BloggingStocks http://www.bloggingstocks.com BloggingStocks http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/http://www.bloggingstocks.com/media/feedlogo.gif BloggingStocks http://www.bloggingstocks.com en-us Copyright 2012 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/<![CDATA[Middle-class air travel: What happened to it?]]>http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2007/06/28/middle-class-air-travel-what-happened-to-it/http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2007/06/28/middle-class-air-travel-what-happened-to-it/http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2007/06/28/middle-class-air-travel-what-happened-to-it/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Imagine a car industry that only offered two models, a Mercedes-Benz (NYSE: DCX) S600 and a Chevrolet (NYSE: GM) Aveo. A restaurant industry that forced you to choose between Taco Bell (NYSE: YUM) and Smith and Wollensky (NASDAQ: SWRG), with nothing in between. A clothing industry that offered only K-Mart (NASDAQ: SHLD) house brands and designer labels, no Old Navy (NYSE: GPS) or Crocs (NASDAQ: CROX).

Intolerable, right? We middle-class shoppers demand products with a modest price but acceptable quality.

So how did we end up with an airline industry that offers only two real choices, cattle car or royalty? Where are the middle-class offerings? My wants are not complicated. I want a little more room. I want quicker check-in. I want to talk to real people when my flight is delayed. I want the kind of service I would receive at Applebee's (NASDAQ: APPB), or a Holiday Inn (NYSE: IHG), or (to shoot for the moon), Nordstrom (NYSE: JWN)

Unfortunately, I receive service that is rated by the American public as worse than the IRS, seating reminiscent of my grade-school desk, and the punctuality of a grunge band concert.

Continue reading Middle-class air travel: What happened to it?

Middle-class air travel: What happened to it? originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Thu, 28 Jun 2007 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>airline customer serviceairline delaysairline experienceairline passengersairline qualityAirlineCustomerServiceAirlineDelaysAirlinePassengersAirlineQualityamrbad airlinesBadAirlinescalCROXcustomer service problemsCustomerServiceProblemsdaldcxflying conditionsflying experienceFlyingConditionsFlyingExperiencegejblujwnlccluvovercrowded airlinesOvercrowdedAirlinespassenger rebellionPassengerRebellionshlduauayumThu, 28 Jun 2007 12:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Least surprising news of 2007- airline delays the worst in 13 years]]>http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2007/06/05/least-surprising-news-of-2007-airline-delays-the-worst-in-13-ye/http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2007/06/05/least-surprising-news-of-2007-airline-delays-the-worst-in-13-ye/http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2007/06/05/least-surprising-news-of-2007-airline-delays-the-worst-in-13-ye/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Latest FAA statistics confirm that air travel has reached a new low. In the first third of 2007, over one-quarter of flights within the U.S. were late on arrival, and almost 70,000 flights were canceled. And this despite many airlines padding their arrival times to give them a generous cushion against delays.

Nearly half of the delays were weather-related, including the Denver snowstorm debacle that sent JetBlue's (NASDAQ: JBLU) reputation for customer service plummeting. Even in April, after the weather improved, JetBlue was second only to US Airways in lowest on-time arrivals, at 64.8%. Comair joined the tardy trio with 67.9% on-time arrivals.

US Airways (NYSE: LCC), which I've nicknamed "Air Mañana," operated four of the six most frequently delayed flights in April. These six flights you most want to avoid:

Continue reading Least surprising news of 2007- airline delays the worst in 13 years

Least surprising news of 2007- airline delays the worst in 13 years originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Tue, 05 Jun 2007 11:13:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>airline customer satisfactionairline customer serviceairline delaysairline travelAirlineCustomerSatisfactionAirlineCustomerServiceAirlineDelaysAirlineTravelcancelled flightsCancelledFlightscomairFAAjblujetblueLate flightsLateFlightslccskywestus airwaysUsAirwaysTue, 05 Jun 2007 11:13:00 EST