Comments on: 4 outrageous new airline fees and how to avoid them http://www.elliott.org/the-travel-critic/4-outrageous-airline-fees-and-how-to-avoid-them/ Consumer advocate Christopher Elliott's site. Fri, 10 Feb 2012 05:25:00 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Joe Farrell http://www.elliott.org/the-travel-critic/4-outrageous-airline-fees-and-how-to-avoid-them/comment-page-1/#comment-13717 Joe Farrell Wed, 30 Jul 2008 22:46:01 +0000 http://www.elliott.org/?p=5127#comment-13717 I will say one thing . . . flying myself - 1. Beverages - whatever I can bring on board - a cooler with fruit salad, bread, cheese and drinks. 2. Checked Luggage - 70lbs? 100lbs? I can take up to 175lbs of luggage for the 3 of us. Free. No limit on numbers of bags or whats in them. Guns, chain saws. Anything that fits - goes. The cat in a carrier - anything. No charge. It costs me what it costs to fly. 200lbs in bags adds maybe 2 minutes to a 4 hour flight. 3. Free Tickets - nope. Every time I fly - I pay. But I never overpay. To get the miles. EVERY seat is first class seat, at least 40" of leg room, a good view too. 4. UM's. Only if they can fly themselves. I want to send my kid someplace they have to fly themselves. Look, the UM fee makes sense these days. The airlines need to pay for the people who shuttle your kids from flight A to flight B. Does it cost $100? Probably not. Is it a profit source. Yes. But they ARE responsible and we know how well that usually turns out. I will say one thing . . . flying myself –

1. Beverages – whatever I can bring on board – a cooler with fruit salad, bread, cheese and drinks.

2. Checked Luggage – 70lbs? 100lbs? I can take up to 175lbs of luggage for the 3 of us. Free. No limit on numbers of bags or whats in them. Guns, chain saws. Anything that fits – goes. The cat in a carrier – anything. No charge. It costs me what it costs to fly. 200lbs in bags adds maybe 2 minutes to a 4 hour flight.

3. Free Tickets – nope. Every time I fly – I pay. But I never overpay. To get the miles. EVERY seat is first class seat, at least 40″ of leg room, a good view too.

4. UM’s. Only if they can fly themselves. I want to send my kid someplace they have to fly themselves.

Look, the UM fee makes sense these days. The airlines need to pay for the people who shuttle your kids from flight A to flight B. Does it cost $100? Probably not. Is it a profit source. Yes. But they ARE responsible and we know how well that usually turns out.

]]> By: Mike In Indy http://www.elliott.org/the-travel-critic/4-outrageous-airline-fees-and-how-to-avoid-them/comment-page-1/#comment-13713 Mike In Indy Wed, 30 Jul 2008 18:33:30 +0000 http://www.elliott.org/?p=5127#comment-13713 The surcharges aren't a way of instituting fairness. They've done nothing to make the cost of flying itself more reasonable. They're just nickel-and-diming every last possible decision someone could make that would enable being shoe-horned into a tin can for thousands of miles more palatable. Want something besides a center seat? Costs more. Want a bottle of water? Pay up. Want to reserve a ticket in advance? How much is it worth to you? Virtually every business I deal with now has fuel surcharges of some sort; however, the prices never, ever go down when fuel does. They just go up some more when fuel goes up some more. Airlines are doing the same thing. Pretty soon, I expect to have to pay extra if I actually want to sit down for the flight. The surcharges aren’t a way of instituting fairness. They’ve done nothing to make the cost of flying itself more reasonable. They’re just nickel-and-diming every last possible decision someone could make that would enable being shoe-horned into a tin can for thousands of miles more palatable.

Want something besides a center seat? Costs more. Want a bottle of water? Pay up. Want to reserve a ticket in advance? How much is it worth to you?

Virtually every business I deal with now has fuel surcharges of some sort; however, the prices never, ever go down when fuel does. They just go up some more when fuel goes up some more. Airlines are doing the same thing. Pretty soon, I expect to have to pay extra if I actually want to sit down for the flight.

