It seems counter-intuitive that an industry whose function was to operate air travel businesses would do its best to make passengers want to stop flying, but that seems to be the tack the airline industry is using these days. Back in 2008, as oil prices rose higher and higher and eventually hit $147 per barrel, most major airlines began charging passengers a fee to check their bags. Though this seemed like a hassle at the time, everyone understood that the oil situation was a dire one and thought it would be a temporary measure. Two years later, we're still paying $15 or so dollars per bag on top of our ticket.
Next, as airlines realized that they could charge people for checked baggage and still dupe them into traveling, they decided the obvious progression was to also charge for carry-on luggage, which Spirit will start doing in August. Spirit already charges a checked-baggage fee, which means that unless you're planning on traveling somewhere that you've got clothes stashed or are going to wear the same outfit for a while, the price on your ticket is not what you'll actually be paying to fly.
And of course, you'll want to carry on at least one bag, because if you don't bring something to eat on a long flight, you'll find yourself paying $3 for M&Ms (American Airlines) or $2 for a Coke (Skybus). Other airlines will charge you to board first or to watch a movie. Ryanair, a European version of Southwest plans to start charging passengers to use the bathroom and is looking into making standing-room flights to pack more people on (seriously).
And (surprise!) the biggest airlines have now found another way to squeeze just a little bit more out of their passengers. This summer, the 74 days from June 10 through Aug. 22 (except July 4) will all be "peak travel days." That's right, every day of the week is at its peak, which means they obviously have to add a surcharge of $10-$30 per domestic flight. So let's see: I buy a ticket to fly to San Diego from Chicago for a nice relaxing weekend in June ($350 looks like the average). If I check a bag and carry one on we'll throw on another $30 each way, plus $8 each way to eat, $5 each way to watch a movie and $20 a flight for the audacity to travel during the summer. That ups my ticket by $126. (Good thing I'm dead broke and won't be traveling anytime soon).
With all these extra add-ons, the airlines made $7.8 billion in 2009 and somehow they're all still in financial trouble. Ferrying people around in the sky is a pretty obvious money-making endeavor and your business model must be pretty awful to have to milk more out of them to stay afloat. In a time when almost all Americans are cutting back on expenses and looking to find cheap ways to travel, it doesn't seem like genius business-sense to be charging them more to fly. Of course you're going to lose money! People are going to drive. Gas is expensive, but it's not that outrageous! So please, the airlines beg, stop flying. If they aren't saying that by the way they treat their passengers, they're sending pretty mixed signals.
Next, as airlines realized that they could charge people for checked baggage and still dupe them into traveling, they decided the obvious progression was to also charge for carry-on luggage, which Spirit will start doing in August. Spirit already charges a checked-baggage fee, which means that unless you're planning on traveling somewhere that you've got clothes stashed or are going to wear the same outfit for a while, the price on your ticket is not what you'll actually be paying to fly.
And of course, you'll want to carry on at least one bag, because if you don't bring something to eat on a long flight, you'll find yourself paying $3 for M&Ms (American Airlines) or $2 for a Coke (Skybus). Other airlines will charge you to board first or to watch a movie. Ryanair, a European version of Southwest plans to start charging passengers to use the bathroom and is looking into making standing-room flights to pack more people on (seriously).
And (surprise!) the biggest airlines have now found another way to squeeze just a little bit more out of their passengers. This summer, the 74 days from June 10 through Aug. 22 (except July 4) will all be "peak travel days." That's right, every day of the week is at its peak, which means they obviously have to add a surcharge of $10-$30 per domestic flight. So let's see: I buy a ticket to fly to San Diego from Chicago for a nice relaxing weekend in June ($350 looks like the average). If I check a bag and carry one on we'll throw on another $30 each way, plus $8 each way to eat, $5 each way to watch a movie and $20 a flight for the audacity to travel during the summer. That ups my ticket by $126. (Good thing I'm dead broke and won't be traveling anytime soon).
With all these extra add-ons, the airlines made $7.8 billion in 2009 and somehow they're all still in financial trouble. Ferrying people around in the sky is a pretty obvious money-making endeavor and your business model must be pretty awful to have to milk more out of them to stay afloat. In a time when almost all Americans are cutting back on expenses and looking to find cheap ways to travel, it doesn't seem like genius business-sense to be charging them more to fly. Of course you're going to lose money! People are going to drive. Gas is expensive, but it's not that outrageous! So please, the airlines beg, stop flying. If they aren't saying that by the way they treat their passengers, they're sending pretty mixed signals.
2 comments:
boy do we need a better train system in this country
Rumor has it it's on the way, but I don't see it happening any time soon.
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