Biz travelers shifting ?

[Kip Powick]

Are biz travelers revolting against discounters?

Despite the bang-up performance by discount airlines in the latest airline quality survey, business travelers are apparently rejecting the discounters and returning to the traditional airlines. That's according to The New York Times' biz travel writer Joe Sharkey, who sites an Accenture survey that found 82% of business travelers now say they "primarily" use traditional carriers instead of discounters.

That figure is up from 72% a year ago, which the survey called a "significant shift" back to the so-called legacy carriers. Accenture's Paul Chiu tells Sharkey that biz travelers now have "more flexibility to pick airlines and flights more conducive to their schedules and destinations, rather than selecting them strictly on price." Of course, even when price is considered, the traditional carriers typically undercut the prices of their discount rivals by so much that the legacy airlines' fares are often the lowest. Perhaps that's starting to work for them … as long as they can stay in business.

[Fido]

What 'Legacy Carriers'???

There are some left in Europe such as Lufthansa, British and Air France. They won't stay the same for long. but in America??? They have all re-invented themselves with the attributes of the 'discount' carriers.

Business travellers have 'gone back' to the lergacy carriers because the old-line airlines have taken on the aspects of the LCC in the pricing and rule sets that made the LCC's popular. They have kept the extra little things that matter to the frequent traveller like frequency, timings, advance seat selection. They still have the chance of a bigger seat in the laughably termed 'First Class' section, but it ain't what it used to be by a long shot. The market proved that it was unsustainable.

There is not a true 'Legacy' carrier left in North America.