]]> By: Peter http://www.elliott.org/the-travel-critic/4-outrageous-airline-fees-and-how-to-avoid-them/comment-page-1/#comment-13674 Peter Tue, 29 Jul 2008 01:39:08 +0000 http://www.elliott.org/?p=5127#comment-13674 I think everyone traveling on a flight should take a few minutes to look at your fellow traveling public. Stand in front of the airline ticket counter of your choice and just watch. I want you to notice what they try to take on their trip. I did this and was amazed. I actually witnessed a guy try to convince the ticket agent that the car bumper he was trying to check was his luggage. I saw another guy with two car tires taped together to avoid it being two pieces. I also watched a family of four traveling to Brazil (which is allowed a 70 LB bag limit per bag) most destinations 50 LBS is the limit per bag, but back to this family of four. They each had two bags to check, each bag was slightly over 70 LBS. I ask you, Who goes on vacation and with 560 LBS of luggage. That is over a quarter of a ton !!! Why would you go on vacation with that much stuff? Oh, I forgot to tell you they also had more than the FAA allowable carryon bags. When it was my turn to check in with the agent I asked him was this normal, He said yes if today is Tuesday? I thought at least he has a sense of humor. He also explained the major problem with the airlines is the bankruptcy courts. The courts have allowed airlines to continue to fly when they should not have been allowed to continue to flying. United was allowed to continue to fly in bankruptcy. The Judge would not allow the airplane leasing company to recover thier aircraft, but allowed United to continue to fly the aircraft and not pay thier the leasing company. Payments were suspended causing the leasing company to go bankruptcy and cease operations. This caused good airlines to become weak having to compete in uneven playing field. I know if I owed money on my auto loan the finance company would repo the car in a second. The bankruptcy laws are obscured !!! It looks Chirs it the airline pricing on the mark. Fuel speculators are hurting everyone not just the airlines but truckers and anyone that depend on transportaion for their goods or services... I think everyone traveling on a flight should take a few minutes to look at your fellow traveling public. Stand in front of the airline ticket counter of your choice and just watch. I want you to notice what they try to take on their trip. I did this and was amazed. I actually witnessed a guy try to convince the ticket agent that the car bumper he was trying to check was his luggage. I saw another guy with two car tires taped together to avoid it being two pieces. I also watched a family of four traveling to Brazil (which is allowed a 70 LB bag limit per bag) most destinations 50 LBS is the limit per bag, but back to this family of four. They each had two bags to check, each bag was slightly over 70 LBS. I ask you, Who goes on vacation and with 560 LBS of luggage. That is over a quarter of a ton !!! Why would you go on vacation with that much stuff? Oh, I forgot to tell you they also had more than the FAA allowable carryon bags.
When it was my turn to check in with the agent I asked him was this normal, He said yes if today is Tuesday? I thought at least he has a sense of humor.
He also explained the major problem with the airlines is the bankruptcy courts. The courts have allowed airlines to continue to fly when they should not have been allowed to continue to flying. United was allowed to continue to fly in bankruptcy. The Judge would not allow the airplane leasing company to recover thier aircraft, but allowed United to continue to fly the aircraft and not pay thier the leasing company. Payments were suspended causing the leasing company to go bankruptcy and cease operations. This caused good airlines to become weak having to compete in uneven playing field. I know if I owed money on my auto loan the finance company would repo the car in a second. The bankruptcy laws are obscured !!!
It looks Chirs it the airline pricing on the mark.
Fuel speculators are hurting everyone not just the airlines but truckers and anyone that depend on transportaion for their goods or services…

]]> By: The Earth-Bound Misfit http://www.elliott.org/the-travel-critic/4-outrageous-airline-fees-and-how-to-avoid-them/comment-page-1/#comment-13662 The Earth-Bound Misfit Mon, 28 Jul 2008 19:14:09 +0000 http://www.elliott.org/?p=5127#comment-13662 I suggest that everyone on the flight, all 200+, ask for a bottle of water and offer to pay with a $20 or a $50. There is no way that the airplane is going to have $3,800 in change for every leg of the flight. I suggest that everyone on the flight, all 200+, ask for a bottle of water and offer to pay with a $20 or a $50. There is no way that the airplane is going to have $3,800 in change for every leg of the flight.

]]> By: lsanders http://www.elliott.org/the-travel-critic/4-outrageous-airline-fees-and-how-to-avoid-them/comment-page-1/#comment-13657 lsanders Mon, 28 Jul 2008 18:09:27 +0000 http://www.elliott.org/?p=5127#comment-13657 As a sage action figure-based television show once put it, "knowing is half the battle." Sure, all fees are irritating, but it's the ones you're not expecting that end up being the most annoying. In that spirit, I'm recommending the <a href="http://www.kayak.com/airline-fees" rel="nofollow">Kayak Airline Fees</a> page, which keeps an up-to-date list of domestic and international carriers' basic airline fees. As a sage action figure-based television show once put it, “knowing is half the battle.” Sure, all fees are irritating, but it’s the ones you’re not expecting that end up being the most annoying. In that spirit, I’m recommending the Kayak Airline Fees page, which keeps an up-to-date list of domestic and international carriers’ basic airline fees.

