Too many sales?

With the introduction of yet another 'sale', do you think VS are diluting the idea somewhat by having too many?
E.g. I have a PE SFO trip in March which, when I booked it a couple of months ago, was part of a 'sale' - but there have been at least two since for those dates.
Any thoughts?

Andy

They drive me mad, each time I book a ticket there is some kind of offer the following week which is cheaper.

Makes buying any reasonable price ticket frustrating.

I dont think they are having any more than the shops on the high street are having these days, and im sure weve all bought something for £20 and seen it for £15 the next week. It all boils down to how much are you willing to gamble in savings over the flex fare compared with knowing youve got your seat to the destination you want and at the date/time of your choosing.

Perhaps we're all a lot more savvy too. We do seem to be in an MFI culture - 'buy now, ends midnight', to be swiftly followed by a similar 'sale'. Additionally, I guess if one does it, then they all have to, or risk losing revenue. From a passenger viewpoint, I have a vague figure in mind I'll pay, and I keep checking until the figure appears. True, it doens't always....[:I]

Also think it must depends on your circs though - for instance, if you need to fly in schools hols and with several children, you do of course need to nail those seats down much earlier....

Its not really a new thing to keep releasing Fares according to what the market is doing.

But air travel is becoming more and more of an 'impulse' buy. Several years ago we only ever flew for a specific reason (business, the once a year holiday, visiting familly) but these days alot of people will book a flight simply because there's a good deal.

[ChuckC]

Andy,
US-based carriers are constantly promoting fares. By trying out differing price points for travel carriers can readily see where price resistance occurs. Another benefit of sales is that a great offer will tempt a "loyalist" -- for example, a BA Executive Club cardholder -- to switch allegiances, if only temporarily, ostensibly for price. If his or her experience is a good one, however, the airline may gain a regular customer.

So from my vantage point, the more sales, the better!

Best to all,
Chuck-

There's a store near my house that has a "one day only sale" every week. So when you go and see something, you're always like, "eh, it'll be on sale at the end of the week, why buy it now."

I used to get all excited when I got the VS email about a fare sale, but now I know if I wait, there will be another, so why buy a ticket now.

I certainly agree with ChuckC's point though. At DL, we're always advertising something, usually through a big vinyl banner behind the ticket counters, that changes every month or so. You get all sorts of people checking it out, from cab drivers, to US Airways Chairman's Preferred customers. Now if that Chairman's Preferred customer tries it once, do we have a chance at getting a regular customer? Absolutely.

Hense the other reason why I always make announcements like, "Delta Connection is pleased to announce the early arrival of flight xxxx with service from yyyyyyy", while the US Air customers are deplaning off their regular 2 hour delayed arrival.

One of my co-workers even adds, "All deplaning customers may be met momentarily as they claim their luggage at baggage claim.", of course we only add that when US Air is announcing that their flight came in with NO BAGS onboard, and everyone needs to go to the counter to file a claim. [8D]