You’d think the airlines would have learned their lesson a few years ago. It doesn’t seem that long ago when some experts were predicting a massive consolidation of the entire industry…
However, they dug themselves out. Many of the airlines people thought would disappear are still in business and some even showing a profit.
That’s the good news…
The bad news is that even with a LOT of improvement, passenger complaints jumped 34% in 2015.
Their biggest gripe? Cancelations and delays – the same problems they’ve been griping about since 2000.
Dean Headly, Professor of Marketing at Wichita State and co-author of an airline quality report told the AP that, “Everything is getting better, but they are still unhappy about the same things.”
Headley attributes this growing dissatisfaction to the growth in extra fees for things like checked baggage, seat selection and changing or canceling a reservation – when these things used to be part of the ticket price.
Many of us remember what flying used to be…
We paid one price. It wasn’t $25 per bag or $75 for preferential seating – after the ticket was paid – our worries were over.
But a lot has changed since the heyday of airline travel… even the attire!
Remember when people used to dress to the nines for even the shortest trips? I still get a kick out of seeing passenger photos from the 1950’s and 1960’s…
The men in suits – the women in their best dresses… wide comfortable seating and a cigarette in everybody’s hand.
Now, we’re lucky if everybody’s fully clothed and we’re crammed into seating where we can barely read a magazine in front of us while smoking has been outlawed collectively.
I blame the 1970’s. But I digress…
It seems that even with all the ways airlines are nickel and diming their customers – airlines are no longer the money generators they once were.
That’s probably why celebrated entrepreneur, Richard Branson, is publicly commiserating about his Virgin America being “taken over” by Alaska Airlines…
Because he’s always had the ability to get into things at the right time – as well as and more importantly – the ability to get OUT at the right time too.
And lucky for him, a deal is in the works for Alaska Airlines to pay his Virgin Group a whopping $2.6 Billion for Virgin America – or, according to some outlets – maybe even a cool $4 billion.
I’ve never known a billionaire to turn down THAT kind of money…
The rumors alone were enough to drive Virgin America (VA) shares up almost DOUBLE in April what they were worth in mid-March.
So it seems, for some… the skies are STILL friendly.
The secret to making money from something like this?
Take advantage of the volatility. This is what makes GorillaTrades so effective – we thrive off volatility! We know when and where to strike – and if we’d love to have you rejoin our ranks!
But even if you’d rather go it alone – keep your eye on the skies. There could be a few more moneymaking opportunities there for the savvy investor.
“I have found adventure in flying, in world travel, in business, and even close at hand… Adventure is a state of mind and spirit.” – Jacqueline Cochran