In an episode of the highly acclaimed series 'The Sopranos,' restaurant owner Artie Bucco is facing financial difficulties when titular character Tony Soprano suggests using a coupon, perhaps even an early-bird special.
Artie is aghast.
Using a gimmick would be a tacit admission that his business was failing.
Now airlines, backed against a financial wall due to the coronavirus pandemic, will try the same thing.
Carriers are resorting to a new strategy to help offset losses, part of which includes giving seats away in sales and in buy one-get one specials, according to Fox News.
For instance, Alaska Airlines ran 48-hour sales in August and September, offering an entire three-seat row for the price of a single ticket. Europe's biggest airline, budget carrier Ryanair, offered 2-for-1 specials for flights through mid-December. Southeast Asia's brand earlier this year sold "unlimited passes," allowing customers in some markets to travel as much as they wanted for a few months.
In the short term, that's not exactly raking in the dollars. But in the long term, the deals can drum up demand and get travelers comfortable enough with flying again so that they would purchase full-price tickets going forward.
"We're seeing we're able to stimulate demand in a way we weren't sure we'd be able to," said Natalie Bowman, managing director of marketing and advertising for Alaska Airlines said.
Return trips on full-service airlines over Christmas from New York City to Nashville are going for as little as $71, instead of the usual $300 or so, according to Scott Keyes, founder of the price-tracking website Scott's Cheap Flights. Round trips from Chicago to Las Vegas, which usually sell for $350, are selling for $81, he said.
"Airlines are having to do the unthinkable and slash fares on the peak travel dates," Keyes said.
Plus, it's not all free.
"It's likely that the person who comes for free will drop some money on the flight," said Geoffrey Weston, head of Bain & Co.'s EMEA aviation consultancy business.
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