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It gets worse. My parents just flew to Hawaii this weekend. Not sure what airline they flew but they were charged for a pillow and a blanket. I mean come on, they don't feed you anymore, now on a 10 hour flight you don't even get a blanket and a pillow. Are you supposed to carry it on now too? Ridiculus.
They most likely make up for it in their lower ticket prices. Yesterday, you got that pillow and paid a much higher fare for it.
-Interesting that you brought up Hawaii as well. Airline revenue is a complicated process, but in the end it comes down to yield, and Hawaii just so happens to a vacation market - not that great for yield. This goes back to the OP as well. The customers that this baggage rule effects (mentioned were the non-Frequent Flyers mostly) are the ones that don't make the airlines much money anyway - the "fly once a year" folk book as cheap as possible (fares are cheap these days) and often on vacation routes to boot - notorious for low yields because half the people are going on the 49 dollar special, and the other half is going on miles.
I love customer service and long for the golden age of air travel, but come on, it's not going to realistically happen when oil is what it is, and people still demand 49 dollar fares to Fort Meyers. Flying is simply too cheap.
They most likely make up for it in their lower ticket prices. Yesterday, you got that pillow and paid a much higher fare for it.
Yes--that's how it is.
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I love customer service and long for the golden age of air travel, but come on, it's not going to realistically happen when oil is what it is, and people still demand 49 dollar fares to Fort Meyers. Flying is simply too cheap.
Yup.
Flying with a purse and a carryon is the way to go.
The Luxury Age of travel is over, and requires a different mindset.
A traveler must be prepared and self-reliant rather than coddled and relaxed.
Well, I think it's good they charge for pillows and stuff. I mean, I'm not going to use a bankie that some other person sneezed all over. Yuk. I carry my own.
But I really think they should charge extra for carrying on luggage. It's ridiculous what people bring on now, and it will get worse if they charge you to check it. It they made everyone check their luggage, we'd get boarded a lot faster.
But this is probably why I'm not an airline executive.
Just so you all know, United did not pioneer this. American Airlines did this first. United was next and US Airways was shortly after. Continental Airlines announced they are going to study if this is successful and then maybe follow suit. By the way, the charge for the FIRST BAG is $15, NOT $25. It is $25 for a second bag.
So, it is $15 to check your first piece of luggage on:
American Airlines
United Airlines
US Airways
Basically, it sucks because three of the largest carriers have already put this into play. Fortunately my husband is an elite with United and American, who are the largest airlines here in Los Angeles, so we are exempt. Virtually everywhere we fly is served by these two airlines out of LA, while most other airlines require connecting. We try to fly Southwest as much as possible, but they don't do trans-cons like LAX-New York or LAX- Honolulu.
The real truth is that the airlines are bleeding money right now to cope with higher fuel prices. I can bet we're going to see more of them filing for bankruptcy; this time, though, some of them may never come out.
I'm not going to complain about baggage fees; I'm just grateful that I'm not an airline employee!
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Originally Posted by macroy
This was a marketing research done on a few Philly papers awhile back (using a fictitious airline)... but I do like their idea... Airfare by weight.
The real truth is that the airlines are bleeding money right now to cope with higher fuel prices. I can bet we're going to see more of them filing for bankruptcy; this time, though, some of them may never come out.
I'm not going to complain about baggage fees; I'm just grateful that I'm not an airline employee!
My fear is that we are going to be left with fewer choices in terms of airlines, thus making it even more expensive to fly. I see a huge merger in the not so distant future.
Interestingly enough, though, Southwest seems to be going through this unscathed while the legacy airlines are hanging on for dear life.
Southwest was smart enough to hedge on fuel prices, which is why it can continue to be so competitive on ticket prices, lack of baggage fees, etc. The percentage of fuel hedged continues to drop each year, though, so it's only a matter of time before Southwest will have to deal with current fuel prices, too.
I agree that we're probably going to end up with fewer choices, and it will be more expensive to fly. We may see a return to the time when only rich people could afford to travel.
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Originally Posted by Gil3
My fear is that we are going to be left with fewer choices in terms of airlines, thus making it even more expensive to fly. I see a huge merger in the not so distant future.
Interestingly enough, though, Southwest seems to be going through this unscathed while the legacy airlines are hanging on for dear life.
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