Message: This is to the poster that asked about a rise in airfares: <BR>The airline industry has always used any "excuse" they could get their hands on to raise fares. <BR>Now that many people will be afraid to fly and the fact that many corporations have discontinued all travel for a period of at least one month they are again panicking and asking for monetary help from the government. <BR>Bush will most likely give them the help that they need, however this is yet another "excuse" to raise fares. <BR>In case anybody is interested, the airline industry only lowers fares to be able to raise them higher than they were in the first place, which they always do. <BR>If you were in my industry you would see this and understand that this works for them time after time. <BR>The travel industry and it's travelers are the only ones who end up paying for it in the end. <BR>Beware, higher fares will be the result indeed!! <BR> <BR> <BR>

I definitely agree..........

Frankly, this is not my primary concern this week!

Deb, <BR> <BR>I would guess a good portion of those of us that travel for leisure search for reduced airfares and travel with a budget in mind. Business travelers most frequently pay full fare (or negotiated contract fares by large multi-million dollar businesses) so they will not have to travel with restrictions (easy change of flights and refunds). Most of them travel on short notice anyway and need flexibility because their business plans can change moment by moment. <BR> <BR>If airfares increase to pay for much improved security, safer aircraft, sky marshalls, etc., it is well worth it for my peace of mind. Maybe I won't cross the pond as often, and in the US might drive to destinations I would normally fly to, but I will feel more secure about it. <BR> <BR>Based on my passed travel history for vacations, the airlines don't make a dime on my tickets. The brunt of any increased airfares will mostly be felt by business travelers or those not willing to buy restricted tickets. <BR> <BR>Based on the emotions that Fodorites have written about, I actually think that in order for the airlines to lure their customers back onto planes, that we will see very reduced airfares for a period of time. <BR> <BR>Lastly, I can tell you that business travel in our 5 eastcoast and 1 westcoast offices has not been put on hold. Business is not back to normal by any means, but we will move forward. <BR>We will be more concerned for our safety, but we will not be held back because of terrorism. <BR> <BR>Leslie <BR>

Leslie, <BR>The rise in airfares WILL NOT make travel any safer for you. The airlines, (well most of them) will charge more for a ticket, any ticket, restricted and non-restricted but you will NOT see a difference in the end in Security. <BR>They would have to do a lot more than raise airfares to keep you safe and honestly making a profit is more important to them than the safety of their passengers. <BR>This has once again been proven over the last few days.

Deb, <BR> <BR>Possibly I am in the minority, but I am trying to keeping an open mind at this time. I am hoping for positive changes. Why not give the FAA and the airlines the benefit of the doubt, at least for the moment? I don't think the FAA would be allowing some of the airports to reopen if the FAA didn't feel assured that the airports and airlines were not implementing the new restrictions. <BR> <BR>Even the high-rise office building that I work in has implemented new, stringent security procedures this week. No one gets in or out without proof that they actually work in the building. However, what could not be prevented was the crank that called Security today stating that there was a bomb in our building and 10 other high-rise office buildings in Boston's financial district. <BR> <BR>Deb, why am I feeling all of this anger and pent up frustration from your posts? Is there something else you are not saying and want to share? <BR> <BR>Leslie

Leslie, <BR>I am frustrated with the entire Airline Industry. <BR>I have first hand experience with them that is related to my everyday work. <BR>I am privy to some things that the general public just doesn't know about and that I am unable to state here. <BR>If you are getting the feeling that I am angry, you are correct. <BR>Over the years if Security hadn't been relaxed to the point of almost being non-existent, maybe, just maybe thousands of people who are gone now might still be alive today! <BR>I am very glad that your company has taken efforts to improve your security but I truly believe that we have a LONG way to go before we can be safe traveling........ <BR> <BR>Take care and be safe, <BR>Deb

Regardless, I think airfares are still a great deal, adjusted for inflation. <BR> <BR>I didn't keep track of what I paid to fly to Europe in 1979 & 1980, but I flew on Martinair from Seattle to Amsterdam in September of 1987 and it cost about $600 round-trip. And, as I recall, that was a lot cheaper than any other flight we could find. This year, fourteen years later, I flew roundtrip from Seattle to Rome for only about $500 (although that was, admittedly, in March, not September when fares tend to be higher.)

Capo, <BR> <BR>I agree with you. Pricing is based on gateways. For example, it's ridiculous that the Boston to LaGuardia shuttle costs $450 roundtrip on weekdays, with flights departing every half hour, and that I can frequently fly to London for no more than $300 with proper planning and flexibility. But, I can usually get a weekend flight to LaGuardia for about $150 roundtrip (sometimes even $79). <BR> <BR>I don't know if you remember Laker Airlines from the 70s and 80s, but I remember stand-by tickets to London for $300 roundtrip. Last year I flew BA roundtrip to Paris in the spring (through London) for $199. My very close friend, a sales manager at BA has told me that BA does not intend to increase its airfares. We are headed into low season now for European fares, and those rates are set, and may even go lower to lure passengers onto the airlines. <BR> <BR>Don't get me wrong. I am going to be more cautious about my surroundings, but I will not lead my life looking over my shoulder. <BR> <BR>Normally, there are 40,000 flights a day throughout the world. I have no idea how many people are on those planes, but Tuesday's events are not going to put a halt or even a damper on the airline industry. Some people will refuse to fly because of this, maybe even forever, possibly just for a good long time. Statistically, it is still safer to fly than to drive. <BR> <BR>As I write this message, ABC News reported this evening that Congress is discussing providing the airline industry with $2.5 million of support to stabilize the industry. There is a strong possibility that 6 US based airlines will go bankrupt this year, and all airlines will face losses. If Congress does not assist in stabilizing the airline industry, there will be a further ripple effect within the rental car and hotel/motel industries, besides increased unemployment. <BR> <BR>Tuesday was a tragedy, but we cannot be overcome by fear, we cannot be overcome by terrorism. We have to always remember this tragedy, but we must move forward. <BR> <BR>Leslie

