The airlines (or maybe I should say the pilots) have to battle uber-winds and thunderstorms when flying and if possible map a route away from turbulence. Now the airlines have to battle turbulence on the ground as well. While they are busy cutting routes, staff and equipment, they find the need to slash fares AGAIN. This apparently on the heels of reports that fares had risen for summer travel (on some routes - particularly to Europe) and there was talk of fares finally having hit bottom with nowhere to go but up.
I even wrote this very thing on July 1st and while I cautioned the rising prices had yet to be accepted by ALL airlines, I added that I thought fares in the fall were not headed DOWN, yet not up either. Now comes news that the leading discount airline (Southwest) had offered one of their largest sales EVER on travel from Sept 9 to Nov 18. Which means all the cost cutting and downsizing STILL is not enough to lure travelers back to flying. (It also means I was wrong - fares are dropping for Fall, at least at this early stage) As you can read here, Southwest announced their sale and some airlines followed suit and others didn't. Aviation expert Michael Boyd commented; "There is a free fall in demand".
While this supports my comment that experts suggested fare sales would start anew after school starts up again, I thought maybe fares would hold steady because they are at rock bottom prices now. Apparently not. More bad news for airlines but good news for those few who are traveling.
As always, conditions can change rapidly and there is every indication now that some airlines may RAISE rates and some may slash them. It pays to shop around will be my mantra from here on out.
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