business airfare

A couple of years ago, I took a poll in this column and found that 90% (of some 30 responses) would only take business/first class seats on trans-oceanic flights. While Silversea did and still does occasionally offer discounted business class upgrades, it was hoped that it would offer it on most voyages at trans-oceanic destinations.

Since American Express can (for many years now) team up with the "One World" system (American Airlines) to offer "two-for-one" business class seats (it surely would not cost American Express much out of their $300 annual fee), and Silversea can "partner" with restaurants (Relais and Chateau) and suppliers (Bulgari and Philliponat), why not also try to "partner" with a major airline, especially for "open jaw" trans-oceanic flights? Of course, some passengers do not mind the cost and many can use their frequent flier points for upgrades, but surely still a significant portion will appreciate saving $3-5,000 per couple on airfare.

This may be a scheme that benefits both the cruise line and the airline in attracting more customers and is viable only for boutique lines (most mass market passengers will fly economy and "two-for-one" is only available for business/first classes so far). Any comments? Thank you.

My husband and I always take business/first on flights longer than four hours. I have to get up and move around during long flights, and I find the pitch and size of the seats in coach very uncomfortable....add to that the narrow aisles, limited number of bathrooms, and the general overcrowded conditions one finds on popular flights, and coach becomes too miserable! We use frequent flyer miles in combination with our AMEX points to up-grade usually. The two-for-one fares are great, but you must normally pay full price for the seat you purchase and doing that is usually more expensive than purchasing two up-gradeable fares through the airlines. After much research, I have found that the cruise line airfare add-ons and up-grades are much more expensive than purchasing tickets on our own. (Ditto hotel rooms, limo fares, tour prices.) Sometimes it is just much more convenient to go through the cruise line (especially if you will have a complicated itinerary involving several destinations as a result of pre-cruise or post-cruise excursions), but you can bet they will not route you the quickest nor the most convenient way to your destination without paying the air deviation fee, which tacks even more money onto the price you pay to them. The cruise lines make considerable profits on the air fares, hotels, etc. that you book through them, and I'm sure they want to continue to be able to use this additional source of income when it comes to figuring out how to off-set their operating expenses, so giving you a cheaper rate is not in their interest. I'm sure they already partner with airlines, but they just don't pass the savings onto you the customer. I am not saying this is good or bad, because after all, the cruise lines need to make as much money as they can if they wish to make a profit and keep their standards high. I think it is up to us to be well-informed consumers, and to know what we're getting for our money. Booking everthing through the cruise line is very convenient, but one must realize that a price is paid for that convenience...and sometimes it means paying almost double for what you are purchasing.

Lib,

How right you are. Not only do they charge exorbitant rates, but they route you through whatever flights sell space cheapest. Returning from Rome to Atlanta using SS air, my wife and I noticed a Delta direct flight to Atlanta as we walked to our assigned U.S. Air Rome to Atlanta flight with a stopever in Philadelphia. The stopover in Philadelphia wound up taking 5 extra hours with weather delays. We would have needed two hours to get through the Philadelphia airport anyway just getting from one flight to the other. We arrived home at 2:00 in the morning.

How right you are. Not only do they charge exorbitant rates, but they route you through whatever flights sell space cheapest.

You get what you pay for, and the cruise line gives you options:

1) You can pay the minimum and accept whatever routing the airline is able to get from the air carrier at bulk rates.

2) You can request an air deviation and pay the modest deviation fee (as well as any additional air fare that the carrier may require).

3) You can make your own flight arrangements.

Option 1 is for people who are willing to take potluck without complaining; options 2 and 3 make more sense if you prefer convenience and control, but you'll need to be realistic in your price expectations--especially at a time when airlines have cut capacity (and therefore are less desperate to fill empty seats) on many routes.

I agree. You do get what you pay for BUT keep in mind that "the minimum" you refer to that the cruise line charges is usually still higher than what you could book yourself with a carrier directly using the routing you choose instead of the route assigned to you by the cruise line and the airline. The airlines are trying to fill up the flights they have the least demand for, so naturally when partnering with a cruise line, they will not give the cruise line the "most popular routing" (i.e. non-stop") seats. They can fill those seats on their own. The internet is making it a lot easier for a person to find his own reservations and book them himself, but the airlines do not make it easy for the passenger by any means. They are constantly changing their policies and now since they are cutting back severely on some flights, your choices can become even more limited. It definitely takes a lot more work to make your own reservations, but many times you can save considerable money and many hours of travel time if you do.

I too book my own using miles to upgrade. I find it cheaper with the routing most convenient to me.

Thank you all for your interesting and informative discussion!

We have reciently booked two cruises to Europe--we fly out of Tucson, AZ. I had expected to buy Coach and upgrade with miles--when I checked the prices on the computer, I found Business Class prices so close to upgradeable Coach, it made sence to buy Business Class. Our trips were TUS to Istanbul return from Athens $2800. TUS to Barcelona return from Nice $2500. Delta seems to discovered that lowering Business Class prices is better than giving Business Class seats away for miles. I have found that booking my own flights on the computer can save some bucks!

We are booked on South African Airways.We had enough Amex to get couch.I asked if we could use them to upgrade to buss. class.They told me they don't do that.I also asked how much buss. class was round trip.$6,500.00 PP.I took my Amex Award points for couch.Whats good about SAA.is they use the big A360 jets so the seating is 2 abreast instead of 3.And they fly direct from JFK.