra nights in a hotel with people you don’t know. The choice is obvious.
Who knew that having fun could be such serious business?
Air service between Branson and Austin ONLY 79 dollars
Branson Air, in cooperation with CFM aviation and Social Flights, is offering a special on air service between Austin Texas and Branson Missouri. If you book through Social Flights, you’ll receive an additional 20 dollars discount for a limited time when you mention this post.
If you are wondering what to do when you get to your final destination, just check out these two posts:
102 Things to do in Branson 101 Things to do in Austin
Or, think of it this way:
I did a google search on “Austin Tx Facebook” and received 134 Million returns. Then, I did a search on “Branson MO Facebook” and received 3.7 Million returns. Finally, I did a search on the term “Branson MO Austin TX Facebook” and received 1.1 Million returns.
Next I did a search on airfare Branson to Austin and found the following result:
A recipe for opportunity
While this is far from a scientific research study, there is little doubt that many people in Branson know somebody in Austin and vice versa. There are many people in Austin that can find a reason to hop a quick plane out to Branson with all of their friends.
Most importantly, there are many things that were never economically possible between these two cities, but now are. That is what opportunity is made of.
People who follow Social Flights know that our business model is hugely disruptive to the airlines. They know that Social Flights opens new frontiers of opportunity. They know that Social Flights liberates stranded communities from Airline Chess Masters. With air service between Branson and Austin for under 100 dollars – this is only the beginning.
So the choice is simple;
There are hundreds of things to do with millions of friends, colleagues, relatives, and business relationships for 160 dollars on a flight that lasts less than two hours. Or, spend close to 500 dollars on a 15 hour flight losing two days of work and spending an two extra nights in a hotel with people you don’t know. The choice is obvious.
Who knew that having fun could be such serious business?
102 Things To Do In Nashville Tennessee
Social Flights is introducing air service between Nashville Tennessee, Austin Texas, Milwaukee Wisconsin and Branson Missouri beginning in May 2012. The opportunities for travelers to access business opportunities, recreational experiences, family connections, and entertainment value has never been better.
Say Goodbye to the Hassle
The social experience of travel has finally been liberated from the boardrooms of the airlines and no longer subject to the fragile and abusive hub and spoke system. No more long lines, luggage searches or irradiation machines. Social Flights takes you where you want to go.
Visit all the Capitals
Nashville is the music capital of the world – without rival. For publishing, recording, and production Nashville has few peers. Nashville is located in the population center of the United States and perfectly accessible to many locations of magnificent beauty, culture, and business opportunities.
Your way, not the highway
There are many great things to do in Nashville and dozens of websites that will help you find the getaway of your dreams. Social Flights now makes these opportunities to a wider market of people than ever before. Fly to Nashville today with Social Flights – lose the hassle. (list compiled by: 365Nashville.com)
7. The Melrose Spring Beer Tasting
9. Glass Night at Flying Saucer
10. Train for the Country Music Marathon or 1/2 Marathon
11. Mulligan’s Pub and Restaurant
12. Frist Center For the Visual Arts
13. Radnor Lake
14. Art By the Glass
16. NashVegas Casino Night at Cannery Ballroom
17. Nuvo Burrito
18. Bluebird Café
19. Warner Parks
21. “8 off 8th” at Mercy Lounge
22. Two for Tuesdays
23. Climb Nashville
24. Nashville Lawn & Garden Show
25. Nashville Haunted Pub Crawl
27. Las Paletas
29. The Billy Block Show from 12th and Porter
30. The Pie Wagon
32. Belmont Mansion
35. Jacks BBQ
36. Volunteer at 2nd Harvest Food Bank
38. Disc Golf at Seven Oaks Park
40. Zumi Sushi
41. Musica Sculpture
42. Bongo Java Roasting Company
43. The Station Inn
45. Crow’s Nest
49. Hatch Show Print
50. Nashville Predators
51. Whiskey Kitchen
52. Love Circle
53. Dozen – A Nashville Sweet Shop
54. Laser Quest
55. Dragon Park
57. Eco-Adventure Canopy Zip Tour
58. Loveless Café
59. Commodore Grille
61. Nashville Zoo
62. Brunch at the Copper Kettle
63. Sweet CeCe’s
64. All Fired Up
65. Downtown Nashville Home Tour
65. Rajin’ Cajun Crawfish Boil
66. Taco Mamacita
67. Nashville Sounds
71. Donut Den
72. Dove Awards
74. South Street
75. Country Music Hall of Fame
79. Exit/In
80. Allium
83. Southern Bred
84. Franklin Rodeo
87. Tuesdays at the French Quarters
88. Music City Roots
89. Burger Up
90. We ART Nashville
91. Nashville Shores
92. Fido
95. Brown Bag Lunch Concert Series
96. Tennessee Renaissance Festival
99. Grassmere Bicentennial Picnic Celebration
100. Memorial Day Blues Festival
101. Movies in the Park
Social Flights Beats Airlines; Case Study
Few people realize the extraordinary opportunity that exists for some communities to literally fly under the radar of the commercial airlines. Far too often, people are trained to believe that the airlines are the only game in town and if they quote a price, flight time, and wait time, then that must be the best deal out there. Nothing gives us more pleasure than to demonstrate quite the opposite.
Branson and Nashville
There are no nonstop flights between Nashville and Branson Missouri. Frontier charges $507.00 and the flight – with connections – takes 8 hours. Social Flights can fulfill this route for around 260 dollars for a non-stop flight that lasts only one hour – this is an astonishing 50% cheaper and 80% faster that flying commercial.
Branson and Milwaukee
There are no nonstop flights between these cities. Commercial carriers can provide access but it cost you $335.00 to travel 6 hours. Social Flights provides non-stop service for $290 dollars in only 2 hours.
Branson and Austin
There are no non-stop flights between Branson and Austin. However, Frontier will charge you $523 dollars to leave you in Denver and take an amazing 23 hours! Clearly, it would be faster to drive. Social Flights provides this flight for $290.00 non-stop and will have you there is 2 hours.
The Functionally Stranded
Thousands of communities across the United States are functionally stranded when they need to pay more in real cost than twice the airfare to reach their destination. This creates a substantial friction to a local economy since both outbound and inbound passengers suffer the friction loss.
Keeping it Real
OK, so who cares about places like Branson MO, Tri-Cities TN, Somerset KY, Arlington WA, and Danbury CT? The answer is that millions of people are functionally and economically stranded without global air transportation options – they care deeply.
It does not take long to realize that there are thousands upon thousands of routes and millions of people in our great country where Social Flights can thoroughly and without question outperform the major airlines in the simple task of connecting real people to the real places that they really want to go.