Wondering

We we're just investigating a quick getaway prior to last weeks tragedy and are now trying to decide if we should continue trying to book a last minute trip. Because of work issues, if we don't go in the next month we probably won't be able to go for at least a year. If anyone has booked any travel since last week, what was the experience like? Fewer flights, obviously, but what about prices? I have even tried to log onto some sites that seem to have disappeared or have issued a statement to the effect that they are not posting last minute deals due to the crises? Is this out of respect (which I doubt) or is it because the industry is so shaky that they actually don't have information? Any thoughts?

metoo

TTT

Wondering

Anyone?

Thyra

You know I was wondering the same thing. My husband and I have alternately planned to go to NYC in the coming weeks (just to eat out a lot put our money into their economy) or to London which we had planned to do since before the attack.
I was sent a letter by the CEO of American Airlines, that seemed to indicate that they were wrapping up the return flights of people who were stranded, and planning on fulfilling flights that were booked before 9/11/01, but they had done away with all of their Web Saver fares, and I got the impression that they were not really doing any additional flight bookings.
Otherwise, when I looked into Delta.. their flights were insanely expensive.. a flight to London was 3 times more then it was before 9/11, Virgin has already begun cutting back on their flights to North America.. so I might expect an increase in price as well. I have not checked with United, which I suspect may be in a similar boat to AA. I was planning on calling my travel agent this afternoon to get some insight and will post with whatever relevant info she can provide.

Wondering

Thanks, Thyra. It seemed to me that flights were the same if not more expensive. Does this make any sense to anyone? I would think with so many people cancelling or postponing travel, that they would lower prices to stimulate business, but what do I know?

Thyra

I recall during the Gulf war tickets to Europe were going for a song, I got RT tickets Los Angeles to London for $189.00 PP and thats including tax. So your thought that prices might be lower was not unreasonable.
Perhaps because of the unbelievably unusual nature of these terrible attacks lower prices will not be the case this time around. I suppose as with the rest of the world, we must wait and watch.
I will still report in when I hear from my T.A.

Beth

I am no economist, but I would suspect that prices would raise. Airlines are having trouble staying afloat, they need to raise their prices and make more money off future tickets to make up for last weeks losses. Further, United and american are probably both headed for numerous lawsuits from survivors due to security breaches and some of the new security measures airlines are implementing are VERY costly. Likely prices will raise. Though if they really thought about it and lowered cost so that more people bought tickets they would get the same effect. My opinion is they are banking on there being fewer airline customers out of fear regardless of how cheap or expensive the ticket is. They probably think they have to raise prices to raise income. My husband and I are both very frequent fliers on United out of Chicago (probably averaging 3 or 4 flights every month between the two of us) We got an apology leter from United yesterday and they were actually offering us something crazy like an additional 30,000 frequent flier miles if we continued our business with them and booked I think 3 flights in the next 3 months (something like that) anyway, it looks like they are offering other incentives and NOT lowering prices.

Doesn'tmake

Why would the airlines give people even less incentive than they already have not to travel? I mean, most people are putting off travel now for safety reasons, so it seems that raising prices would pretty much ensure that they would not fly unless absolutely necessary. Anyone in the travel biz care to offer an explanation?

Traveler

As far as flying for leisure and vacation, people are just plain scared to do it. Lowering a ticket price is not going to make them any more willing to fly. However, business does go on and people flying on business trips are required to fly and this is the airlines's main source of continued business. These people have to fly and will no matter what the ticket price as the individual isn't paying anyway. Therefore, airlines will probably raise prices and get the business from that source.

Dick

Beth,

I'm curious about your proposed law suits to both United and American. What was their "Security Breach"?

I'm serious.

Dick

Gerry K

The CEO of one of the nation's top on-line travel companies, and I can't recall which, stated that prices between NY and London would soon be under $200 RT.

