#73556 - 06/04/08 12:48 PM
Air Transport
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Capt Bob
Junior Member
Registered: 02/18/08
Posts: 25
Loc: Texas Coast
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Some of the other forums are active since ATN has 3 out of 5 airplanes grounded right now. Hopefully things will resume to normal soon. However air transport is on my mind. Recent statistics show travel way off to the outer islands but an increase in cruise ship traffic in Tahiti.
Well one mans opinion one of the problems is the high air fare Air Tahiti charges to get to the "out islands" like Bora and Tahaa, etc. from PPT.
I make on average 2 trips to Bora Bora every year but I really feel ripped off when it cost me 25% of my weekly land rate just to get there on an 45 min flight. It's not like there is any competetion...
Anyway maybe they will figure it out..........
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Bob
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#73562 - 06/04/08 01:52 PM
Re: Air Transport
[Re: Capt Bob]
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Pacific Andy
Supreme Advisor
Registered: 10/16/01
Posts: 4278
Loc: Los Angeles, CA
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Thats what you get with a monopoly. At the rate the US carriers are going it maybe the same thing some day soon.
Also, we (international Air Tahiti flyers) subsidize the cheaper fares for the locals. So if you run into a local not from Bora Bora have him buy you a beer.
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Once You Go You Get It
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#73580 - 06/04/08 07:57 PM
Re: Air Transport
[Re: Pacific Andy]
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Poehere
Expert Advisor
Registered: 08/18/07
Posts: 2362
Loc: FP
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If you don't mind me saying we (the local Air Tahiti Nui flyers) subsidize the cheaper fares for the US visiters (packages incl 4 nights 1400 us$, we pay more just to get to Lax and back!) So if you run into us buy us a nice lobster dinner or so... or in any case have mercy lol
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* with sunshine *
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#73585 - 06/04/08 09:31 PM
Re: Air Transport
[Re: Poehere]
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rodjune
Expert Advisor
Registered: 07/08/03
Posts: 1726
Loc: Kalama Valley, HI
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In the airline world, airlines that have a monopoly, plus airlines that don't have both first class and economy class, allow them to charge passengers to pay more - much more. At least in the US, first/business class flyers who often have corporations paying for their fares help subsidize those of us who sit in the back of the plane. They call it yield management. With Air Tahiti (local) being solo, what other options do you have? None, really. I'd love to see the Air Tahiti financial statements.
Another case in point, being that I live in Hawaii where both ATN and Aloha have gone out of business leaving us with Hawaiian and go! airlines locally, our airfares have started to rise very quickly. Fares are about 20% to 50% higher now as a result of demand up and supply down. While it's not a monopoly - oligopoly rather - it's still a classic study in the effects of competition (or lack thereof). I hope go! doesn't go out of business because then we will be in the same situation as what Capt Bob described.
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#73682 - 06/07/08 09:22 AM
Re: Air Transport
[Re: rodjune]
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BarbiJKM
Supreme Advisor
Registered: 02/14/07
Posts: 6150
Loc: Mesa, AZ
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Poehere, I think it varies. Two years ago, for example, we had to buy two sets of ATN tickets: first tix to get from LAX-PPT-LAX for our vacation. Second tix were from PPT-LAX-PPT for my husband to fly back home for a week in the middle of out trip to care for his father, then return to FP. The tickets originating in LAX were about $400 more expensive than the tickets originating in FP, same itinerary and flights, just in reverse direction!
And several times when Tahitian friends have visited us here in the U.S., their airfares were much cheaper than our recent airfares from here to FP.
It is true that ATN runs USA special promotional packages from time to time, but overall I don't think American passengers are being subsidized by Tahitian travelers. And, on the interisland flights, local residents have a much cheaper airfare than tourists.
Right now EVERYTHING is just too expensive, regardless of the direction in which one is flying!!
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#73684 - 06/07/08 10:35 AM
Re: Air Transport
[Re: BarbiJKM]
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Patti.
Expert Advisor
Registered: 03/28/04
Posts: 2460
Loc: Las Vegas, NV
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Barbi~ I think locals in whatever country quite often have a price advantage over tourists on some things.
When my daughter was living in Europe, she was able to get fares for flights around Europe that are never available here. She had to have a local address to get them.
My father in law lives in Hawaii...he is able to get local hotel rates that are not availble to us....he just has to show his Hawaii ID.
Here in Vegas, we have discounts all the time for hotels, shows, attractions....that are only available to local residents.
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#73701 - 06/07/08 03:02 PM
Re: Air Transport
[Re: Patti.]
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BarbiJKM
Supreme Advisor
Registered: 02/14/07
Posts: 6150
Loc: Mesa, AZ
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Yes, and I think that's fair... I was just pointing out that the locals in FP do not generally pay higher airfares than the tourists do, in response to Poehere.
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#73702 - 06/07/08 03:39 PM
Re: Air Transport
[Re: BarbiJKM]
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Patti.
Expert Advisor
Registered: 03/28/04
Posts: 2460
Loc: Las Vegas, NV
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I guess I should have put that to you and Poehere.....I was referring to comments from you both.
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#73888 - 06/13/08 06:10 PM
Re: Air Transport
[Re: Patti.]
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Capt Bob
Junior Member
Registered: 02/18/08
Posts: 25
Loc: Texas Coast
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Let add my 2 cents worth. ATN started offering free seats for kids from NY. Just plane stupid. It hasn't helped a bit. NY is flooded with 747's going to a zillion islands in the Caribbean. And cheap.
Then they come up with this sale for s short period in Sep if you buy 2 tickets by the end of the June. It's called borrowing money. But it is a good deal, comes out to less than $900 each for a couple. But they limit it to 10 days. If it was 15 or more I would have bit.
I've always found air travel to Tahiti to be somewhat reasonable if you have some flexibility. What really irks me is the $400 from PPT to BOB. Think about it, 800 and some bucks for a 8.5 hr flight and then ripped off $400 for a 45 min flight.
And the dummies wonder why business is way off in the out island hotels but up for the cruise ships. It's going to get a lot worse.
For the first time in 30 years i've been looking for a cool place to go where the cost of getting there is not as high.
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Bob
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#73914 - 06/14/08 02:14 PM
Re: Air Transport
[Re: Capt Bob]
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BarbiJKM
Supreme Advisor
Registered: 02/14/07
Posts: 6150
Loc: Mesa, AZ
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I hear ya, Capt Bob! Try Moorea next time; it's still a 12 buck ferry ride...
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