Usually They Buy Us Dinner First
The news today is “Five of the seven major US airlines (Continental, Delta, Northwest, United, and US Air) plan to charge most customers $25 each way to check a second bag starting May 5″
*Note - Delta and Northwest being linked is from the source.
[Via] - Airlines Win Big on Those who Overpack
Overcharging or legitimate price increase?
I can see both sides.
On one hand, it seems suspiciously timed with a business merger. On the other hand, fuel prices have gone through the roof.
What do you think?
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It makes perfect sense to charge more and I support it. Flying is too cheap and it’s time the airlines start charging what it costs to operate. I know it’s an unpopular opinion, but just look at all the airlines shutting down. It’s going to mean that fewer people will be able to fly often, myself included, but at least the flights that are scheduled will fly, and they will do it on time.
I would be fine if they discontinued the free soda cart and dropped the price of my ticket by $1. Not only is it unnecessary to serve each passenger a soda, it takes up all the flight attendant’s time, creates lots of trash and blocks the aisles. Plus, think of all the knitting they could do with those idle hands!
@Bryant - It has seemed crazy to me the number of places that a person can fly for far less than the cost of driving. Perhaps if they rectified that situation they would recoup their money.
All I know is International flights have gone up considerably over the last few years and Domestic flights don’t seem to have matched the increase. Re: bags, they already have a weight limit and I think people will just start stuffing more into carry on luggage which has it’s own set of problems.
Greg - I’d be fine seeing the soda cart go too, but then Pepsi and Coke would say since they lost the airline contracts they need government money or they’ll have to leave the country.
the number of places that a person can fly for far less than the cost of driving
Enh, kind of. There’s lots of factors. There’s the amount of time it takes you to drive there and what your time is worth on an hourly basis. There’s the much heavier environmental impact of a plane vs a car. And there’s the part where maybe the places I want to visit are not within driving distance.
I think it makes sense to charge more for extra baggage, too. I don’t know if $25 is reasonable. People seriously need to learn how to pack light, though. I figure if I’m going to be gone long enough that I require that much luggage, then $25 each way is a drop in the bucket vs the total cost of the trip. And as much as I think the liquid restriction is retarded, I’ve actually found it far more convenient to return to refilling my little plastic bottles with just the amount of stuff I need instead of tossing my shampoo bottle out of the shower into my bag.
I’m down with killing the free pop, too. I’d rather just drop the $2 inside the airport for a beverage and at least then I’ll be able to get something I want (i.e., not a Pepsi product).
I definitely don’t want the cost of flights to skyrocket. I want flying someplace to be affordable, not something only the elite can afford. I don’t fly off to LA or New York or wherever on a whim, but I don’t want it to cost my entire paycheck to book a flight, either. If charging for the second bag can help with that, I think I can live with it.
@Erica, aside from the environmental concerns I am very pro flying; if for no other reason than the time savings. I just hope this doesn’t encourage people to return to the days of huge over packed carry ons.
@JasonT - Sadly Delta announced today that fares would also have to increase 15-20% just to break even. As for the bags, I thought the weight limits were fine, but when I travel I like to take an extra bag that’s mostly unpacked. It serves two purposes: 1) I can have some essentials should the airline lose my bag. 2) Everyone I know expects gifts upon my return.