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Thread: 02/2015 - Absolute. Fucking. Insanity.

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    Re: Absolute. Fucking. Insanity.

    Quote Originally Posted by Hunter View Post
    What is the reason? It couldn't be monger demand.

    Are the AIs on the northcoast now hopping and all full? El Dorado is at capacity? Ohmmm full?

    That's the only thing I can think of.

    Or its not POP that is the issue its the connecting flight threw Miami that you are fighting for so that's the reason they are high. But direct flights that reason goes out the window.
    when there's more people traveling a route there are usually more flights and more airlines in the mix = cheaper fares.

    this situation almost seems like the airlines all got together and decided specifically to fuck Puerto Plata.

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    Re: Absolute. Fucking. Insanity.

    Quote Originally Posted by BrooklynBeas View Post
    Let's take this to some next level type shit... I started going to DR, Dec. 2002... First trip was to SDQ cause the little I and a friend knew about DR were revolving around the capital... Next trip, did research, found POP... JFK-POP via AA at the time was great! Weekend specials all the time, $299.99 round trip, almost 1 or 2 times a month... Back then we were able to get a room at the Sosua Palace for 3 nights, 99 dollars. So yeah, for $400 bucks I would have the round trip flight from JFK to POP and back to JFK, with a room for 3 nights for a cheap price of about $400 bucks... This was of course before all the extra taxes and other bullshit they have since added on... That of course came and gone before most of the members were even thinking about going to DR to vacation or monger or combo of the two... Nowadays, there is no change I get a flight for anywhere near that price... If I can find a direct JFK-POP POP-JFK flight around $500 or $550 that's just about the best I can do...

    For those that don't know, February is Carnival month for DR... If you get anywhere close to the normal flight prices, you got lucky... When I originally started looking for tix for this month, they actually started around high 400's low 500's flying into STI or SDQ, daily these prices went up about 20-40 bucks a day... I waited at first and then saw every airport every carrier I looked for, etc... going up up and up... When I booked my round trip ticket from JFK-STI, STI-JFK a few weeks ago, I got a price of around $600 bucks. That was the cheapest I could find direct from JFK to any airport... For the fuck of it, I decided to check on the price to POP and back, yes, as I thought it was in the very high 900 range and basically close to $1000!!!! Not only that, but the tickets were selling like hot cakes! I bit the bullet and booked my $600 trip to STI. Being that most of my trip would be in and around Santiago, La Vega (for Carnival), Mao, Bonao, etc... it was the best airport for my plans... Now that I see how much tickets are going for this month (for those not sold out), I didn't get such a bad price at all...

    Want to travel to DR for Carnival, you have to pay the money, cause someone else will buy up that seat as soon as you close the webpage and change your mind... Anyway, Friday the 13th, a few days from now, start trip #21 to DR... I need this trip in the worst way, I have a great team of guys going to hang with, Tgunz, XXX, Camaro, and a few others... We have a few plans already, but plans are always changed in DR so no need to mention any now... Guess you guys will have to wait and see the reports... Either way, i'm gonna have a blast just because I know I will be hanging with some of my favorite wings... Did I mention we are expecting temperatures in the teens the weekend after I leave NY for DR? That alone makes it a great time to get lost...

    I guess the final reason for the higher prices are supply and demand... Yes, there may be more flights on more airlines then there used to be, but shit, if they are selling out or coming damn sure close to selling out, someone is buying those flights...

    Seems like the good ol days of cheap airfare to DR are long gone, but it's something you have to deal with, or change the location of your travel...

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    Re: Absolute. Fucking. Insanity.

    POP is a captive market for the airlines from the NYC area. Most airlines have some serious big data crunching going to see how they can steadily change fares, change cabin class mix, change different fare codes to optimize their returns. POP is an easy case, steady demand not varying too much by holiday or season. Also, not much revenue in the POP route from the last minute business travel types. So until the demand decreases and makes it uneconomical for them, they will keep squeezing..
    Would be interesting to see how the fares to Punta Cana compare to POP or STI.

