NO MORE FREE PRETZELS!!!

http://www.cnn.com/2011/TRAVEL/03/04/continental.no.more.pretzels/index.html

Read this short article.

As the years have gone by, being a frequent flyer, less and less is being offered on airlines.  JetBlue my usual flight company has taken a stand and would rather cut the money loss that to eliminate passenger comfort.  When did airliners become less luxury?  Continental Airlines, US airways and American have all down sized and are no longer going to serve free "snacks" or beverages. I can remember when a meal was custom on a plane ride!  This is all a new part of their strategic plan to cut costs.  In a way it is minimal and will save $2.8 million annually. That is a lot of money saved that will allow for employees to stay.

But, for customer satisfaction is this a good plan?! We have Jetblue, that not only services basically every where in the US, they serve snacks, beverages and movies.  Is this really a good move for Continental Airlines to do?  Whose to say people wont switch to Jetblue or Southwest?  Is this marketing plan a detriment to these airways?  Also with the rising price of gas, airline tickets are about to skyrocket, will people really want to pay more and receive less?

What do you think?  Is this a good plan?

Respond to Andrew Mullers post-

How do I feel about sampling, telemarketing and other surveys? Some times it is interesting to be apart of a survey, to know that what you have to say is relevant to someone or some company.  Telemarketing is the worse because they somehow get your number and call repeatedly until you pick up. Recently I had a bank/promotion telemarketer call me.  They called more then ten times before I finally answered.  Upon answering, they explained they were calling on behalf of a promotion for banking, by simply signing up for 5 magazines for ten years (paying nearly $5,000 over the course of 5 years) you will be entered into a world trip, receiving over $200 in gas cards.  The promoting continues. At the end of the telemarketers promotion he explains that I must provide my credit card number and send in my I.D via fax.  I bring up the question if this is ethical?  Should a company that is promoting its self ask a potential consumer for this information on a informal basis?

Another example,  I had applied for a Capital One credit card.  The company called me and offered me a card if I were to fax them my social security card, I.D, and Birth Certificate.  Now, I am not sure if this was a scam (I did not do as they asked) or a way to know their customers?  But I felt like this was invasion to privacy, very unethical and scary even to give a company I am not affiliated with all of my personal information.  The question is, was this a scam?  If not, I will never apply to Capital One again for this reason.  There marketing was unacceptable to me.