Air Program Mistake: Prioritizing Focus on Low Airfares
Airlines Need Profit to Sustain Flights!

Avoid a frequent air program mistake. While increasing flight competition can often aid in providing more air seats at lower costs, you can make a serious air service development error by prioritizing your focus on lowering fares. Sufficient flight revenue is critical to airline profitability AND retaining air service. You work against sustaining or expanding your air access goals if you push your airfares to a point where flights are not profitable.

A frequent community air program mistake is being airfare (Lowering Fares) focused versus sustainable air service focused. Airlines are businesses and need to make a profit. You make a big air program mistake if you help lower airfares to a level below your airlines profitability. There have been many communities that have driven high load factors and been surprised and confused when the airline pulls out.

Flight occupancy won’t cover an airlines costs but flight revenues can. You need to focus on strong airline revenues instead of low airfares. If you sell out a flight but only take in 90 cents when it costs a dollar, you’ve worked hard to lose money…and possibly your airline service!

Don’t fall into the trap of many other communities…focus on driving successful air service which means the airline makes money and you have well used and convenient air flights to your community. You’ll make a big air program mistake if you ignore the needs of your airline partner.

Community Flights has developed over 35 best practices and guiding principles for communities looking to improve their air service. The above is just a small sample of a complete guidebook of best practice.

If you’d like to receive the complete guidebook for FREE: Community Flights Air Service Development Best Practices and Guiding Principles, email: scott@communityflights.com and ask that we send the full guide.

Scott Stewart is the principle of Community Flights; an air service support, development and management company. Community Flights works with communities, organizations or businesses on leveraging the great economic asset that air service is for economic gain. Scott formed Community Flights in January 2013 to help mobilize community support efforts and guide clients in bridging the “air service understanding gap” with the airlines to create an airline and community win-win air service support and performance environment. You can find more info about Community Flights at www.communityflights.com. Contact Scott Stewart directly at scott@communityflights.com