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    Re: Absolute. Fucking. Insanity.

    Quote Originally Posted by Irie View Post
    Nail meet head.
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    Re: Absolute. Fucking. Insanity.

    Quote Originally Posted by CentralNJDude View Post
    POP is a captive market for the airlines from the NYC area. Most airlines have some serious big data crunching going to see how they can steadily change fares, change cabin class mix, change different fare codes to optimize their returns. POP is an easy case, steady demand not varying too much by holiday or season. Also, not much revenue in the POP route from the last minute business travel types. So until the demand decreases and makes it uneconomical for them, they will keep squeezing..
    Would be interesting to see how the fares to Punta Cana compare to POP or STI.
    the same could be said of every other airport on every other island in the caribbean, yet those prices haven't changed much in years.

    punta cana fares have been in the $450-500 neighborhood for (at least) 3-4 years.

    what's going on with pop fares seems very specific to pop.

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    Re: Absolute. Fucking. Insanity.

    Quote Originally Posted by deezl View Post
    the same could be said of every other airport on every other island in the caribbean, yet those prices haven't changed much in years.

    punta cana fares have been in the $450-500 neighborhood for (at least) 3-4 years.

    what's going on with pop fares seems very specific to pop.


    Those other places visitors are more of the couple/family tourists. Those markets have been hit pretty hard the past few years. Not a lot of expendable income to travel. The route to POP is a mix of the couple/family tourists hitting the cheapo AI deals, and the monger crowd that keeps the flights filled up. Price won't drop until their is either more competition (highly doubtful since some airlines have completely dropped POP), or there are empty seats in the current flights. As long as the flights filled, the prices will keep going up.

    As much as I bitch about the prices, I'd do the same thing if I were in the airlines position!

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    Re: Absolute. Fucking. Insanity.

    Quote Originally Posted by TNT72 View Post
    Those other places visitors are more of the couple/family tourists. Those markets have been hit pretty hard the past few years. Not a lot of expendable income to travel. The route to POP is a mix of the couple/family tourists hitting the cheapo AI deals, and the monger crowd that keeps the flights filled up. Price won't drop until their is either more competition (highly doubtful since some airlines have completely dropped POP), or there are empty seats in the current flights. As long as the flights filled, the prices will keep going up.

    As much as I bitch about the prices, I'd do the same thing if I were in the airlines position!
    I'd say the vast majority of passengers are budget AI travelers - (people who can't afford to go to punta cana) and families.

    maybe 1 out of every 30-40 people on any given flight to pop is a monger. If that. We are an insignificant speck of the tourism into POP.

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    Re: Absolute. Fucking. Insanity.

    I'm a rookie compared to everyone in this thread, but I am a people watcher. Deezl has got it exactly right from all my travels. Majority couples/families with only the odd singe male or two male travellers.
    Still, flights have been virtually full all the time, hence the pay what we figure we can squeeze out of you pricing (then add the taxes).

    Quote Originally Posted by deezl View Post
    I'd say the vast majority of passengers are budget AI travelers - (people who can't afford to go to punta cana) and families.

    maybe 1 out of every 30-40 people on any given flight to pop is a monger. If that. We are an insignificant speck of the tourism into POP.

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    Re: 02/2015 - Absolute. Fucking. Insanity.

    Most of the visitors to the Cabarete area this year have been from Europe... I estimate 65% from Europe, 30% north american and 5% usuckistan ( i don't know)... direct flights from Europe via Air Berlin has been huge...

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    Re: Absolute. Fucking. Insanity.

    Quote Originally Posted by distantvoyeur View Post
    I'm a rookie compared to everyone in this thread, but I am a people watcher. Deezl has got it exactly right from all my travels. Majority couples/families with only the odd singe male or two male travellers.
    Still, flights have been virtually full all the time, hence the pay what we figure we can squeeze out of you pricing (then add the taxes).
    Those same flights were full 4 years ago and the fares were $200-300 lower.

