Air Flight Fee - Impact on Cruisers

[jhannah]

I am on the verge of giving up flying. The hassle is no longer worth it to me. If I have to continue to pay more and more for the "privilege" then I must say, "NO!" This would effectively end cruising for me unless a line I care to sail moves into Galveston with pricing that I can afford.

[sail7seas]

I have a weird theory about air travel in U.S.

 

I think there is a concerted effort to reduce the numbers of people flying these days and the best way to do it is to make it as difficult and unpleasant as possible for as many as possible.

 

Before 9-11, the number of flights major airports were handling daily had the airports at the bursting point and the demand was steadily increasing.

 

After 9-11, there was an immediate drop in demand and the number of flights dropped to accomodate the necessary numbers only. Airports and airlines can handle these numbers of people passing through daily. They could not handle the growing demand of pre 9-11 numbers.

 

To go back to pre 9-11 flying numbers, the infrastructure would require such huge influx of money for enlarging terminals, adding runways, increasing facilities that just cannot be handled now. Airlines are not going to invest in huge numbers of new planes etc

 

If they keep a lid on the demand for seats, they keep the number of flyers under control, the airports as exist can continue for more years with far less monetary investments made. Sure some are updating and upgrading but they can handle the number of flights but I don't think they WANT more business.

 

So, when they hear someone say, I'm done flying, they are pleased. IMO

 

Anyone see my point and think I am anything but way off base with this theory?

 

[localady]

I know that our flight to Florida is just about as much as our 7 day cruise!!! :eek:

With all of ships being pulled out of the West Coast this will impact our ability to cruise. I refuse to pay more to fly to and from my cruise than I pay for my cruise. :eek: :eek:

 

PS Note to HAL- Leave the DAM ships on the West Coast!!!!

[jbhcw]

Just back from Seattle, Vancouver, Santa Barbara and LA..oh and a little three day down the coast! We don't fly much anymore as dh will only do it to please me about once every 2-3 years...but our comfort zone is Southwest all the way:):):) Service, comfort and prices...I love SOUTHWEST!!

 

That is why we flew into Seattle and then took the train (bus) up to Vancouver. I purchased tickets many months ago and got decent fares...but as we age and as the experience gets to be more and more unpleasant I can see us just staying on the East Coast and taking advantage of all the ports here,we can still drive;)

 

I will continue to visit family in San Diego once a year or so...but not sure what prices are going to do...hate to see them go up and up.

 

I do feel sorry for the West Coasters...seems their choices are drying up:eek:

 

Vancouver was an amazing city..and hoping perhaps that dh will try it again in a few years and we can go to Alaska...if we can afford the airfare:(

[Typhoon1]

Fox News.......................Consider the source.

[sail7seas]

It appears I was the faulty source, not Fox. I did not clearly hear the report.

 

[YXU AC*SE]

I have a weird theory about air travel in U.S. ... Anyone see my point and think I am anything but way off base with this theory?

 

Not sure if the facts bear out your case. Air travel quickly rebounded after 9-11, actually peaking in 2007 -- pre the onset of the 'great' recession.

 

The chart attached below was created using RITA - Research and Innovative Technology Administration data part of US DOT's BTS (Bureau of Transportation Statistics) which can be found here: http://www.bts.gov/xml/air_traffic/src/index.xml#CustomizeTable. It shows the number of passenger enplanements (i.e. the number of pax jumping on planes) -- by month from Jan 1996 to April 2011 -- which is the most current data.

 

 

Scott.

[Globaliser]

Now that it costs more to fly coach to Europe from the Mid-West than to book a veranda stateroom, the cruise lines have got to be concerned.

 

Back in the day, the lines used to provide "bucket shop" pricing for airfare to make it affordable for cruisers. At some point they stopped this and just book scheduled routes at the airlines price point.

 

They must find a way to get N. Americans to Europe and Asia, they can't survive on citizens locally to sustain them. N. Americans comprise more than 50% of cruisers worldwide.

It's sad because Europe really does need the tourist dollars right now ...

Cruise lines may be particularly concerned because so much of their market does come from North America. But in part the problem is perception: air fares are not particularly expensive now. They were just ridiculously cheap for many years, and that is now being corrected.

 

But Europe in general has less to worry about. The one "Western" country that has missed out on the huge growth in inbound international tourism in the last decade is the US. While the current strength of the Euro may be a disincentive for some, and the worldwide financial situation affects everyone to some extent, there are plenty of non-local citizens coming to Europe, and there are likely to be more when the Euro weakens. And the UK is very cheap for inbound visitors now.