]]> By: Bob http://www.elliott.org/the-travel-critic/4-outrageous-airline-fees-and-how-to-avoid-them/comment-page-1/#comment-13651 Bob Mon, 28 Jul 2008 14:24:08 +0000 http://www.elliott.org/?p=5127#comment-13651 @Chris Because these fees make it much more difficult to comparison-shop between airlines. They are not always forthcoming with the fees, and even if you do manage to factor them in, you won't always know ahead of time how many bags you want to check vs. carry on. Also, with all of these fees for "extras", it makes every single action you take on the journey a monetary decision. There's a huge difference between "Would you like something to drink?" and "Would you like something to drink for $5?" It just makes air travel that much more unpleasant. Don't you think it's gotten unpleasant enough, Chris? @Chris

Because these fees make it much more difficult to comparison-shop between airlines. They are not always forthcoming with the fees, and even if you do manage to factor them in, you won’t always know ahead of time how many bags you want to check vs. carry on.

Also, with all of these fees for “extras”, it makes every single action you take on the journey a monetary decision. There’s a huge difference between “Would you like something to drink?” and “Would you like something to drink for $5?”

It just makes air travel that much more unpleasant. Don’t you think it’s gotten unpleasant enough, Chris?

]]> By: Chris http://www.elliott.org/the-travel-critic/4-outrageous-airline-fees-and-how-to-avoid-them/comment-page-1/#comment-13643 Chris Sun, 27 Jul 2008 19:28:35 +0000 http://www.elliott.org/?p=5127#comment-13643 The basic problem comes down to how airlines have to price their tickets. Nearly everyone I've heard complain about bag fees (and ticket change fees)has said in so many words, "It's so simple. Just charge me a little more for my fare. Don't "nickle-and-dime me."" First, it seems to point to some kind of problem of pride. If you're going to be charged the same thing, who cares if it's a fee or part of the ticket price? Second, many people have never made it a practice to check bags, they travel efficiently. Each bag adds weight to the plane and therefore costs more to transport. Why should the guy in 12B pay for the cost of carrying everyone elses luggage when he only brought a carry on? Why should everyone on the plane pay for everyone else to eat airplane food. Isn't it better to only charge those who wish to eat? Point being, ala carte pricing has great advantages and provide choice and fairness. Finally, to the initial question of ticket pricing. Airlines have almost no "pricing traction". That is, if another airline is charging less, even only a couple dollars less, most consumers will buy the cheaper ticket. Ticket prices are pulled down by the airline charging the least giving the others no choice what to charge, even if it means charging less than what it costs to operate (American airlines alone is losing about 3 million dollars a day right now due to high fuel costs and the fare problem), because the public has shown it will pick the lowest fare no matter what. There are a few out there who say, "I'll pay the extra $10 dollars for a ticket in order to get this or that amenity." But by and large the traveling public looks for the lowest fare and that has created this untenable situation. Chris The basic problem comes down to how airlines have to price their tickets. Nearly everyone I’ve heard complain about bag fees (and ticket change fees)has said in so many words, “It’s so simple. Just charge me a little more for my fare. Don’t “nickle-and-dime me.”" First, it seems to point to some kind of problem of pride. If you’re going to be charged the same thing, who cares if it’s a fee or part of the ticket price? Second, many people have never made it a practice to check bags, they travel efficiently. Each bag adds weight to the plane and therefore costs more to transport. Why should the guy in 12B pay for the cost of carrying everyone elses luggage when he only brought a carry on? Why should everyone on the plane pay for everyone else to eat airplane food. Isn’t it better to only charge those who wish to eat? Point being, ala carte pricing has great advantages and provide choice and fairness. Finally, to the initial question of ticket pricing. Airlines have almost no “pricing traction”. That is, if another airline is charging less, even only a couple dollars less, most consumers will buy the cheaper ticket. Ticket prices are pulled down by the airline charging the least giving the others no choice what to charge, even if it means charging less than what it costs to operate (American airlines alone is losing about 3 million dollars a day right now due to high fuel costs and the fare problem), because the public has shown it will pick the lowest fare no matter what. There are a few out there who say, “I’ll pay the extra $10 dollars for a ticket in order to get this or that amenity.” But by and large the traveling public looks for the lowest fare and that has created this untenable situation.
Chris

]]>