    I get the 'high demand - raise prices!' theory, but fares into PUJ haven't gone up at all and 65% of the visitors to the DR fly into that airport. Those flights are all full - and they're full of people who have more disposable income (judging from some of those $500+/nt AI's).

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    Re: 02/2015 - Absolute. Fucking. Insanity.

    Quote Originally Posted by jose1234 View Post
    Most of the visitors to the Cabarete area this year have been from Europe... I estimate 65% from Europe, 30% north american and 5% usuckistan ( i don't know)... direct flights from Europe via Air Berlin has been huge...
    usuckistan.


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    Re: 02/2015 - Absolute. Fucking. Insanity.

    Quote Originally Posted by deezl View Post

    So what the fuck is going on with prices into the DR?
    Most of what's been said in this thread is correct. But to simplify matters, the reason why the airfare is so high going into POP is because the people that fly into POP will pay it. Dominicans and mongers such as myself and others pay about $350 flying into Santiago. The fares into POP keep going up and the airlines haven't lost any business.

    Gone are the days when the wingman and I would meet after work on a Friday, and take the evening AA flight into POP for $260. There were times we'd see Jimmy at JFK as well. Those were the days!

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    Re: Absolute. Fucking. Insanity.

    Quote Originally Posted by NiteStallion876 View Post
    I am brand new to the game so I cannot relate...N I can understand your frustration with seeing the consistent increases over the years..

    Now I am planning my first trip to DR towards late much, which is tentative...and I live in S. FLA...can you explain this?

    This is from FLL:
    Attachment 115834

    This is from Miami:
    Attachment 115835


    Why am seeing prices as high as $900 from FLL...den they get cut in half to about $450 from Miami....logically fly from Miami. I have no problem with that...and I'm prepared to spend $300-450...put I just want to drive home a point...There should be no reason prices from South Florida be anything close to being comparable from flying from the north east coast. Period.

    I am sure most people do not like spirit....but I saw prices from spirit:

    this is flying into SDQ
    Attachment 115836

    this is for flying to STI
    Attachment 115837

    I would just bite the bullet and fly into STI or SDQ and take the caribe tour bus to Sousa.....Just saying....

    And the prices are higher on the airlines main sites...the flights on "cheapoair" are one of the third party sites who fares are actually reasonable...when i fly to NY on business, etc...
    Quote Originally Posted by deezl View Post
    Maybe I'm missing something, but the fares from FLL look pretty identical to the fares from MIA. $450 vs $460.
    You might be somewhat confused here with what you are trying to show us.

    First off American does not fly from FLL to POP, what that is showing is an American flight for $450 from MIA to STI

    The $460 American flight is exactly the same MIA to STI flight so not sure why there is a $10 difference.

    The American website has that flight for $448 so a better deal than cheap o air.

    That flight from MIA to POP on those days is not a very good deal at over $700.

    What you are showing us with the Spirit flight really isn't reality due to the nickel and diming that they do.

    Yes the base fare from FLL to SDQ is accurate but isn't that if you are already a $9 fare club member?

    So you have to pay for the membership

    Plus unless you are not taking a bag you will have to pay for that as well which add another $40-$70 round trip

    Want to pick your own seat you will pay for that to. Point being is that flight is not $283

    Granted you might find a way to save a few bucks on Spirit over American but I won't fly them because they are way to much of a hassle.
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    Re: 02/2015 - Absolute. Fucking. Insanity.

    http://www.sacandomelao.com/2014/07/...ereos-por.html

    ...sin embargo hay otros quienes expresan que la culpable de esa situación indignante es la empresa Aeropuertos Dominicanos Siglo XXI (AERODOM), quien ha colocado un alto precio por la terminal aeroportuaria, lo que obliga a las aeronaves a cobrar más caro que en Santiago...