<BR>Deb <BR>I have to wonder your age. I have been traveling for twenty years and can assure you we pay much lower fares now than ever before. All travel has become much cheaper and I assume it is because of competion. I fly for pleasure approx 10 times a year which includes 4 trips outside the US. I could not do this if not for the lower fares. If less people are willing to fly I would think this will keep airfares low in order to fill planes.

<BR>Some economists are predicting that airfares will decrease because of reduced demand due to fear, additional security delays, etc.

Price sensitive <BR> <BR>There will be those who are price sensitive- making their travel decisions based on air ticket price, and others who choose to or have to pay whatever price the airlines charge. The airlines are notorious for playing pricing games to manage demand. They get no sympathy from me. <BR> <BR>I think if the Fed. gov. is going to be spending ANY money at all, it should be directly related to security, not "bailing out" the airline industry. Geeze, my business had 42% reduction in customer spending this year and nobody's bailing my business out...recession is going to be part of life. <BR> <BR>Let's hear it for air marshals, say on 50% of the flights "randomly selected" so the bad guys don't know which flight they're on. <BR> <BR>Like in California-mostly, I've seen cop cars at intersections manned with manequins in uniforms holding hair dryers. People don't run red lights or speed. Deterrence.

Deb- <BR> <BR>You are worried about airfares, but in reality they have been pretty low these last few years. I fly a lot and sometimes I laugh at how cheap it is to fly between two places. I've seen $89 round trips that are basically cheaper than driving. <BR> <BR>As for security, the thing that scared me was that the hijackers did NOT violate security at the airports. They carried box cutter knoves on board which was within the federal guidelines. Blaming what happenned on the airlines is mis-guided. Yes there should be higher levels of security, but in this case, they went around the rules. Given the passenger loads on these flights, 5 strong men could easily take over without weapons. <BR> <BR>BTW. I am always skeptical when someone uses the phrase "things that the general public just doesn't know about and that I am unable to state here." It's a dodge to make a point you cannot back up. <BR>

GET A LIFE!!!!! There are more important things to be thinking about this week instead of an increase in Airfare..............

xxx, we all do have a life and we are doing exactly as the President has suggested... focusing on routine matters. Being that this is a trael board, this is a good question. <BR> <BR>My company has cut back on air travel for security of their executives and to cut costs. We were going to cut back on them anyway, due to the business slowdown before the tragedy. <BR> <BR>I think airlines will be doing themselves more harm than good if they raise prices too much. Even though I am scheduled to do some business travel in the spring, I also do lots of leisure travel. If the airlines raise the price too much, I, and I am sure many other people, will not fly. The economy will be if it is not already in a recession and people will not be able to pay for expensive flights. <BR> I have gotten used to getting cheap airfares, I just will not fly. And who knows how long there will be tension between the Western world and the terrorist. <BR> <BR>I agree with the posters above - I think the airfares will be low in order to attract travelers. Boy I wish I was able to cruise right now! You can get fall seven day cruises for as low as $299!!

Airlines lack pricing power right now because there is an oversupply of seats available. Part of this is due to the economy and more immediately, because of a broadly-based reluctance to fly on the part of many potential travelers. The industry has already begun to implement cutbacks that will reduce the surplus of seats. When demand begins to pick up, the reduced schedules will enable the bubble in seat supply to be consumed more rapidly. Still, there are carrying costs for aircraft that will go unused or used less efficiently than they have been over the past few years. Costs for security could be shifted from airlines to taxpayers, who are also providing a large cash infusion at this critical point. Labor unions who won large increases over the past two years will either be giving some of that back or seeing less workers earning those wages -- quite possibly there will be some combination of both. Where are fares going? It's anybody's guess in the near term, but keep in mind that award seats and cheap seats are often what might otherwise simply be empty seats. My bet is that there will probably still have to be some inexpensive fares out there on competitive routes for quite some time.

Taxes? More taxes? <BR> <BR>We already pay Federal, state, city, and airport taxes as part of the price of a ticket. We don't need more (methods of) taxes.

I believe that the airlines were just as much a victim of terrorism as the affected people, buildings and cities were. I view government monies given to the airlines at this time to be as much as a rescue(not a bailout) as I view the funds given to New York and DC to be a rescue. I also believe that it is in the interest of all Americans that our airline industry is not crippled. <BR> <BR>linda