You're charging me for what?! Airline fees way up since January 1

jon1856 · #1 05-01-2008, 01:03 PM

You're charging me for what?! Airline fees way up since January 1
Since January 1, passengers have been treated to a nonstop roller coaster ride of airline bankruptcies and mergers, fuel surcharges, and imaginative new ways of charging for "perks" that were once free. The devil is in the details, however, and knowing which airlines have added new fees can go a long way in helping you compare apples to apples in your airfare search. Here's a rundown of the new fees assessed by each airline since the calendar turned to 2008.....
http://www.smartertravel.com/travel-...0&u=SL4BB8D7A7

AKA_Monet · #2 05-01-2008, 08:52 PM

Man!!!

I just left out of town today!!! And I go home on May 5th and have to pay Delta some dayum money for the second bag. That's some kinna bullisht!!!

And my sugar dropped due to the piss poor food they had on the flight I took to come out here... I have hella, hella evol when I deplaned.

Like customer service fails to exist for the common man. But there are some folks still there fighting for us--like the BBB.

#3 05-01-2008, 08:55 PM

Hawaiian Airlines just announced yesterday that they're increasing interisland fares by $5-$20. They've also joined the "$25 for a 2nd checked bag" bandwagon.

At least they still serve free food...and it's still not that bad.

texas*princess · #4 05-01-2008, 08:58 PM

American just joined the "$25 for the 2nd checked bag" club.

There are a ton of exemptions (Elite members, full fares, etc) and it doesn't take effect until 5/12... (either travel before 5/12 or purchased ticket before 5/12)

Their airfares have also gone up considerably.

I'm really worried... I live far from home and depend on Air travel to visit the family... should I book Thanksgiving/Christmas now?

My older sister lives even farther away (Cali)

jon1856 · #5 05-20-2008, 12:36 PM

Delta's "extra fees" among the highest in the industry

http://www.airfarewatchdog.com/Airfa...9/Default.aspx

honeychile · #6 05-20-2008, 01:04 PM

I just tried to use my dividend miles to go to an out of town wedding, and my beloved USAirways is charging twice as many miles PLUS twice as much for the surcharge.

I'm not going to the wedding.

Tom Earp · #7 05-20-2008, 02:21 PM

Airlines are talking about merging!

Two of the latest report are the worst! If the merge, there would be only one worst.

Airlines are taking big hits because of fuel prices as we are, but they do not give amenities as they used to. SW Air had to give up peanuts because some people were allergic, food, if there is food is crap, drinks totally over priced! To many flights but still equal to blocked flight times or the equipment was not properly checked as they should have been.

OOPs cracks in the air frames, wheels won't go down. I think that is called inspections. That is also called old planes that have been in the air to damn long and getting second market parts that are second rate.

I flew everyother week for 5 years on many of the airlines that have merged and they have gotten nothing but worse and scarier.

PhiGam · #8 05-20-2008, 02:30 PM

Flying is getting really expensive, especially out of a small airport.

#9 05-20-2008, 03:16 PM

On Saturday my BF had to fly from Honolulu to Fort Myers, FL to attend his grandma's funeral. Because he booked his flight at the last minute, airfares were sky high. Bereavement fares were a joke, too. We were lucky to find a R/T for $1297 when most carriers were charging well over $2K. He had to fly Northwest to SFO, and then US Airways to Charlotte then Fort Myers, though. Coming back he has to fly to ATL, then PDX, then back to Honolulu.

And why in the world do airlines think that fruit and cheese platters are what we want? He wanted me to see what kind of food they offered on board (comp or buy). I told him he's better off buying three Whoppers from the airport BK.

I can understand not serving food for short haul flights. Hawaii is 5-6 hours from anywhere on the West Coast. I can't believe most don't have anything else besides sandwiches.

TrojanWoman · #10 05-20-2008, 03:47 PM

I am in a long distance relationship and it is crazy how much money I spend on plane flights back and forth. Luckily, I fly southwest and they have a great rewards program and I have already received three free roundtrip tickets to anywhere they fly. I also buy my tickets months ahead of schedule because they have a good policy on changing flights. But prices are getting more and more out of hand

maybe it is time to have the "when are we going to live in the same city" talk.

SOPi_Jawbreaker · #11 05-20-2008, 07:06 PM

I just booked my flight for LA. It was almost twice as expensive to fly PHL-> LAX than Allentown -> PHL -> LAX. So guess who's going to be getting up before the crack of dawn to make the hour drive to Allentown? With the price of gas though, this might not end up being much cheaper.

honeychile · #12 05-20-2008, 10:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by OTW

I can understand not serving food for short haul flights. Hawaii is 5-6 hours from anywhere on the West Coast. I can't believe most don't have anything else besides sandwiches.

I'm sorry to hear about your bf's grandmother - hope he's okay.

Does American still have those bistro bags? Those seem to be the only really practical meal for the longer flight. My pet peeve on a long flight is to be seated next to the drunk who complains about absolutely everything he's served - but he wants seconds, if possible.

jon1856 · #13 05-21-2008, 12:48 PM

American to charge $15 for first checked bag

FORT WORTH, Texas - American Airlines will start charging $15 for the first checked bag, cut domestic flights and lay off workers as it grapples with record-high fuel prices.
But rival Delta doesn’t plan to match American’s fee for the first checked bag, a spokeswoman said.
American, the nation’s largest carrier, said Wednesday the fee for the first checked bag starts June 15 and that it would raise other fees for services ranging from reservation help to oversized bags. The other fees will mostly range from $5 to $50 per service, the airline said.....
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/24756513/

Nanners52674 · #14 05-21-2008, 05:06 PM

What are airlines going to do next take start charging passengers that weigh more than a set amount, or maybe they can start charging handicapped people for wheelchairs when getting on and off the plane. This is absolutely ridiculous!!!!!!

ETA: Maybe if the really needed to save money they could stop paying their C.E.O.'s million dollar salaries instead of cutting bottom level jobs from employees who desperately need the income. But that idea makes sense logically and morally so why would a giant corporation ever do something like that???

#15 05-21-2008, 05:10 PM

Wasn't American one of the first carriers to stop complimentary meal service? I can't remember who it was first, but I remember other carriers became buy on board soon thereafter.

I won't be surprised if the other airlines will start charging for the first bag as well.

I don't think I've ever flown on American.