Anybody Fly ATA?

"Enjoying" a layover right now and it's $60 to upgrade.

 

Well, this was two years ago.

 

And in other airline related news, Air Canuckistan is now going to start charging for customer service--not that they had any before:

http://www.thestar.com/Business/article/409330

Air Canada said passengers who opt to pay an additional $25 one-way on short-haul flights and an extra $35 one-way on long-haul routes within North America will receive "speedy" access to "specially-trained" customer service agents who will help rebook flights on Air Canada or other airlines, as well as pay for hotel stays and meals, if necessary.

Is there anything left they aren't charging for?

Well, I guess they could install pay toilets on all flights .

A loonie for five minutes.

 

I'd love to see nationwide high speed rail service in this country.

 

So let me get this straight...they're basically charging you extra to appease you when they fuck up? Rebooking flights, meals and hotel stays are all things that only happen when something goes wrong, correct?
I'm waiting for the first airline that doesn't charge to check a bag, but does charge for you $50 to get it off the carousel.

 

Problem is, rail service isn't much (if any) cheaper than flying and it takes longer. I can fly from my home airport to Fort Lauderdale today for $230 round trip, or take the Acela for the exact same price. It would take 5hrs 18 mins to fly, or 26hrs 47 mins by rail. Why would anyone pay the same for rail service when it takes five times as long?

 

Armchair was talking about high speed rail like they have in Europe and Japan.

They travel anywhere from 200 to 350 kph (120-180 mph).

You're right about the cost though. Toronto to Montreal by train is about four hours and a couple of hundred bucks one way (for first class). However, if you add the check-in/security time at the airport plus the time to get to and from each airport, you'll have saved maybe an hour and a half.

You get on the train in downtown Toronto and get off in downtown Montreal .

 

Yep, that's what I meant. National rail service using current Amtrak rolling stock would be an exceptionally bad idea.

 

Yeah, I knew he meant the high speed, I just flubbed it. Didn't realize the Acela (a high-speed train like he was referring to) only runs the northeast corridor. Thought it ran the coast.

 

Seriously, what is ATA? Never heard of it.

 

They keep tossing this idea around up here as well.

Huge infrastructure investment--they'd have to lay down all new track but a run between Toronto/Ottawa/Montreal would make sense.