Gerry K

Beth

Dick-

Knowing the basic principles of law, I would suggest that many families of passengers will attempt to sue these airlines stating they were in some way negligent in carrying out inspection and security measures. Further, they might also say that the airline crew was somehow neglient in their reaction to the hijacking and that they failed to follow through with proper emergency procedures to ensure the safety of the passengers. I think I saw a similar post here a couple of days ago about victims' families suing the security and/or management company of the WTC on the same basis. I didn't say these were winnable law suits, but the sheer cost of fighting these lawsuits would be tremendous. Obviously, it was the hijackers who were ultimately responsible, but I attended law school about 6 years ago adn know that there may be a teeny bit of merit to suing the companies though the proof problems would be enormous. Please don't attack me as encouraging this type of suit, I haver worked as a plaintiff attorney and in fat spent a few years defending this type of suit before going into the consulting side of the business.

Beth

OOPS! That is NEVER been a plaintiff's attorney (could never chase ambulances)

Joanne

I would expect airfares to drop as the airlines make more efforts not to fly with nearly-empty planes.

Sure, there are plenty of people who would be afraid to fly at any price, but there are another group of people who'd be willing to go but can't afford it. In other words, as long as they have a plane flying anyway, the airlines want to sell as many tickets as possible, even to the point of lowering the prices so the profit on the seat is tiny. Lots of seats sold at a tiny profit is better than not sold at all.

phone-guy

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As it now stands, not only is the pleasure travel segment of business not flying, but business travellers are also not flying. I work for AT&T. Yesterday they issued a notice that any travel should be curtailed UNLESS it's absolutely necessary & approved by your supervisor. I think AT&T is not alone in this position with regards to their stance on business travel. Unfortunately, this is what may drive some of the airlines into bankruptcy.

L

What people have said on this thread makes it evident the airlines are going to need the full $24B bailout. It would be a good idea, if you ever plan to fly again, to contact your House rep right now and urge a favorable vote for the full amount of money. This is not time to spilt hairs ... $9B is a hair in a $1.9 trillion budget. For once, I'd like to see the private sector get whatever subsidy it needs to survive. Ciao

xxx

I need to make a flight for a job interview. Unfortunately the airfares are twice what they were before to the same city. So at this point, I think I've decided to drive and make a mini-vacationout of it. While the drive will entail approximately 15 hours both waysm, I'd still be facing a long travel time via the plane. A 1/2 hour drive to the airport, 1/2 hour or more shuttle excursion, 2 to 3 hours at the airport, a 2-1/2 flight, followed by another shuttle and another 1/2 drive from the other airport.

kwl

We're planning away.... The day of the attack, we received our frequent flier certificates in the mail for a trip to Hawaii in May. Although I had a knot in my stomach when looking at the seating configurations, we've made the airline reservations. We'll keep planning the trip until the last minute. If things change, we'll change too.

Though if we wanted to travel in the very near future, I probably wouldn't be as willing.

Thyra

OK, Spoke to my travel agent...we've had a standing request with her for about 6 weeks, to send us word when prices go down due to their seasonal drops. According to her...and this is really a sort of yes and no answer. As yet there is no industry "standard" response...
She indicated to me that we may see wild fluctuations on prices... some very VERY low fares in the near future to lure passengers back especially from airlines which have been directly effected. However others such as Delta, which was not involved in the terrorist attack may feel justified in having higher prices since they managed to avoid the "brand" stigma that comes from being involved in heinous terrorist attacks. (apologies if that sounds insensitive, I am simply passing it along) she (my T.A) says to keep a close eye out for some exceptional deals, maybe not in the next few weeks, but possibly next month, and the following months, as the normal seasonal drop occurs... along with the added effects of fewer travelers.

Sal

We cancelled a trip we had planned to Boston next week. Out of curiousity, I checked the price of the Delta flight we were supposed to take, round trip from Tampa, non-stop. We'd paid about $179 per ticket when they had that brief sale a couple of months ago. Two days ago, the same ticket was $109. FYI, Delta charged us the $50 cancellation fee and the inn on Martha's Vineyard, which was paid in full would not give a refund, but they would honor the reservation for one year.

I'm waiting to decide what to do about trips planned to Santa Fe and NYC in Oct. and Nov. At this rate, I'm really going to rack up the cancellation fees.