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The $10 airline peak "surcharge" is here to stay
Well, apparently the bean counters at the various airlines loved it - because they have expanded it to a whole bunch of other dates.
Farecompare.com has the dates listed as:
- November 29 - November 30, 2009
- December 19, 2009
- December 26 - December 27, 2009
- January 2 - January 3, 2010
- March 14, 2010
- March 20 - March 21, 2010
- March 28, 2010
- April 11, 2010
- May 28, 2010
When the first wave of "peak surcharges" was added, you could opt for a different airline, but as is often the case in the airline world, most airlines have copied American Airlines, so it's going to be one of those times when the airlines win. In other words - get used to these new fee generating methods.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
flytoo Oct 7th 2009 4:04PM
I don't hassle taking my bags to the airport anymore or pay the high Airlines baggage fees. I used Advantage Baggage Service; they came and got my bags from my office last week Monday and my bags were waiting for me at my hotel when I arrived on Wednesday. They were great! Advantage Baggage Service is an alternative to checking bags when traveling by air, saving you time at the airport and makes travel more convenient. I know, I used them and they did a great job! Give them a try. http://advantage-aircargo.com/baggageservice.aspx
Malaycobra Oct 7th 2009 7:33PM
You say their service is good. What are they like to work for?
Rob Oct 7th 2009 9:13PM
So, airlines are not allowed to participate in free market supply and demand? If they're able to charge a higher ticket price, and people are buying it why not? Straight up fare increases don't always work because there's always one hold out.
Joe Oct 8th 2009 2:15AM
How is raising the price of fees fair game in the free market but raising the fare isn't. Airplanes are a finite resource so if one "holdout" sells seats at a better price than others during peak time chances are they will sell out and the sales will go to other airlines.
Additional fees break the free market. Customers rely on having information to make an informed decision when purchasing. If a fare is advertised at one price then after fees it's a totally different price then you don't have a free market. You have a market where the airlines are in control of all the information.
BTW, why not post the peak time flights with a slightly higher price and stop the stupid fee games. Next thing you know there will be a fee for travelling on the weekend.
Stijn Oct 8th 2009 7:05AM
Shhh! You shouldn't have said that. They're probably monitoring these comments.
Damn, it's probably too late already. By next week they'll have a weekend-travel fee. At latest by next month.
cblock2 Oct 8th 2009 10:42AM
Oh, gods, more whinging about the "hidden fees" and the evil airlines.
Let's get this straight - all this is is a fare increase on peak days, nothing more, nothing less. The airlines have discovered that they can use a "fee" rather than have to go back and amend fares already filed with the GDS services to add blackout dates and then file new fares for the days with the fare increase - it saves them a little hassle and a little money, as they have to pay the GDS operators when they file new fares.
The "surcharge" is Iincluded in fare searches you run on Orbitz, Kayak, etc., just as the fuel surcharges were during the fuel price crisis. US law requires that all non-optional expenses (as opposed to optional ones, like baggage fees) be included in quoted and advertised fares, except for the security fee and the PFC. (Most online quotes include those too, but in print ads the PFC can be left out because it's routing-specific.)
Nothing is being "hidden" from the consumer...it's not an evil plot, it's just a fare increase, supply and demand.
As Mr. Spock would say, "a difference which makes no difference IS no difference."
John P. Oct 9th 2009 3:16PM
If you have traveled overseas in the past six months or you are planning to travel in the near future you would know that the fuel surcharges have increased, while fuel costs have come down or remained steady.
Delta has put two fuel surcharges on air tickets recently, amounting to an additional $86.
The problem here is that Delta and others are advertising low fares, knowing that once you book they are going to hit you with additional fuel and other charges.
All airlines should have to include these costs in the total ticket price that they advertise.
Delta is not alone here, look at any airline flying overseas and you will see outragous fuel surcharges.
The airlines need to know that, ripping people off with deceptive fares, luggage fees,check in fees, seat fees, etc will not win back customers and will cost them in the long run. ---Something is wrong here when an airline that was bankrupt twice comes back and mergers with another bankrupt airline to become the biggest airline in the US.(Who in the world would ever approve this).
Are they now or will they be soon the the biggest bankrupt airline in the US and require a government bailout at taxpayers expense.
They can easly apply to the government,(as they do on most everything) for a limited time exception if fuel stays above a certain level for 30 days or so.
Fuel surcharges are a thing of the past and government should enforce this.
I agree with the former head of American Airlines, Robert Crandell, "Perhaps its time for the government to reregulate the airlines"
Fresh Airfare Oct 8th 2009 3:21PM
Peak seasons will always find a way to bite you in the ass. Don't hotels, car rental and cruise lines more or less do this during peak seasons, too? I don't see the reason for uproar.
However the final price is allocated between fare and fee shouldn't make a difference.
I paid $200 to stay in a crappy hotel in Rosarito, Mexico on New Year's Eve one year. That's that peak season rearing its ugly head again!
bev Oct 9th 2009 6:32AM
Raise the prices all you want. More and more people I know are not flying anymore. Unless their dumb idiot airlines didn't realize it - the economy is horrible and raising their prices will only put them out of business.
Larry Oct 9th 2009 8:00AM
WAHHHHH! Let me get this straight. Corporations are taking advantage of customer demand and supply by increasing the price of a ticket by 10 whole dollars. O M G. Could this be as serious as fuel companies marking up prices for heating oil in the winter, gas stations upping the price on heavy traffic days, Toys R Us whacking us silly for the newest ELMO. Why don't some of you great unwashed try driving for less money than the airlines charge.
Chuck Oct 9th 2009 8:31AM
Larry got it correct that's for sure..2 years in a row my baggage was torn or broken, People don't even try to get any compsation from it the Airlines have themselves covered.