Article: Should Airlines & Hotels Offer Last-Minute Discounts?

[MEL_Traveller]

I do recall a few QantasLink Q300 flights with only one flight attendant, rather than the usual two. Those were all lightly loaded flights with ~20 pax onboard. I’m guessing 2 FAs would have been required if the actual passenger count was above 36?

Cathay also did that for some of their 747 and 777 first class cabins into china. Not because of minimum crew from a safety aspect, but rather not enough crew to service the cabin.

My understanding is that in the event of a sudden and unexpected crew illness before departure (particularly at an outstation?), exemption may be given to operate below minimums. IIRC I read somewhere a whole section of economy was blocked off because there was no crew member available for an exit.

 

[brucemoon]

Isn't that what lastminute.com was originally set up to achieve?

Having a third party offer discounted product makes business sense.

But, with the American corporates now in control, ideas such as yours go nowhere.

 

[jastel]

Had a friend whose sister worked at a donut shop, always something to eat over there after school. They were probably a day or two old from their fridge but a treat for me.

At uni a friend worked at KFC, she would often drop off leftovers at 10pm after work, a treat for a poor student. She also said they would ring the local Police/Ambos/Taxis and put specials like $1 per piece of chicken or something, on at around 9:30 if they had an excess.

 

[bussyboy]

Baffles me there aren't CR seats on sale on qf cbr-syd each weekend given how empty the plane usually are. Spontaneous weekends away to Sydney generally involve a drive instead by me

 

[jb747]

No such thing, minimum staff levels are based on number of seats whether they are occupied or not.

It can certainly happen, but it will result in a section of the aircraft needing to be emptied out. So you could end up with an entire cabin unable to be used.