Delta and United Augment Air Service from USA to Bonaire

[wwguy]

Just a quick note to spread the word about some new flight options just announced for getting to Bonaire. The text below is copied from this article posted on The Bonaire Insider website.

"Delta and United have both recently announced an increase in air service to Bonaire from the USA.

Delta will add an additional weekly service on Friday, effective August 22, 2014, providing Bonaire with a Friday-Saturday pattern for the fall and early winter. Delta will operate a 737-800 on the flight with 16 Business Class seats and 138 Coach seats. The schedule will be the same as on Saturday: DL flight 663 depart ATL 9:45am and arrives in BON 1:55pm, and DL flight 662 departs BON 3:59pm and arrives ATL 7:22pm.

Additionally, as was done in 2013, the Houston flight on United will continue in September, providing uninterrupted service year-round.

Both services on Delta as well as United have been already added into the respective airlines’ systems. (Source: TCB-NA)"

 

[morecowbells]

Thanks for posting this info! The previous limited flight options made future vacations to Bonaire less attractive. The Houston to Bonaire leg is definitely appealing

 

[T.C.]

Think this will bring down the flight costs?

 

[wwguy]

Think this will bring down the flight costs?

Not likely, in my opinion. Both carriers have their respective hub regions held captive without significant competition. Most folks aren't willing to fly out of their way and/or spend an extra night in a competing airline's hub city just to save $100 to $200 on airfare (also close to the price of a domestic hotel room.) Demand is relatively fixed and I think the airlines would rather fly 60% to 80% full at full fare rather than 100% full at reduced fares. They generate more revenue that way.

For example, let's say that full price RT fare from XXX-ATL-BON is $1000 and a "reduced" fare is $600 for the same route. Delta's new Friday 737 plane has 138 coach seats.

138 seats x 60% full airplane x $1000 fare = $82,800 revenue generated for the flight.
138 seats x 100% full airplane x $600 fare = $82,800 revenue for the same flight.
So any seat over 60% at full price is gravy. And that doesn't count any operational savings from handling less passengers and baggage etc.

Less than 60% (using my example) might make them look at reducing fares. But at some point they have to examine whether flying the airplane that far is even profitable if capacity/demand is consistently low. It might be cheaper for them to drop the flight altogether rather than sell tickets for lowball prices just to steal passengers from the competition.

Just my $0.02

 

[ReefHound]

I'm just wondering how United is interpreted as "increasing" service when they are just doing in 2014 what they did in 2013?

 

[wwguy]

The fall 2013 United flights were offered as an exception to traditional seasonal adjustments to flight schedules. Past performance is no guarantee of future results.

 

[Lead_carrier]

Think this will bring down the flight costs?

More than likely it will increase flight cost. Not as many people flying on the usual Saturday flight since they opted for the Friday flight. The airline will need to increase prices to make up for lost revenue.