With the merger of Northwest Airlines and Delta Air Lines, some are concerned that northern Minnesota may lose air service to the Twin Cities. Delta is aware that if the cost of airfare to the Twin Cities, a major air hub, gets too high, then people will drive to the Twin Cities to catch a flight. If they do, they may choose other airlines than Delta.
See "Delta lands in Duluth to try to ease Northland concerns", Duluth News Tribune, 2009-02-12
The tickets for connecting flights may have to be loss leaders in order to get people on the longer flights.
Government and industry are filled with examples of loss leaders creating greater gains and of cutting out "losing" activities that actually lose profitable activities. Think Circuit City laying off high-paid clerks. How many people stopped going to Circuit City because they couldn't find knowledgeable clerks?
Showing posts with label Northwest Airlines. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Northwest Airlines. Show all posts
Thursday, February 12, 2009
Friday, June 01, 2007
What new Northwest Airlines?
"The New Northwest" is the headline in the business section of the Star Tribune, May 31, 2007. Is a new Northwest Airlines better? I doubt it.
My wife made a reservation for Toronto-Duluth because she would be able to stay on the same plane through Minneapolis-St. Paul. The previous time she made the trip her luggage didn't make the MSP-Duluth leg of the trip and had to be delivered the next day. So, thought she, having the same plane should solve that problem.
When she checked in at Toronto, she was told that she would have to change planes at MSP. This also meant she would have to walk to another concourse when she got there.
When she boarded the plane, the captain announced the plane would be flying through to Duluth. The crew hadn't even been told of the flight change!
When I checked for her arrival time prior to picking her up, the plane had left the gate about 25 minutes late but hadn't taken off. Just before I left the house I left the house 20 minutes later, the web site said the plane took off eight minutes after it left the gate.
When she got to Duluth I met her at baggage claim. We waited and watched for her bag to come down the chute. The baggage handlers stopped the chute and her bag wasn't there.
We are now at one hour after the original arrival time. We went to the checkin counter staffed by one person and waited our turn. The bag would probably arrive on the next flight which should arrive any minute. It was on that flight. We arrived home one hour and ten minutes after we should have.
My wife's advice for all fliers: always take a book.
My wife made a reservation for Toronto-Duluth because she would be able to stay on the same plane through Minneapolis-St. Paul. The previous time she made the trip her luggage didn't make the MSP-Duluth leg of the trip and had to be delivered the next day. So, thought she, having the same plane should solve that problem.
When she checked in at Toronto, she was told that she would have to change planes at MSP. This also meant she would have to walk to another concourse when she got there.
When she boarded the plane, the captain announced the plane would be flying through to Duluth. The crew hadn't even been told of the flight change!
When I checked for her arrival time prior to picking her up, the plane had left the gate about 25 minutes late but hadn't taken off. Just before I left the house I left the house 20 minutes later, the web site said the plane took off eight minutes after it left the gate.
When she got to Duluth I met her at baggage claim. We waited and watched for her bag to come down the chute. The baggage handlers stopped the chute and her bag wasn't there.
We are now at one hour after the original arrival time. We went to the checkin counter staffed by one person and waited our turn. The bag would probably arrive on the next flight which should arrive any minute. It was on that flight. We arrived home one hour and ten minutes after we should have.
My wife's advice for all fliers: always take a book.
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