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

[jon1856]

This is a rather interesting idea-the Airlines should charge for the carry on rather than the checked bags.
Airlines are charging for the wrong bags

http://news.yahoo.com/s/csm/20080617...tiMPFCkfes0NUE

[texas*princess]

Boo.

American raised the costs for carryon-pets. I didn't even realize that until now.

I travel home around 3x/yr with my dog and before it was $160, which often times was even more expensive if not the same price for a whole other seat.

Now it's $200 round trip.

And on top of that, it's still counted as a carry-on bag

[jon1856]

For those of us who are:
1) Keeping score on all the changes/charges
2) Traveling and need to know what is going on
3) Or just have a general interest in this:
U.S. Domestic Airline Fee Chart
http://www.farecompare.com/resources...able/index.htm?

Airline Carry-On Baggage Chart
http://rickseaney.com/airline-carry-on-baggage-chart/

That Flight You Booked 6 Months Ago? Cancelled! But We Can Help
http://rickseaney.com/2008/07/07/tha...t-we-can-help/

[honeychile]

Originally Posted by texas*princess

Boo.

American raised the costs for carryon-pets. I didn't even realize that until now.

I travel home around 3x/yr with my dog and before it was $160, which often times was even more expensive if not the same price for a whole other seat.

Now it's $200 round trip.

And on top of that, it's still counted as a carry-on bag

See, that really scalds me! My brother has flown DOBERMANS several times in the past, and they just sit in their crate on a seat. The one time I tried to fly with a 17# dog who fits in a tote bag, I was told that he had to stay under the seat in front of me. I offered to buy him a seat - no go.

Something's got to give!

[jon1856]

Originally Posted by honeychile

See, that really scalds me! My brother has flown DOBERMANS several times in the past, and they just sit in their crate on a seat. The one time I tried to fly with a 17# dog who fits in a tote bag, I was told that he had to stay under the seat in front of me. I offered to buy him a seat - no go.

Something's got to give!

For those traveling with pets, here is some info for you:
Sparky Takes a Trip - But Will You (and OTHERS on the Plane) Survive It?
http://rickseaney.com/2008/06/10/spa...ne-survive-it/

And if you thought AA example was "bad", look at this:
"Costs have gotten crazy: The way rates have gone up for pet transport in recent months is a consideration. Let’s look at domestic pet-transport prices on Northwest, for example:
Northwest pet-in-cabin travel: $160 roundtrip
Northwest pet-in-cargo travel: up to (take deep breath) $718 roundtrip
NOTE: That $718 fee is for “canines of size” so if Sparky is a big boy and requires a giant-sized travel kennel (dog + kennel = 150 pounds), you’ll pay $718. Not sure I’d take a child along at that price."

[33girl]

wow, there were some assholes in that Sparky Takes a Trip thread.

LOL @ "canines of size." My cat would NEVER fit under an airplane seat, he's so big he needs a carrier that would fit a pug or slightly bigger. I can't imagine flying w/ him or other animals ever - if I was moving to Europe or something, I would take a boat.

[RaggedyAnn]

I don't remember having to pay anything when I brought my family dog to live with my brother in Florida...but that was in 1996. (I told people we were retiring him. He had arthritis.) We flew him in cargo, but at the time the plane was pressurized for that. The crew was great to him as well. They brought him to me on a cart and he arrived well before my luggage. Things definitely have changed.

[Army Wife'79]

They already do charge you for an extra seat if you are overweight to the point that you cannot lower the arm rest don't they? I thought I read that somewhere.

Looks like US Airways is scrapping their movies altogether for domestic flights, excluding Hawai'i, of course.

http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5i...FKlmwD91QVHU81

[AGDee]

That's what Ipods are for, in my opinion.

[jon1856]

Originally Posted by AGDee

That's what Ipods are for, in my opinion.

Or a good long book.
$10 million dollar savings on fuel alone. Plus film rights.

[jubilance1922]

Originally Posted by Army Wife'79

They already do charge you for an extra seat if you are overweight to the point that you cannot lower the arm rest don't they? I thought I read that somewhere.

Southwest does, but I'm not sure if any other airlines do.

[honeychile]

Originally Posted by Army Wife'79

They already do charge you for an extra seat if you are overweight to the point that you cannot lower the arm rest don't they? I thought I read that somewhere.

I think that's just Southwest, although I certainly understand. I was once on the aisle of 3 seats, with a woman SO huge, she not only couldn't put the armrest down, but two of the seat belts with the extension couldn't fit across from her.

[jon1856]

Kind of interesting story:
And you think you're trying to save gas ...

Meet the man in charge of cutting American Airlines' fuel bill

"
As he strides through Dallas-Fort Worth Airport, Scott Turner may not look like the weight of crushing oil prices rests squarely on his shoulders.
But Turner is the man American Airlines has tapped to make sure its fleet of 700 aircraft uses every drop of jet fuel as efficiently as possible. With a title of manager of flight operations efficiency, he’s painfully aware of the sight and even the sounds of fuel use.
“When you hear jet noise, that’s money being spent,” he says.
Turner runs a program called Fuel Smart. Its mission is nothing less than to transform the mind-set of the nation’s largest carrier.
As Turner watches 20,000 gallons of fuel being pumped into a jet, he says, “this is what we are trying to do as little of as we can.”
At the recent market price of roughly $3.85 a gallon, that means it costs about $77,000 to top off a Boeing 737.".....
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/25592648/

It's only a matter of time before stranded passengers start smashing desks and computers in America.

http://www.gadling.com/2008/07/29/ch...ge-at-airport/