Apr 21st, 2011 at 1:00PM:
Flying the friendly skies got a bit more friendly this week as the Department of Transportation upgraded the Airline Passenger Bill Of Rights made the law of the land last year. As a result, fewer checked bags should be lost or damaged, fewer passengers should get bumped and fewer flights should get stuck on the tarmac.
"Airline passengers have a right to be treated fairly," said ...Click on a label to read posts from that part of the world.
airlinefees posts
Airline passenger rights upgraded
Apr 21st, 2011 at 1:00PM:
Flying the friendly skies got a bit more friendly this week as the Department of Transportation upgraded the Airline Passenger Bill Of Rights made the law of the land last year. As a result, fewer checked bags should be lost or damaged, fewer passengers should get bumped and fewer flights should get stuck on the tarmac.
"Airline passengers have a right to be treated fairly," said ...Video: Asian animation studio mocks U.S. airline fees
Feb 22nd, 2011 at 2:30PM:
Asian animation studio Next Media Animation took to YouTube to mock North American airlines for their insane fee structure - and managed to create a hilarious video as only they can make.
In the clip, airport baggage handlers are displayed as football players and amenities are auctioned off inflight.
Even the American flight attendant doesn't escape unharmed - they are presented as old, ...
US Airways increases baggage fees
Feb 10th, 2011 at 12:30PM: Here we go again. On the heels of greatly improved profits, US Airways has announced an increase of up to 80% on the charge for overweight bags.
In addition to the base price for checked bags of $25 for the first bag and $35 for the second, the additional fees for overweight bags are increasing. Overweight bags that weigh between 50 and 70 pounds will see the price increase from $50 to $90. ...Judge blocks Sabre, gives American Airlines a break
Jan 11th, 2011 at 8:00AM: I guess it would make sense for American Airlines to turn to litigation. After all, this approach worked well against Orbitz.
Here's the situation: the battle between airlines and online travel agencies escalated from the beginning of November – with American's announcement that it would pull out of Orbitz – through the new year. The latest move was by global distribution system ...Five airline fees you haven't thought about (but they have!)
Jan 10th, 2011 at 8:00AM: Over the past two years, the fees that airlines have figured out have been seemingly endless. Baggage and cancellations are just the tip of the iceberg. Now, passengers are stuck with a healthy dose of fee fatigue, but the good news is that there doesn't seem to be anything left for which to charge – except maybe access to the flotation devices in the event of an emergency.
Well, don't ...Can travel booking sites endure the airline onslaught?
Jan 4th, 2011 at 12:00PM: American Airlines wanted out of Orbitz ... and then it was bounced by Expedia (preemptively, it seems). Delta wanted out of CheapOair ... and OneTravel ... and BookIt. Nobody knows what's next, but it appears that something is on the horizon, given the magnitude of change in the airline/online travel agency landscape over the past few weeks. I wrote a month ago that a "brand war" was brewing, a ...Airlines celebrate record profits with new fees
Jan 4th, 2011 at 11:00AM: If you were running a business that just pulled in record profits after two years of business hell, what would you do? Some companies would show their customers some appreciation. Others would find new lines of business or products in which to invest. The airlines, however, seem poised to jack up their fees.
Let's face it: ancillary fees have been good to the airlines. Paying extra for food, ...Is American Airlines making a "reckless rodeo bet"?
Dec 24th, 2010 at 9:00AM: American Airlines' decision to pull out of Orbitz has triggered a war in the travel industry, as airlines and online travel agencies vie for ownership of the customer. The latest step was Expedia's decision to minimize the exposure of American Airline options in searches on its site, likely a play to reduce the risk of a move by American to pull out of Expedia, too.
According to a statement by ...Extra airline fees could mean better service! This is the FUTURE
Dec 21st, 2010 at 3:00PM: Soon, airlines could make all their profits on the extra fees you pay. Seriously. Yesterday, the Department of Transportation revealed that airlines have had their most profitable year since it started tracking the data back in 2002. And, a good chunk of revenue came from baggage fees, reservation change fees and ancillary fees. In the third quarter alone, it was good for more than $2 billion. So, ...Five airline amenities making a comeback ... and the one we want
Dec 21st, 2010 at 9:00AM: Wow, there's a headline I never thought I'd write! Though I suspect it has little to do with actual customer demand – after all, the airlines don't even call us customers – several are starting to bring small, small perks back into the cabin. Two factors help, of course: (1) they aren't expensive and (2) airlines have shown solid profits this year (at least in the United States).
