Regional Air Fare

Windchill

Windchill

Well-Known Member
Over $300 round-trip on a Shuttle America puddle-hopper flight from Hagerstown, MD to Pittsburgh, PA, seems a bit outrageous.

Does it take this much for the airline to operate a Saab 340 over a 35-40min flight?

Might as well hop in the Skyhawk I rent for $70/hr and log the time myself.
 
Haggarstown.. I used to work down there and Frederick before moving back to pgh
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Renting would be a quick flight plus you get to log the hours !!! ... the drive though would be a pain cause of the crappy PA construction on the turnpike !!!
 
The flight may not cost that much for the company, but you also paying for the price to set up airline service in HGR and to employee gate agents/rampers etc just for that airline.
 
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Does it take this much for the airline to operate a Saab 340 over a 35-40min flight?

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I don't know. What is the load factor on that route? What frequency do they fly into that airport, so we'd know how well utilized their facilites are? Are there other routes where the airplane could deliver more revenue, or is this a repositioning flight? How much is the company spending on promoting this route? What are the airport fees? Don't forget that between a third to a fourth is taxes. Pilots well paid or not? (I know, not). How much of the fare does the regional keep and how much goes to mainline?

Hard to say, but probably it takes more.
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I'm betting that my home airport (Ithaca, New York), has one of the highest airfares in the country: ITH-LGA is $586. Upwards of $800 to get to Reagan.

J.
 
I think it's funny how a 50 minute flight is $300 and a 4 hour flight from Philadelphia to Cancun is $400
 
Ever notice how a steak is $7.50 at the Sizzler, but a cut from perhaps the same cow is $35 at Ruth's Chris?
 
IM WORKING THE GRILL AT OUTBACK TONITE.....YOU GUYS GOT ME HUNGRY NOW......GONNA HAVE TO GET ME A FILET SMOTHERED IN GRILLED ONIONS AND BLUE CHEESE.......MMMMM
 
Don't charge over $3.50 for it! After all, that's about the cost of a 5 oz filet mignon from the store! Nevermind the grill costs, depreciation on the building, the materials to create the heat, and the silverware/dishware cleaning materials!

(sorry, a little 'econ' rant)
 
Just like everything else, you pay for convience. Go buy a microwave small can of Ravioli and then go buy a larger not with the quick lid and not in the microwave can. Youll pay more per ounce on the microwave one. Or better yet, 2 litter cokes run 99Cents at a local grocery store, and yet a 20Oz coke will be the same or more.

With that being said, the airlines do overprice some of there smaller markets. But when you're the only game in town, you can afford to do that. Unfortuntly many airlines "force" people to drive 2-3 hours to go flow moo cow get line airline.
 
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Unfortuntly many airlines "force" people to drive 2-3 hours to go flow moo cow get line airline.

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That's me!!!
 
It's called gouging. There's no competition in places like HGR or ITH. The airline charges what it wants (not what it costs) because they have a monopoly on the market. Not surprisingly, most of these markets have seen their passenger numbers decline severely over the past decade or so.

Even if you factor in all possible costs (fuel, salaries+benefits, aircraft payments, maintenance, depreciation, marketing,etc), there's no way it really costs the airline $800 to transport one person from ITH to DCA.
 
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It's called gouging. There's no competition in places like HGR or ITH. The airline charges what it wants (not what it costs) because they have a monopoly on the market. Not surprisingly, most of these markets have seen their passenger numbers decline severely over the past decade or so.

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I'd be amazed if this was completely accurate. You contend that these were thriving high-yield markets that have shriveled because noone will serve them? This is what the whole RJ boom has been about. Lots of frequency to lots of markets by lots of carriers. I would guess that some of these markets have been hit by "dirve to the airport that SWA serves" or some dynamic like that. But if there is a lot of unmet demand there I'd expect someone to get in there and serve it. If not the local chamber of commerce is doing a piss poor job of promoting their airport.
 
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Ever notice how a steak is $7.50 at the Sizzler, but a cut from perhaps the same cow is $35 at Ruth's Chris?

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Yeah, but it's WAAAAY better the way Ruth's Chris does it!!
 
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