O/T ~ Why Have Plane Fares NOT Decreased??

Sunshine Kate · ‎03-10-2010

The price of fuel has decreased considerably, but the price of airfares have not decreased at all.

Why is that? When fuel prices increase at the pump, usually airfares will follow suit as fast as they can.

Guess, I won't be flying as I'm not stupid. Just irritated with the airlines.

Krimpette · ‎03-09-2010

I, too, am similarly irritated when I think of how many goods/services were priced considerably higher because of the fuel costs. I guess "what goes up....." doesn't necessarily "come down"! Not fair!!!!!

HappyDaze · ‎06-13-2012

I listened to an interview with a few of the airlines' representatives/spokespeople and they said they are not planning on lowering fees despite the lower fuel prices because people are used to paying the prices they have now and travel is up even without any changes to the costs so why should they lower the price? They fully admitted it was to increase their profits and that they would not pass the fuel savings onto the customers. I guess at least they were honest but I still thought it was kind of crappy.

JeanLouiseFinch · ‎10-03-2011

The flying public has gotten used to paying so the airlines likely feel they have a captive audience and don't need to reduce prices.

ChynnaBlue · ‎05-22-2012

@Sunshine Kate wrote:
The price of fuel has decreased considerably, but the price of airfares have not decreased at all.

Why is that? When fuel prices increase at the pump, usually airfares will follow suit as fast as they can.

Guess, I won't be flying as I'm not stupid. Just irritated with the airlines.

You make a good point about oil and gas prices going down while airfares stay high, but that's what always seems to happen with airfares. They go up and don't come back down. It's even worse now that they nickel and dime you for everything from food to bags.

But it would take me 3 days to drive to see my family and 3 days back, which takes up my whole vacation and would end up costing the same for gas, food, and hotels along the way. I looked into trains, but they cost about the same as a plane and take a much longer time, so it's not worth it.

And that's why they can get away with it. Because how smart you are has nothing to do with whether or not you fly, many of us don't have much of a choice and businesses have even less choice when they're all over the globe.

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Chrystaltree2 · ‎12-08-2014

@Sunshine Kate wrote:
The price of fuel has decreased considerably, but the price of airfares have not decreased at all.

Why is that? When fuel prices increase at the pump, usually airfares will follow suit as fast as they can.

Guess, I won't be flying as I'm not stupid. Just irritated with the airlines.

.......because the airlines are NOT required to reduce fairs just because the gas prices went down. So, why would the? People are flying in record numbers regardless of ticket prices and crass passengers and funky smelling plains and being forced to sit butt to butt next to strangers. It would be fiscally irresponsigle to reduce prices for no reason.

Zita · ‎05-24-2011

The reason is that the airlines have become monopolies with no real competition. The government refuses to listen to the pleas of outraged consumers who are not only paying higher fares, but are charged for every possible service. This, in addition to smaller seats and more crowding. No wonder there are so many incidents of passenger rage in flight!

Check out Flyers' Rights website. They tell the truth about this.

ms traditional · ‎03-09-2010

...because planes are full. for once in my life airlines are not going bankrupt because of suicidal fare policies. that means people who work there have work, stable work -- for a change. so that is a good thing.

151949 · ‎03-09-2010

Personally, I only fly when absolutely necessary. It is uncomfortable and I always catch some bug. When i was a kid we flew all the time amd it was so elegant and luxurious. Now people are willing to pay too much and receive really below par service, Same with hotels. People are willing to pay too much and then the heaters/AC don't work or barely work, and there are hardly any stations on the Tv, or the internet stinks, or the room smells like cigarettes or dogs or something. What ever happened to elegant, luxurious hotel rooms ? sigh.

We stayed in a room on our way home this fall where they had the bed, literally, inches from the AC unit. It was most uncomfortable all night that stupid thing was blowing cold air on me. I was pretty cranky the next day and complained to the person at the desk. She told me this was the rooms they use when you stay on points. I informed her that those of us who are platinum customers due to points should get the better rooms not the worst. I sent an e mail to Hampton Inn corporate and they gave us back our points and extra for another stay somewhere. they agreed that regular customers who have used the hotel enough to be platinum should be getting UP grades not downgrades.

Abrowneyegirl · ‎03-15-2010

@Zita wrote:
The reason is that the airlines have become monopolies with no real competition. The government refuses to listen to the pleas of outraged consumers who are not only paying higher fares, but are charged for every possible service. This, in addition to smaller seats and more crowding. No wonder there are so many incidents of passenger rage in flight!

Check out Flyers' Rights website. They tell the truth about this.

I agree, the government permitted this monopoly, now we are all going to pay the price.

The airline industry is the ONLY industry that can charge MORE for LESS and provide terrible customer service and get away with it.

There are no options so consumers have to suck it up and deal with it.

On principle alone, we will not vacaction anywhere that requires a flight, I am so over the airline industry.