17 replies to this topic

[EuropAir]

I've noticed that you can't set your fares on 0 anymore. (GREAT!!!) However maybe deliberate price dumping should be forbidden too , as in real life. In real life airlines (or other companies) can face serious fines when trying to kick a player from a route by dumping their prices. It's illegal.

The same thing we notice in AE: Airlines setting the fares at such a level that other airlines can't make profit anymore while making losses by themselves. I guess the system can easely recognise it when nobody is making profit on a route. It would be cool if AE Airlines have to pay fines and are kicked of the route if this takes too long.

(Or an airline on the route can push a button 'report price dumping', the system checks the profits of each airline on the route and fines the airline with the lowest fares. (this will be less demanding from the database then a continuous check). When an airline gets several warnings, he's banned from flying the route and can only fly again when he pays a serious fine).

however 'cartels' should be avoided too...

[marbergi]

(Or an airline on the route can push a button 'report price dumping', the system checks the profits of each airline on the route and fines the airline with the lowest fares.

This would be better if it read ...and fines ALL airline with a -ve profit margin.

Or simply stop people opening routes with a -ve profit. Much easier to implement. Just a few lines of code to check if the profit is > 0 when saving the route.

Edited for spelling.

[Edited on 24/8/0505 by marbergi]

[duckbilled]

This practice is illegal? I get deals for $39 all the time for many US destinations.

It would be better if airlines that consistantly loose money could fire their CEO's - delete airline, sell aircraft and ban the player.

[styloboy]

and it doesn't work with if it doesn't make profit kick out because if somewhon comes with $1 you are then kicked of the route

[StephenM]

What if you are forced to that level? I had my DUB-MAD route on $50 today due to Australis putting extra aircraft on that route. I still was'nt making a profit.

[piercey]

one word: stagecoach

[EuropAir]

This practice is illegal? I get deals for $39 all the time for many US destinations.

It would be better if airlines that consistantly loose money could fire their CEO's - delete airline, sell aircraft and ban the player.

Deliberately making losses is illegal, these $39 fares are probabely without airport taxes and other taxes. Most of the time only the first passengers get this cheap fare (booked early), passengers who book later pay more as the plane becomes more and more filled. These airlines are not making losses on these routes, and thus it is not illegal to offer bottom fares. (Don't forget: even the 'free tickets' of ryanair are always taxes excluded.) Believe me 'free' does not excist.

So when someone comes on a route: let's say BRU-ZRH and offers fares of $30 -> he won't make any profit. This will bring the number of airlines which can fly on a route to a more reasonable number (more realistic).

Another positive sidenote: Operating BRU-AMS with a 747 won't be possible either as you will make huge losses -> the right plane on the right route. Hopefully this wil boost the used aircraft market and reduce the number of aircraft per airline to a reasonable amount. (Venture has a fleet on 516 aircraft... far from realistic, how many profitable airlines have such a large fleet?)

You might even be forced to downgrade your capacity as competition increases. Right now once a route is created, you will seldom change the equipment used on a certain route. This will increase the fun in the game, however some things needs to be done first:

-Addition of airports
-Differences in quality offered by airlines
-Loadfactor bugfix
-Better route creation and overview system. For example by using flightnumbers which stand for a certain route.

If you are forced to lower your prices then you will have to downgrade your equipment or reduce the frequencies to remain profitable. However once someone doesn't make profit anymore he's faces a fine. And I guess australis isn't making profit either on that route. At some point in the game the route should be served by a number of airlines in a profitable way. Airlines with low fares on all routes won't be able to cope with the high gate rent prices and will be forced to leave the route (in theory).

This might make it easier for new airlines to join the industry as little planes should have little effect on the number of available passangers (= bug right now). The introduction on a 19 seater on a route served by a 737 won't force the 737 airline to reduce fares by +-$80, although it happens in AE right now.

[Edited on 24/8/2005 by EuropAir]

[SparkyF]

I think that banning anyone that does it is a bit severe they should probably get a worning first incase they didn't know.

[EuropAir]

Maybe one should apply for a license for a certain route first, a license you can loose.

[doug_Or]

If you got in trouble for loosing money.... well the US airline industry would be up a creek.

[Maestro69]

Dont blame me for the 4x A321 on the MAD-DUB... all those people with Q400s trying to lower price and make me lose money are the ones to blame... Im sure there are better routes to fly on than just flying crowded routes.....

[doug_Or]

I think at this point they're all crowded.

[jf]

No they're not.

[Pacific]

Originally posted by EuropAir
I've noticed that you can't set your fares on 0 anymore.

Yes you can, just tested it and I love annoying people.

[EuropAir]

I'am sure that'll be fixed soon

[StephenM]

I'm not blaming you Maestro, I am pointing out that some of those prices have to be that low due to competition.

[Maestro69]

Im just hghlighting the fact that price dumping shouldnt be stop.... If i can offer a 5x CRJ-900ER service at $100 and still make around 50-70k, that it should be fine and if i want to offer $1 fares, then its my responsibility becuase at the end of the day, i'll be losing money....

[EuropAir]

We are only talking about operating with losses, if you can offer $40 fares and you have a break even situation $0, then there is no problem.

The current situation is not realistic