The Travel Thread

[Back2Lawrence]

Capitalism will slowly (but hyper-accelerated today) eat economic engines, if let run amuck.

Tickets are this way. Problem is, to date, enough of us (you, me, whoever) still have enough disposable income to not be to arms about the lunacy that dictates that particular engine.

[KUTradition]

^^^^

no different than gas prices, really

“we’ve” decided the price is payable…kinda basic supply/demand

[RainbowsandUnicorns]

Happens all the time.

Yes, and I feel it's criminal.
Perhaps the DOT should step in and try and regulate prices?

Maybe Pete could/should say?

But instead we get a .....

One nice thing about flying is people often get what they think is a free snack. In reality, their airline ticket price is increased $24.75 to pay for it. Ok, that was an attempt at a sarcastic and snide joke.

I assume you realize that Pete's DOT is responsible for the US adopting some of the most significant consumer protections (vis a vis airlines) in recent memory, which are all going to be turned into dust in two months' time.

I don't realize much but I realize a couple of things.
Such as, it would cost me 37 hundred dollars to fly first class on Alaska Airlines (Actually American Airlines) from O'Hare to John Wayne at those times on those dates if I booked my flights on-line on the Alaska Air web site- and it would cost me half as much if I booked the same exact same flights on the American Airlines website. Like I said, I feel that's criminal.
Is that a result of Pete? Probably not.
My question is, could he institute a policy/regulation so that airline's wouldn't be allowed to gouge customers with an extremely scummy practice - that they are clearly allowed to do?
I don't know but it would be nice if he could.

Moving on and speaking of traveling and scummy practices.....
Booked a room a while ago. Prices went up since then. A couple of weeks ago I received an email from the same hotel chain offering me a lower price at a different not as nice hotel but for a substantially bigger room. WWJD?
I call the hotel chain and ask a few questions. They come back and offer me the bigger room at the not as nice hotel for an even lower price. I ask if they can/will lower the price on my room at the nicer hotel that I had the original reservation at. Nope. I then ask how much would it cost me to upgrade.
They come back and tell me it would cost me twice as much money to upgrade my room. I tell them I am looking on-line and see that I could upgrade for about 20% more and they are telling me it would be about 100% more. They tell me they don't see it on their end. I offer to send them a screen shot. They tell me to book it on-line. Which of course I would have - if I chose to upgrade.
About 15 minutes ago I received another email from the hotel chain. Black Friday sale. 30% off.
YEAH, sure. They jacked up the price of the room! 30% off is actually about 5% off what the rate was last week.
......... Little Pink Houses.