    So, it's the landing fee. Why so high? How about Dom Rep maximizing revenue or kickbacks in all airports combined?
    ‘Forbear to judge, for we are sinners all’

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    Re: 02/2015 - Absolute. Fucking. Insanity.

    The fares for flights flights from Mia-POP are absurd. I have checked all the way out to week of July 4th and the prices are in the $650-$700 range. This is the main reason I have been hitting Boca Chica for 3-4 day trips. Airfare in the $300-$350 range. Rooms $50 per night. Including cabfare I can go to Boca and pay my room , plus get a couple of sessions for the same price I can fly into POP. POP not worth it to me for a short trip.

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    Re: 02/2015 - Absolute. Fucking. Insanity.

    Quote Originally Posted by psriches View Post
    Most of what's been said in this thread is correct. But to simplify matters, the reason why the airfare is so high going into POP is because the people that fly into POP will pay it. Dominicans and mongers such as myself and others pay about $350 flying into Santiago. The fares into POP keep going up and the airlines haven't lost any business.

    Gone are the days when the wingman and I would meet after work on a Friday, and take the evening AA flight into POP for $260. There were times we'd see Jimmy at JFK as well. Those were the days!

    Sometime in October 2004, a RT Continental ticket from EWP to POP for the 1st week of November was offered for.... $232 !! This was a week after I paid $325 for the same time frame.
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    Re: Absolute. Fucking. Insanity.

    Quote Originally Posted by j_d66 View Post
    You might be somewhat confused here with what you are trying to show us.

    First off American does not fly from FLL to POP, what that is showing is an American flight for $450 from MIA to STI

    The $460 American flight is exactly the same MIA to STI flight so not sure why there is a $10 difference.

    The American website has that flight for $448 so a better deal than cheap o air.

    That flight from MIA to POP on those days is not a very good deal at over $700.

    What you are showing us with the Spirit flight really isn't reality due to the nickel and diming that they do.

    Yes the base fare from FLL to SDQ is accurate but isn't that if you are already a $9 fare club member?

    So you have to pay for the membership

    Plus unless you are not taking a bag you will have to pay for that as well which add another $40-$70 round trip

    Want to pick your own seat you will pay for that to. Point being is that flight is not $283

    Granted you might find a way to save a few bucks on Spirit over American but I won't fly them because they are way to much of a hassle.
    Ahhh...ok I see where I could have caused confusion....I initially put both pics up showing flights from both FLL n MIA because both airports are literally 25-30 minutes from me. So I have the luxury to pick and choose depending on which airport is giving the better deal (why I posted both pics).....and I have noticed that more often or not FLL will be cheaper than MIA....which I assume is because depending where you are coming from FLL would be closer than MIA so logically less distance may/would encourage a cheaper rate...but I always check...in this instance $10 is not a huge deal breaker for either airport...but in some cases...it's been $100s

    Yes the initial prices of $450-460 for non-stop flights aren't bad...I didn't expect $200 but anywhere from $300-450 was what I anticipated....but when I saw the $900 quote from copa airlines (non-stop in the FLL pic) that encouraged me to post with my follow up comment "no way should prices from the south be anything comparable from flights coming from the north east......" = supply and demand I guess or plain idiotracy....

    Your right about AA not flying from FLL to POP...because United in essence is AA (because of the recent merger) and they fly the same routes....sometimes cheap-o air will put AA or UNITED but in actuality it's the other airline....happen to me 3 times over the past few months and I realized once I looked on my boarding pass (I travel to NY a lot for business)......and I jus noticed that the connecting flights listed for AA in the FLL pic actually go to other northern cities FIRST (like DCA or Washington) then back down to MIA then to POP or some dysfunctional version of that. WTF?

    And then for spirit, I have used them from time to time so I was careful to make sure I picked the correct flight because typically the $9 fare flight is normally auto-selected for you...so the prices reflected in the pics are NOT the $9 fare club prices....the $9 fare prices were I think around $30 cheaper...

