Poll of the Day > You have a choice of two airlines

(+) Yeah! (+)

Amazing Airline is thr best airline in the world. Best seats, best inflight entertainment and free wifi
But, hubs in a city far away, so to get to your destination you have to stop at this hub, that is 9 hour flight away already, and then your next destination is another 9 hours. Your layover is about 22 hours
Cost: 1500

Shitty airline
Has a direct flight that would be about 13ish hours but seats are crap, expensive wifi, and no inflight entertainment
Cost 1000

Who would you fly with?

I would take Amazing Airlines, sure its more money and longer, but you will be more comfortable during the flight
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Most psychological studies done on the subject suggest humans will almost ALWAYS choose the cheaper yet inferior option if the difference in price is significant enough to be noticeable. Whether as a biological imperative of some kind or just a deeply-ingrained cultural bias, we apparently value frugality far more than quality, durability, or convenience.


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Is the shitty one actually called "Shitty Airlines"? I'd fly with them on that alone.
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ParanoidObsessive posted...

Most psychological studies done on the subject suggest humans will almost ALWAYS choose the cheaper yet inferior option if the difference in price is significant enough to be noticeable. Whether as a biological imperative of some kind or just a deeply-ingrained cultural bias, we apparently value frugality far more than quality, durability, or convenience.

Then how do the more expensive airlines stay in business?
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Ogurisama posted...

Your layover is about 22 hours

what the shit
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You're never comfortable on a plane, exhaust yourself prior and sleep the 13 hours.
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Mead posted...

ParanoidObsessive posted...

Most psychological studies done on the subject suggest humans will almost ALWAYS choose the cheaper yet inferior option if the difference in price is significant enough to be noticeable. Whether as a biological imperative of some kind or just a deeply-ingrained cultural bias, we apparently value frugality far more than quality, durability, or convenience.

Then how do the more expensive airlines stay in business?

Catering to people who don't think the difference in prices is that significant. I also go cathay pacific even though the price is usually higher.
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Ogurisama posted...

Amazing Airline is thr best airline in the world. Best seats, best inflight entertainment and free wifi
But, hubs in a city far away, so to get to your destination you have to stop at this hub, that is 9 hour flight away already, and then your next destination is another 9 hours. Your layover is about 22 hours
Cost: 1500

Shitty airline
Has a direct flight that would be about 13ish hours but seats are crap, expensive wifi, and no inflight entertainment
Cost 1000

Who would you fly with?

I would take Amazing Airlines, sure its more money and longer, but you will be more comfortable during the flight

I'd take the shitty airline, not because it is cheaper but because I won't be wasting an extra day there and back just on travel.

So 500$ cheaper and like half the amount of travel time?

I dont think youre doing this right

Amazing.
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Amazing. I don't mind the stopovers.
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fuck comfort, whatever is cheaper.

the only caveat is I will pay a bit more for no layover if its an option. but as far as being in flight i dont care. longest flight ive ever had was 4.5 hours, so i dont know about 10+ hours of flying, but 4.5 hours isnt that long so i dont really feel the need for luxury shit. id fly in a cardboard box for 4 hours if it was cheap

So I can take a more expensive, double flight using Shitty Airlines just to get to Amazing AIrlines, or I can just take a shorter, easier flight using Shitty Airlines in the first place. There doesn't seem to be any downside to just using Shitty Airlines.

ParanoidObsessive posted...

Most psychological studies done on the subject suggest humans will almost ALWAYS choose the cheaper yet inferior option if the difference in price is significant enough to be noticeable. Whether as a biological imperative of some kind or just a deeply-ingrained cultural bias, we apparently value frugality far more than quality, durability, or convenience.

This scenario is a bad example for that, since Shitty Airlines is also the more convenient flight here.
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If that shitty airline is Spirit, I'll go with the more expensive flight.
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rjsilverthorn posted...

I'd take the shitty airline, not because it is cheaper but because I won't be wasting an extra day there and back just on travel.

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Considering I have only ever flown on Southwest, I think you can guess my answer.

Arguro posted...

Considering I have only ever flown on Southwest, I think you can guess my answer.

Well considering this is more for international, saying you fly southwest doesnt change much
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The layover kills it. Time is more precious than the money (so had you flipped the two where the Amazing airline got there 27 hours sooner, that's the flight I'd be on). I can provide my own entertainment on the flight. Taking the shitty airline for sure.

Seriously, to me this boils down to:

"Do you want to pay $1500 to get there in 40 hours or $1000 to get there in 13 hours?"
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argonautweakend posted...

the only caveat is I will pay a bit more for no layover if its an option. but as far as being in flight i dont care.

This. Layovers fucking suck. I will literally pay like 20% more to not have to deal with layovers. Especially if the layover is in a different country and you need to clear customs for it.

argonautweakend posted...

i dont know about 10+ hours of flying, but 4.5 hours isnt that long so i dont really feel the need for luxury shit

Long flights are substantially worse, and amenities start becoming worth it. But for the most part I agree, they're mostly unneeded.
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The bad seats are the ONLY bad thing about Shitty Airlines you listed that would bother me.
The extra nine freaking hours of travel time, much of it driving, negates any benefit Amazing Airlines had to offer.

I'll pay more for legroom and seat width and being treated like a human being rather than...whatever the fuck you call how Spirit and RyanAir treat their suckers. But such a massive increase in travel time makes the choice a no-brainer here.

Let's see, once I was stuck in a roller coaster in uncomfortable seating for 8 hours so I'm sure the extra 5 isn't too bad.

I'll take one shitty, please

Should say something actually crazy like Rap music would be blasting throughout the shitty airline flight.
But though you say kinky seats.... I see myself saving 500 dollars. I can grab my kindle paperwhite.

As I rarely fly (the last time was in 1997), flying is an experience in itself, and not a bad one. Option B is the clear winner for me.
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wheres the one that beats you and drags you off the plane

B. I'll get home faster. Less time on the plane, anyway. And cheaper. I could sleep the whole flight, if I wanted. Or play switch, or read a book. Or do whatever until I got wherever...
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I fly 1st class, ok?
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"Shitty airline" describes every flight I've ever taken. Amazing airline would have to be a fucking personalized party on a plane for me to vote for that.
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