January 2014

Did the airlines play the bait and switch on consumers?

l3wis January 8, 2014 19Comments

I found this Stormland-TV story leaves you with more questions, then answers;

The average ticket price spiked 24 percent in the last three years.

Sioux Falls Airport Authority hoped that adding airlines and more flights would make flying more affordable, but that hasn’t happened.

“This flight on Allegiant for the two of us was a little over $800 and we’re used to paying $200 or $250 round trip.  That’s the difference of $300 more,” passenger Erlyce Pekas said.

“A lot of airlines have removed flights so there are only a certain number of flights that will leave Sioux Falls or connect to other destinations.  If those flights are full and they can continue to fill them at the higher price, we’re going to see those prices high,” Buus said.

First question I have is what did the SF Airport Authority, city officials and the Mayor know when they were promoting more affordable air travel out of Sioux Falls? While I commend all three for getting us more flights, I wonder just ‘what’ the airlines promised Sioux Falls officials? Was there ever a contract or goodwill contract signed about airfares and increases? Are the airlines playing bait and switch with consumers, and did these officials know that was the plan all along?

Like I said, bringing in more options is great, but if the airlines are using the opportunity to gouge us now it seems the new popularity of air travel out of Sioux Falls is fleeting.

But remember, like most ‘growth’ ideas out of city hall, it’s about closing the deal and the ‘short term’ benefits. I’m not accusing MMM of anything nefarious here, in fact, I doubt he knew what the long term plans were for the airlines to increase fares, nor did he even care. Funny how all of this expansion and availability at the SF Airport is starting to look more and more like a certain Credit Card’s interest rate after 90 days.