...Airlines have best quarter ever ... thanks baggage fees!
Dec 20th, 2010 at 3:30PM: Every time you pay to check an extra bag you're making someone's life better. The latest data from the U.S. Department of Transportation reveals that the third quarter of 2010 was the most profitable for the U.S. airline industry since the department began keeping score in 2002. The industry's operating profit margin hit 10.5 percent in aggregate. Low-cost carriers, as a class, had an operating ...Which airline made the most money on baggage fees?
Dec 13th, 2010 at 2:30PM: Last year, baggage fees were used by airlines to make up for lost fare revenue, as the recession kept people on the ground. This year, it's just been a great source of extra revenue, as passenger traffic and fares are up – and the fees haven't gone away. Almost all airlines are getting in on the action, some more egregious than others.
Well, data for the third quarter of 2010 is in, and ...How much are you really paying for your plane ticket?
Dec 10th, 2010 at 8:00AM: We've heard airline employees gripe ad nauseam about how flying just isn't what it used to be ... because it's so much cheaper than it was back in the glory days. True, we're looking at a much different world post-regulation, but that was so long ago that it isn't relevant any more.
So, what about today? Are airlines still getting hammered in the deal (as they contend), or are consumers giving ...Airline profits may mean more elbow room for a little while
Oct 24th, 2010 at 10:00AM: The airline industry wants to thank you. Last year, it was mired in despair. The post-financial crisis recession left the carriers beleaguered and desperate for a turn of fortune. Corporate and leisure travel had fallen precipitously, and doubling down on extra fees, though prudent for profits, alienated both those considering a flight and the passengers with little choice but to hit the road. The ...Airline fees never going away, $1.2 billion in first half
Oct 19th, 2010 at 11:00AM: In the first six months of 2010, U.S. airlines raked in $1.2 billion – and that's just from change and cancellation fees. The industry is on track to see $2 billion in revenue just on ticket-related fees this year.
According to the Bureau of Transportation Statistics, here's where the money's going:
Delta had the most at $347.1 million in the first half of 2010
American Airlines was ...Airline passengers want more self-service options
Oct 12th, 2010 at 2:00PM: Hey, airlines: passengers don't want your help. Seriously. We'd rather take control of our fates. Let us make our own choices and pay for what we consume.
Well, that's what a new survey reveals. The fifth annual SITA/Air Transport World Passenger Self-Service Survey finds that air travelers would like a bit more independence. Seventy percent, this year, want automatic boarding gates – ...Five reasons airline fees up 50% year-over-year
Sep 27th, 2010 at 3:30PM: Does your wallet feel a little bit lighter? A new USA Today analysis reveals that airline fees are on the rise, with some up more than 50 percent relative to a year ago. The study compares the extra fees (not to be confused with fares) of 13 airlines and shows just how important this revenue source is to the airline sector.
According to USA Today, "The numerous fees are a sore subject for many ...Airline extra fees: $2 billion in three months
Sep 21st, 2010 at 11:00AM: Airline fees are definitely not going away anytime soon – not after the second quarter it gave the airline industry. Carriers in the United States raked in $2.1 billion in fees and extra charges in the second quarter of this year, a 13 percent year-over-year surge. And, it was good enough to deliver the sector's first profitable quarter since 2007.
Well, here's the worst part for you: ...Four reasons airlines blame passengers for their current woes
Sep 14th, 2010 at 11:00AM: It would be so much easier if we'd just pay more, right? That's what the airlines seem to believe. It's impossible for them to turn consistent profits because we just won't accept higher prices. And, kicking the poor off the plane doesn't seem to be an option.
I got up this morning and read George Hobica's hilarious "interview" with Wilbur Flywright, CEO of BrokenWings Airways. In it, I was ...Hidden airline fees under attack, industry pushing back
Sep 8th, 2010 at 2:00PM: It isn't so much the airline fees that are being targeted these days: it's the extent to which they are hidden. Three advocacy groups are pushing for airlines to do a better job of disclosing how they'll nail passengers for extra cash. So, a battle of paper is emerging. On one side, advocates are pushing a petition to get airlines to open the kimono a bit more. And on the other, airlines are ...
