The XL effect??

I've been checking the load for VS15 on 3/11 for a while now and all of a sudden there's only about 4 seats left (last time I checked about there was proably 40 or so).

Is this a likely effect of XL going under and people rebooking with VS and a sign that the demand for this route with VS is likely to increase generally?

Probably, it's one big money making exersize isn't it.[n]

[Nottingham Nick]

As has been said many times before, a seat on a plane (or to get into a football match / concert) is worth as much as someone is prepared to pay for it.

Market forces are at work here. Virgin Atlantic are a business. Businesses exist for the purpose of making profit. If there are fewer seats available on planes to Florida, and there are still the same number of people wanting to go, then prices will go up. That is just an unfortunate fact of life.

If, however, the remaining airlines charge too much, then people will simply not book - that is the other side of the free market economy.

Nick

[Decker]

Yup, VS skilfully arranged for VS to go broke so they could cream off the pax.

I guess so, however I would have thought with VS being a 'superior' good that the shift in pax would mainly be to the comparable charter airlines, the Thomas Cooks and Monarchs of the world. Personally, I wouldn't mind prices increasing if VS retain the quality service.....

The quality in service only really occurs when you give the cabin service staff a decent renumeration, I don't think VS or BA can claim to do anything like that other than to sell the job as 3-4 days in some glamorous holiday destination, at best.

VS and BA and others need a big kick up the ass and pay their inflight service staff much much more, not least for the shift work, which is a killer in itself.

[Darren Wheeler]

Originally posted by Decker
Yup, VS skilfully arranged for VS to go broke so they could cream off the pax.

Ahem. [?][;)]

Originally posted by Decker
Yup, VS skilfully arranged for VS to go broke so they could cream off the pax.

I think Decker is mischievously saying that xl airways doesn't exist any longer [:p]

[Decker]

D'oh... resisting the temptation to mod my post and subsequent ones.... obviously meant 'them' but whoops

[Darren Wheeler]

Originally posted by Decker
D'oh... resisting the temptation to mod my post and subsequent ones.... obviously meant 'them' but whoops

Just blame it on the bends [8D]

[RichardMannion]

Let's discuss the concept of 'supply and demand' shall we? The number of applicants that VS get to be crew each year. Now is that a case of:

Demand exceeding supply
or
Supply exceeding demand.

Former would dictate a shortage and possible reason would indicate salary range is out. Latter on the otherhand....

Originally posted by RichardMannion
Let's discuss the concept of 'supply and demand' shall we? The number of applicants that VS get to be crew each year. Now is that a case of:

Demand exceeding supply
or
Supply exceeding demand.

Former would dictate a shortage and possible reason would indicate salary range is out. Latter on the otherhand....

That's a dangerous subject LRM!

But surely in that case it is the quality that is more important than the quantity!

[RichardMannion]

Ahh indeed Bill! But sadly we all know that service quality is a volatile factor when it comes to crew, and even the best people have off days. There is a whole bigger piece at play on how do you actively and fairly monitor/review that many staff all doing the same job to make sure the quality individuals progress?

And surely as passengers it becomes necessary that we recognise and draw attention to high service quality - and at least give that equal importance to complaining when quality is lower than we would wish!

[HighFlyer]

Totally agree Bill. Many of us on here have written in to CS to praise crew members (myself included) when we have had a good flight, not just writing in to complain about the bad. THis really is worth doing as the crew posting on here can vouch that positive feedback about crew from passengers really does help them at review time.

Thanks,
Sarah