    I feel you on the nickel and diming spirit does which is why I barely use them unless I need a last minute flight and I only have a carry-on....and I typically don't pick my own seats so that doesn't really bother me, I only care that I get on the plane...I'm not hugely small, but I'm not 6'6 and 300lbs...but sometimes it sucks cuz I do get uncomfortable seats....risks I take, with more important concerns on my mind....

    I hope that clears up most/all confusion I may have caused....

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    Re: 02/2015 - Absolute. Fucking. Insanity.

    I thought at some point I'd be driving down to MIA to fly to POP, but seems like the fares are about the same as from MCO. Just did a search for the flight I booked last week.

    MCO - POP - $690
    MIA - POP - $728

    WTF is that all about.
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    Re: Absolute. Fucking. Insanity.

    Quote Originally Posted by NiteStallion876 View Post
    Ahhh...ok I see where I could have caused confusion....I initially put both pics up showing flights from both FLL n MIA because both airports are literally 25-30 minutes from me. So I have the luxury to pick and choose depending on which airport is giving the better deal (why I posted both pics).....and I have noticed that more often or not FLL will be cheaper than MIA....which I assume is because depending where you are coming from FLL would be closer than MIA so logically less distance may/would encourage a cheaper rate...but I always check...in this instance $10 is not a huge deal breaker for either airport...but in some cases...it's been $100s

    Yes the initial prices of $450-460 for non-stop flights aren't bad...I didn't expect $200 but anywhere from $300-450 was what I anticipated....but when I saw the $900 quote from copa airlines (non-stop in the FLL pic) that encouraged me to post with my follow up comment "no way should prices from the south be anything comparable from flights coming from the north east......" = supply and demand I guess or plain idiotracy....

    Your right about AA not flying from FLL to POP...because United in essence is AA (because of the recent merger) and they fly the same routes....sometimes cheap-o air will put AA or UNITED but in actuality it's the other airline....happen to me 3 times over the past few months and I realized once I looked on my boarding pass (I travel to NY a lot for business)......and I jus noticed that the connecting flights listed for AA in the FLL pic actually go to other northern cities FIRST (like DCA or Washington) then back down to MIA then to POP or some dysfunctional version of that. WTF?

    And then for spirit, I have used them from time to time so I was careful to make sure I picked the correct flight because typically the $9 fare flight is normally auto-selected for you...so the prices reflected in the pics are NOT the $9 fare club prices....the $9 fare prices were I think around $30 cheaper...

    I feel you on the nickel and diming spirit does which is why I barely use them unless I need a last minute flight and I only have a carry-on....and I typically don't pick my own seats so that doesn't really bother me, I only care that I get on the plane...I'm not hugely small, but I'm not 6'6 and 300lbs...but sometimes it sucks cuz I do get uncomfortable seats....risks I take, with more important concerns on my mind....

    I hope that clears up most/all confusion I may have caused....

    No big deal but it was actually US Airways and American that merged to become American.
    United is still on it's own after it merged with Continental.

    What I was trying to say was that the flights on American that you thought were going out of FLL were actually flying out of MIA and were really the same flights.

    No big deal as the airlines seem pretty much messed up these days.



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    Re: 02/2015 - Absolute. Fucking. Insanity.

    Since this is a thread ranting about the airlines

    I have been pricing a flight on American from ORD to BKK in April.
    It is listed at 1,279 which is a pretty decent price.

    Anyway every time I try to get anywhere with it on the American site it errors out or says the flight is not available
    This has been going on for almost 24 hours so I figured either the price changed or the American website is not working correctly.

    Not because it is full as the plane is more than half empty right now.
    Normally this error means the price has changed.

    Well not being able to get the correct price I decided to call American and find out what the deal was.

    I found out the price had changed.

    It went from 1,279 to over 2,400

    Now that my friend is absolute insanity.

    Suffice it to say that American will not be getting my business this day.

    Oh I considered Delta but I would now earn around 6,500 miles for a trip that is over 18,000 miles

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