What Is The Most Important To You?

travelin man · Thu Jun 08, 2000 6:34 am

When you plan your travel, what is the most important consideration you take into account?

Type of Plane?
Airline?
Schedule?
1-Stop vs. Non-stop?
Airport Location? (i.e. LHR vs. LGW, JFK vs. LGA)

My most important criteria is: Getting there NON-STOP. Too many things can go wrong when you have to change planes (lost luggage, flight delays, etc.). My secondary importance is the airline I fly (I try to choose AA or UA), and if there are multiple options on the route, I try to choose the airline with the wide-body aircraft (especially the 767).

What's most important to you?

airman99o · Thu Jun 08, 2000 6:38 am

Well i would have to agree on the non stop thing. But also the service that is offered as soon as you check in and when you arrive to the gate and when you get seated on the plane. Other than that it is not much else. Oh and also the newness of the plane. I really don't like flying older planes but If I get stuck on one well I guess that I am out of luck. I am not going to wait around for another flight and see if that will be a newer plane.

Airman99o

cwapilot · Thu Jun 08, 2000 6:40 am

1. Airline (I always choose UA. I chose UA over NW on my last trip, even though NW was the cheapest...only $35 more for superior service)

2. Aircraft type (As an aircraft enthusiast, I tend to try to choose routes using a/c I maybe haven't yet flown on, but that is unusual)

3. Fewest stops

CV990A · Thu Jun 08, 2000 6:42 am

For me, the airline is the most important part of making travel arrangements. If you're on a bad airline, then your trip will be ruined, simple as that.

bernsa · Thu Jun 08, 2000 6:48 am

1) Airline (I joined that frequent flyer plan for some reason - in my case Continental)

2) Time (I'm a very schedule oriented person) - Chose a 1-stop that left in the evening as opposed to a non-stop in the morning, so as to leave a day earlier and not take an extra day off from work.

3) # of stops (or stop-over - most direct if possible - e.g. EWR-MSP-SLC over EWR-IAH-SLC)

4) Aircraft Type (I like variety!)

5) Service (if international flight)

Ilyushin96M · Thu Jun 08, 2000 6:52 am

The first and most important thing to me is the number of stops required to reach my destination. I prefer non-stop or, on international flights, changing planes once. Time of day is relatively unimportant if it's non-stop, but of course, I'd prefer NOT to take red-eye flights.

Second is the level of service for the price of the ticket. I find that Midwest Express usually offers a great price and EXCELLENT business class service which can't be beat. Plus the ground staff are very professional and helpful.

These two things are key in the airline I choose to fly.

JAT · Thu Jun 08, 2000 6:55 am

Oddly, I am compleatly opposite of that. I look at it this way:

1) The more connections the better because more airports and more fun!

2) Always a different airline, for the experience.

3) Preferably a different plane every time, I always like to fly a plane I have never been on if possible.

4) The only real prefferance I have is a window seat. Easier to sleep plus you get to look outside!!!!

JAT

Pronto · Thu Jun 08, 2000 7:02 am

Non-stop is a factor, but so is price. Lately I have found some scheduled airlines terrible, especially for the price you're paying. Most charter airlines in Canada have new fleets, so aircraft age is not a problem there, and I find they work harder to please the customer, which is something I remember for next time I book a flight. (which means I probably won't be booking again with AA)
therefore:
Price
Service
Fleet
P.S. Who cares how new the plane is if your flight is crap!

Guest · Thu Jun 08, 2000 7:11 am

I love stops personally but my fiance (for the next 18 days!) does not. So when I am travelling alone the most important aspects for me are type of plane and not having a window seat directly above the wing. If I switch planes, I also enjoy that. If I am traveling with my fiance, the most important aspect is her comfort. Therefore, she gets the window or isle with me in the middle seat. And we do try to sit over the wing since there is less motion there. I also love being able to listen to ATC and air traffic on the headsets! My fiance does not get to talk to me at all when I have that option, sorry hon!

blink182 · Thu Jun 08, 2000 7:30 am

-airline-since I am in a frequent flyer program, I try and travel that airline or an airline in it's alliace(oneworld in my case)
-service, I want to have an enjoyable flight
-#stops, non stops prefered
-aircraft, i am much more comfortable flying on a 757 than on a 727
-seat, I dont mind coughing up a little cash for a seat closer to the front
-safety record, dont wanna crash
-where check in is at arriving airport and difficulty of finding gate etc

Guest · Thu Jun 08, 2000 8:08 am

-If UAL, take UAL, because on UAL I can listen to air traffic control which is my #1 criteria. Plus I'm Premier and get econo plus a lot. But seriously, cockpit radio is the #1 concern. Love it - my plane from ORD to DCA a month or so ago was followed by Air Force One who was going from Minneapolis to Andrews AFB. It was really interesting to hear them steering around the same t-storms we were - and interesting to note that the ATC did not treat them differently. Anyway, that's off topic.

-Aircraft. Generally, the bigger the better.

-Airline. Which one do I have FF on?

Guest · Thu Jun 08, 2000 8:13 am

1) WINDOW SEAT

Ellinopedo

Carioca Canuck · Thu Jun 08, 2000 8:23 am

1) Type of plane.

2) Non-Stop at all costs....unless it is not possible.

3) Airline is only important for FF points...airport location is irrelevant as is scheduling.

haanz · Thu Jun 08, 2000 9:02 am

Because I tend to travel Scandinavia - New Zealand and return when I first go anywhere I tend to pick an itinerary with

-as direct as possible. Transit kills me.
-airline(s), because of frequent flyer program (Star Alliance)
-schedule. I'm going to land in New Zealand feeling totally out there from jet lag anyway. I love 12 hrs time difference... well, it's actually 10 now due to daylight savings and opposite seasons.

Purdue Arrow · Thu Jun 08, 2000 9:30 am

My first concern: Cost=airline. Since I non-rev on American, I fly them almost exclusively.

My second concern is availability... I need to be able to get a seat on my flights. When I can fly on American, I then choose flights based on time of day (I often want to leave after a day of school rather than wait another day to get home, and I like to spend as much time as possible away from Indiana before going back). I also consider route and aircraft, though which I care about more varies from trip to trip.

If I am flying revenue, I choose based on price, though I would consider paying slightly more for an airline that I'd prefer.

If I fly non-rev on an airline other than American, I choose based on availability of flights to my destination, as ID-90s cost about the same on any airline.