Travel
The Latest Air Travel Outrages
Would you believe pay toilets and "vertical seats"?
By Stacy Rapacon, Channel Editor
From Kiplinger's Personal Finance magazine, September 2010
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The travel industry is nickel-and-diming us to help scratch its way back to profitability. Unlucky travelers paid $769 million in baggage fees for the first quarter of 2010, up 33% over the same period last year, according to the Department of Transportation. In that same quarter, domestic airlines posted a slight profit of $12 million.
And just when we were getting used to checked-bag fees, the same airline that first imposed them in the U.S. three years ago introduced their infuriating progeny: carry-on-bag fees. On August 1, Spirit Airlines began charging as much as $45 each way for a bag placed in an overhead compartment; if you pay in advance online, the cost is $30. (Items stowed under the seat in front of you remain free; checked bags on domestic flights cost up to $45 for one bag.)
So, will other airlines follow suit? Maybe. George Hobica, founder of Airfarewatchdog.com, says that competitors are monitoring Spirit's experience. If the carry-on fee makes money and doesn't drive away customers, it will likely catch on -- just as the bigger airlines adopted Spirit's checked-bag fee.
Meanwhile, checked-luggage fees are still thrifty travelers' number-one headache. Checking two bags on a domestic United flight, for example, adds $60 each way to your airfare. Fortunately, some airlines haven't followed the checked-bag crowd. Southwest alone continues to allow two free checked bags. JetBlue permits one. All this means you need to figure in baggage costs when you buy your ticket. For example, a $200 ticket on Southwest may seem more expensive than a $190 fare on American. But if you check a bag with American, you'll pay $25 each way and your net cost rises to $240 (for a listing of baggage fees and other extra costs for 16 airlines, visit smartertravel.com/link/airline-fees-chart).
Frequent-flier programs can free you from baggage charges, but they come with their own fees. For example, if you wait to book an award ticket on Continental within 21 days of a flight, you could pay up to $75 for a "close-in rewards booking fee." US Airways charges $150 to redeposit miles if you book an award ticket and don't use it. Reactivating expired miles with American Airlines costs $50 per 5,000 miles, plus $30. Other fees to watch out for: charges for booking by phone or in person, changing your ticket, or choosing your seat. Peak travel days -- which include most of the summer and a couple of weeks around Thanksgiving -- now cost extra. At those times, many airlines tack on a surcharge of $10 to $30 each way.
For a sneak peek at fees that could take off in the States, keep an eye on Ireland's Ryanair. The budget airline is working on installing pay toilets and "vertical seats" for passengers who are willing to stand for a discount.
Fees on the ground. Travel fees will continue to pile up even after you land. Rental-car companies will charge you for such extras as GPS, E-ZPass, prepaid gas and roadside assistance. You're better off keeping those costs separate and taking care of them yourself. Bring your own GPS unit (or use your cell phone), pay the tolls in cash (although you may sit longer in traffic), and buy your own gas, which you're likely to find for much less than the prepaid rate.
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Reader Comments (5)
Posted by: Sharon D at 08/16/2010 01:34:56 PM
I refuse to patronage any airline that adds fee's for checked baggage or carry on bags. Southwest has my business. There are airlines that don't add on all the charges just like there are banks that still give free checking and cards without the annual fee. You just have to look for them.
Posted by: hs at 08/16/2010 08:11:15 PM
I fly frequently between Denver and California. Four years ago, the cheapest airfare you could normally get if you booked 3-4 months in advance was about $350. Once in a long while, you could score a $180 airfare, but that was generally a rare and infrequent instance. If I needed to book a flight less than two weeks before the flight, the airfare was generally around $500. I just book a flight yesterday for a flight 10 days from now between Denver and LA and the airfare was $250. I don't know why people are complaining. It's cheaper to fly now than 4 years ago and people are outraged? Even if you add on the fees for baggage, food, etc. it's not going to come out to $250 less I'm paying now. I'm still ahead compared to four years ago. Why is this bad?
Posted by: Tyler at 08/17/2010 03:25:46 AM
As I understand it, the airlines pay federal tax on the tickets, but not on the additional fees such as baggage fees, food service, seat preference fees, etc. If correct, then no wonder the airlines prefer to add fees instead of simply increasing the ticket price to cover expenses. And then we are gouged -- both as consumers and as taxpayers. If my assumption about the airline taxes is incorrect, would some gentle reader please post a correction.
Posted by: Vijay at 08/17/2010 10:07:31 AM
The state of the airlines industry is quite pathetic - and sad. I understand it is capitalism but this borders on inhumane....this has to be the most hated industry in the current times. Kudos to Southwest for being such a shining example in America.
Posted by: Nomen at 08/18/2010 10:23:09 AM
Flying has become a frightening experience for me. Particularly, inexperienced pilots who fishtail all the way down the runway on takeoffs and make rough landings with hard decelerations. Add poor maintenance to this with oil streaked wings and squealing brakes which obviously need servicing along with every fourth speaker jack or monitor not working in the cabin. Plus a delightful little bag of tasteless peanuts and a tiny plastic cup of soda delivered near the end of the flight by an elderly stewardess. All this after having to arrive at least one hour early at the airport and putting up with the security sham. At one medium sized airport on a late night flight, I noticed that the tiny woman working behind the ticket counter putting on coveralls and hauling the luggage out to load the plane. After boarding I looked out and saw her refueling the jet. Then another woman from the ticket counter shows up driving a de-icing truck and together they then de-ice the plane. I couldn't believe this on a major airline. While every business has to contain costs, this is getting ridiculous if not dangerous. On shorter trips I'll drive or take a train regardless of the ticket price.