What do you all shoot for with your load factors? I'm trying to figure out why I'm having such a hard time making decent money and I want to know about which point ya'll recommend increasing/decreasing fares to adjust your load factor.
Depending on the age of your airline and how long the flight has been flown for.
Company Marketing
Route Specific Marketing
these 2 are very effective but can burn money
If the route is less than 6 months old . Keep pricing at least -10% of the normal price
Route image has the biggest factor on LF. Even a route with no competition will have a low LF until RI is built. If the route has competition, you may never be able to get over 40-50% LF depending on who else is serving it, and with what. Depending on the A/C and fuel you should still be able to make money, especially in the BWs. If you are still flying a 727 or 737-100/200 in 2010 on a long route at 50%LF, you wont make money, but if its a newer 737, or say A320 you should.