Presidential inauguration: Cost of flights to D.C. only climbing

Nov 17, 2008 (The Commercial Appeal - McClatchy-Tribune Information Services via COMTEX) -- NWA | Quote | Chart | News | PowerRating -- Gale Jones Carson breathed easier knowing a flight to Washington for the Obama inauguration could still be had for under $600 this week.

The Democratic National Committee member had seen nonstop fares from Memphis soar more than $1,100 since she first checked Northwest Airlines Web site on election night, and Carson was wondering if D.C.-area hotels weren't the only ones gouging consumers.

But Carson calmed down after a friend told her to check out Cheaptickets.com. Carson found a one-stop Memphis-to-Washington on Delta for $538.

"My heart stopped beating so fast," Carson said before resuming her search for a reasonable hotel room not too far from the Capitol.

She wasn't the only Memphian suffering sticker shock over escalating prices on Northwest's on-line reservation site. But area travel agents were quick to say fares weren't out of line for an event with such unprecedented popular appeal.

Agents said the relatively high price of airfare -- $500, $600 or more -- reflected heavy demand that has gobbled up cheaper seats and moved into a ticket block normally aimed as less cost-conscious business travelers.

President-elect Barack Obama's historic run to the presidency has been a boon for airlines, charter bus operators and others in transportation and tourism businesses.

Flights from Memphis to the D.C. area for the Jan. 20 swearing-in are filling up, and tour bus bookings have been snapped up.

At CrossCountry Tours, which specializes in bus tours, general manager Wayne Hendrix said: "From talking with my counterparts, everything is booked for that period. There are probably between 30 and 40 tour buses leaving out of here. On average they'll carry 50 people each."

Hendrix said bus trips cost $300-$350 and include hotel rooms in the D.C. area.

Travel agents said escalating airfare costs reflect the industry's longstanding practice of selling seats in blocks, starting low and going pricier as each plane fills up.

If Carson had bought on election night at nwa.com, she could have jumped on a nonstop for $424 plus taxes. By Friday that fare had risen to $1,553.

"It's not gouging," said Dallas Minner of Stress Free Travel. "It's the fact those fares have always been there; the lower fares just got sold out. What most people might expect to pay, they're sold out.

"It's no different than trying to go to Cancun at Christmas or going to see the Pope."

Marion McDonald, independent consultant with Brownell Travel, said: "It's something out there called seat yield management that airlines have used for many, many years. It's going to be this way for any large, popular event.

"I'd say if you can find something in the fours and fives ($400-$599 range), you should take it and run," McDonald said.

She said the complexity of airfare pricing helps keep agents in business.

"That's why more and more people are turning to travel agents," she said.

Agents said buying early and being flexible about flight details are keys to getting the best price.

Minner and other agents said they hadn't seen a lot of requests to book airfares for the inauguration.

"I've had a couple phone calls, but the hotel costs have scared them away," Minner said.

He searched 429 hotels within a 26-mile radius of the Capitol and found rooms available only at the Gaylord National Harbor in Maryland at $499 a night.

Agents said airlines struggling to stay aloft have slashed capacity and have fewer seats available overall.

"People think the fares are going to go down the longer they wait," said Heather Strickland of Travelennium. "Maybe that's been true in the past, but that's not happening this year because there are fewer seats than ever before. The airlines are going to charge what they want to charge."

"The planes are looking very full," Minner said, noting that the event is still two months away. "It probably will be the hottest ticket in history."

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