The Steross Market and Investing Thread

[steross]

https://www.wsj.com/business/airlines/united-airlines-ceo-scott-kirby-delta-american-11621d97?st=3pqoim&reflink=desktopwebshare_permalink

Didn't really know where to put this.

The article is about the United Airline CEO and the strategy of upscaling and charging higher prices which has apparently done well for them as their stock price had doubled.

There was this line:
Until recently, the industry believed that air travel was a commodity—that customers only cared about price and schedule. But that’s wrong, Kirby says. The experience matters, too, and he’s now convinced that a better one can earn brand loyalty.

Man, I have to say that I mostly still see them as a commodity. I look:
1. Price
2. Schedule
3. Airline

Any of you prefer an airline so much that you would pay more and take a worse flight time to stay on it?

 

[cowboyinexile]

https://www.wsj.com/business/airlines/united-airlines-ceo-scott-kirby-delta-american-11621d97?st=3pqoim&reflink=desktopwebshare_permalink

Didn't really know where to put this.

The article is about the United Airline CEO and the strategy of upscaling and charging higher prices which has apparently done well for them as their stock price had doubled.

There was this line:
Until recently, the industry believed that air travel was a commodity—that customers only cared about price and schedule. But that’s wrong, Kirby says. The experience matters, too, and he’s now convinced that a better one can earn brand loyalty.

Man, I have to say that I mostly still see them as a commodity. I look:
1. Price
2. Schedule
3. Airline

Any of you prefer an airline so much that you would pay more and take a worse flight time to stay on it?

I would go in that order. Maybe switch one and two if the schedule is better (i.e. would pay a little more for a direct flight). The only time airline really comes into play is if one and two aren't an issue at all-if Sun Country and Delta are the same price Im flying Delta but Im not paying an extra couple hundred bucks for the privilege.

 

[Donnyboy]

https://www.wsj.com/business/airlines/united-airlines-ceo-scott-kirby-delta-american-11621d97?st=3pqoim&reflink=desktopwebshare_permalink

Didn't really know where to put this.

The article is about the United Airline CEO and the strategy of upscaling and charging higher prices which has apparently done well for them as their stock price had doubled.

There was this line:
Until recently, the industry believed that air travel was a commodity—that customers only cared about price and schedule. But that’s wrong, Kirby says. The experience matters, too, and he’s now convinced that a better one can earn brand loyalty.

Man, I have to say that I mostly still see them as a commodity. I look:
1. Price
2. Schedule
3. Airline

Any of you prefer an airline so much that you would pay more and take a worse flight time to stay on it?

Tons of regular business travelers pick for perks/miles type stuff it isn’t their money and expense reports don’t flag the difference n 500 and say 750-1009

I find myself doing this more now due to the rise in low class flyers. During the pandemic when me and the boys were traveling non stop I would routinely grab a spirit or frontier type airline flight and put the difference Toward lodging or an extra adventure. Not anymore….as price drops so does humanity. It’s not just annoying it can disrupt schedule when someone throws a massive fit and you have deplane. They can’t all do it United just found its niche….ironically United is still one of my least favorite airlines.

 

[steross]

I retired Friday and this was out in Barron's today. Bad omen?

What Was the Worst Year to Retire? Not 1929.

New calculations from the creator of the 4% rule show that the 1929 market crash wasn’t as bad for retirement portfolios as the high inflation of the 70s and 80s.

www.barrons.com

 

[JTOSU]

I retired Friday and this was out in Barron's today. Bad omen?

What Was the Worst Year to Retire? Not 1929.

New calculations from the creator of the 4% rule show that the 1929 market crash wasn’t as bad for retirement portfolios as the high inflation of the 70s and 80s.

www.barrons.com

I retired end of 2024. Inflation is certainly a very valid concern, but I don’t remotely agree with Bengen’s suggestion at the end of the article to be in only 35% stocks for retirement. That does not make sense to me.

My HOPE…is that the Fed stays very independent. Inflation soared for various reasons in the 70s, but pressure from Nixon definitely increased stagflation. Although lowering interest rates will be good short-term for my retirement accounts, it does the opposite of controlling inflation. I have been a Powell fan and I hate to see him leave (we don’t need Trump successfully pressuring a new Chairman - we need long-term views not short-term).

 

[steross]