United to start charging $1 for soda's next month.

[Kimberle]

According to our newspaper. Others expected to follow suit.

Charges now or planned by the future by various airlines:
$5+ to buy tickets anywhere other than their web site. (Great way to "fleece" the non-computer using older folks. )

$1-3 for sodas, candy bars, "movie type" snacks.

$2 per bag to curb check bags.

Charges for pillows & blankets. (So you can drag them around on all your flights.. )

Extra charge for the seats with more "leg room".

And lets not forget about the $50+ charge if your bags is over their "standard" size....

What next, a coin operated door on the bathroom.... Or better yet, bathroom is free, just an extra charge for toilet paper!

 

[Rhonda922]

Oh wow, thanks for the heads-up. We're travelling on United next year to Hawaii. I already have anticipated bringing an extra small (empty) suitcase for all the things that I'm going to buy while there so that I don't have to stuff everything into my bag and end up getting stuck with that overweight charge.

Jeez, don't we pay enough already for the darn airline ticket? You're right, what is going to be next?!

 

[Toby'sFriend]

I think you should take along a case of Coke and offer them up to everybody near your seats for 75 cents.

 

[icebrat001]

are you serious?

 

[HayGan]

According to our newspaper. Others expected to follow suit.

Charges now or planned by the future by various airlines:
$5+ to buy tickets anywhere other than their web site. (Great way to "fleece" the non-computer using older folks. )

US Airways has been doing this for quite awhile now. It costs to have people on the other end of a phone.

$1-3 for sodas, candy bars, "movie type" snacks.

Again other airline have been charging for snacks for awhile. You don't get free refreshments on a train, bus, ship.

$2 per bag to curb check bags.

Again, there has to be a person out there to check your bags and they cost $$$.

Charges for pillows & blankets. (So you can drag them around on all your flights.. )

Too many people think that these are to keep so the airlines lose alot in missing inventory. Plus it costs $$ to sanitize those items.

Extra charge for the seats with more "leg room".

Those seats are in great demand. You pay more for a first class seat as well.

And lets not forget about the $50+ charge if your bags is over their "standard" size....

Planes have a certain weight limit. Additional charges encourage people to be more mindful of how and what they pack. Items of unusual size require additional handling and additional costs.

I don't work for the airlines but I travel on them ALOT! I can completely understand these changes. The airlines are under a tremendous amount of pressure to reduce costs. With energy costs escalating and burdensome labor agreements, they have to reduce costs and generate additional revenue wherever they can in order to keep ticket costs down. Most (if not all of these) additional costs can be eliminated by thoughtful planning by the traveler.

Think about the costs associated with a flight and you begin to understand why they need to generate additional revenue. Think about the number of people who are involved with a flight from ticket/gate agents, baggage handlers, flight crew, maintenance, housekeeping, customer service, and the list goes on. That is just labor/benefit costs. There is also the fuel and materials costs.

Air travel is an expensive business.

 

[wvjules]

Jeez, don't we pay enough already for the darn airline ticket? You're right, what is going to be next?!

Actually, no we dont pay enough to fly these days. Plane tickets are cheaper than they used to be. Flying used to be a luxury, now everyone does it. (And no, I don't have a link to support my information lol)

 

[Shutterbug]

In my opinion the job of the airline is to get me from point A to point B.
I always bring enough clothes to keep warm on the plane, bring my own water, my own entertainment(mp3 player).

I agree with airfares not being too expensive. For the trip I just took to Disney I paid less than 150.00 round trip from Cleveland.

 

[beachbunny]

I agree, we don't pay enough for air fare. But, that's no excuse for the way UNITED and I mean UNITED in particular has been treating customers for at least a couple of years now. And, it's no surprise they're in financial trouble. Nickel and diming the customer with soda pop is not the solution.

Over the last two years, I've used over 220,000 FF miles. Last time I used miles to travel, they cancelled all of my seat assignments and I had to sit in the center from Paris to Honolulu. While booking that same flight, I was actually yelled at by two different reservation agents who could not bother to look up alternate routes for me. (I was trying to re-schedule after United changed flight times on me and I learned I'd have a 6 hour layover.) Their take-it-or-leave-it attitude really bothered me. By the way, there's no free meal service on on the 5 hour Honolulu flight unless you're in first class. And I was told by an especially surly flight attendant that none of the boxed foods were vegetarian although the flight attendant OFFERED ME A $2 REFUND FOR MY BEEF JERKY BECAUSE SHE WAS HUNGRY! (She also informed all who would listen that the crew were grumpy because they were turning around with only a 1/2 hour layover - Hey, buddy, you CHOSE that route - I know, my SIL is a United flight attendant who would give her right arm for the Hawaii route). This is just one story. I've got one for every flight I've taken with United for the last year! After that experience, you can bet I gave up Premiere Executive status and canceled my milage plus credit card.

 

[bicker]

Actually, it does, beachbunny. The policies are all reflections of the flying public's purchasing behaviors. We customer vote with our wallets, and what we've voted for is the lowest published fare, regardless of how little service that comes with, regardless of what the terms and conditions are. United is no different than the rest. They're giving us what we've forced them, by our buying decisions, to offer us.

 

[golfgal]

Actually, no we dont pay enough to fly these days. Plane tickets are cheaper than they used to be. Flying used to be a luxury, now everyone does it. (And no, I don't have a link to support my information lol)

Flights are cheaper because the airlines were deregulated many years ago and natural competition has 'set' the price of tickets.

 

[bicker]

Yes, you are correct: the free marketplace has set the price, and the level of service, which is, as you noted, extremely low.

 

[safetymom]

Paying to check your bag curbside is only at O'Hare as far as I know. But I would pay that so I didn't have to lug it inside. The losers are the skycaps because people don't realize that the payment doesn't go to them.

How many times do you see people posting here about wanting cheaper flights? It is the customers that created this nickle and diming by the airlines.

As far as drinks you can always bring a bottle of soda on board with you. Then the flight attendants will be moaning because they now have more trash to pick up.

 

[GailT]

I know song charges you for food, the drinks (soda, coffe, water) are free. I think all airlines are going that route. I did buy food comeing home this November from DW and I must say it wasn't bad, I rather pay and get food then just peanuts and come home starving.