Feb 21st, 2013 at 12:00PM:
Low cost isn't just for the skies anymore. This week, French rail service SNCF launched its new low cost service Ouigo, a no-frills option for the traveler that wants a more moderately priced ticket but wants to take advantage of the high-speed service that France is known for. The new train service will link Paris and Lyon to Marseille and Montpellier on the southern coast of France.
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baggagefees posts
France Launches New Low Cost, High-Speed Train Service
Feb 21st, 2013 at 12:00PM:
Low cost isn't just for the skies anymore. This week, French rail service SNCF launched its new low cost service Ouigo, a no-frills option for the traveler that wants a more moderately priced ticket but wants to take advantage of the high-speed service that France is known for. The new train service will link Paris and Lyon to Marseille and Montpellier on the southern coast of France.
...Man Wears 70 Items Of Clothing To Avoid Baggage Fees
Dec 18th, 2012 at 2:30PM:
An air traveler ended up wearing 70 items of clothing in an effort to avoid extra baggage charges at an airport in China.
Digital Spy says a local paper reported that an unidentified passenger at Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport took out and wore more than 60 shirts and nine pairs of pants when his luggage exceeded the weight limit.
He is described as looking like a "sumo ...Lost Luggage Has A Season And It Is Here Now
Nov 2nd, 2012 at 4:00PM:
Lost luggage was once a major problem for airlines but they have been doing better lately. Perhaps with the introduction of fees for checked bags, airlines are paying more attention to what happens to luggage. Maybe it's those fees that are driving airline passengers to pack less, carry on more and give airlines less to lose. Whatever the reason, lost luggage is less of an issue than it once ...Airline Madness: Baggage fees vs. Obese people who take up two seats
Mar 12th, 2012 at 4:00PM: Airline Madness is Gadling's tournament of airline annoyances. You can catch up on all of the previous tournament action here.
This Airline Madness first round match-up is sure to spark plenty of debate. The #4 seed, Baggage fees, ticks off just about everyone. On the other hand, #13 seed Obese people who take up two seats is too big to be ignored. If we're traveling, we need luggage. ...Airline Madness: Gadling's tournament of airline annoyances
Mar 12th, 2012 at 10:00AM:
It's that time of year again! All around the country, people are filling out their brackets and arguing over match-ups. That's right; it's March Madness Airline Madness! Just like last year's Hotel Madness, we've compiled a list of travel pet peeves. Only this time around the competition is for the title of Worst Airline Annoyance. Our selection committee vetted the pool of candidates and ...Airlines challenge new consumer protection rules
Jun 20th, 2011 at 7:00AM: In April , the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) announced wide-ranging Airline Passenger Rules that included, among other things, that airlines disclose all potential fees up front in advertising. Airlines want more time and are challenging the new advertising rules.
Airlines say they need another 6 months or so to "overcome substantial technological problems and properly train their ...Airline fees are worth more than Facebook
Jun 13th, 2011 at 3:30PM:
Outside the travel world, everyone's marveling at the prospect of a Facebook IPO, which could be valued at as much as $100 billion. So, what are we missing while we fawn over Mark Zuckerberg's creation? How about the slow, stodgy, ugly airline industry. Known for a painful user experience and a steady decline of free features, the likes of Delta and American Airlines are outdoing the hottest ...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 ...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 ...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, ...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 ...The 10 easiest ways to improve air travel this holiday season
Dec 16th, 2010 at 3:00PM: It's time for you to drag your screaming kids, annoying spouse and endless amounts of overstuffed bags through the airport, as you find your way over the river and through the woods. Thanksgiving is behind us, and that's the really ugly time to travel, but Christmas is no picnic either. The gate areas and bars will be crowded, and it's going to be awfully hard for you to be happy while darting ...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 ...Review: Balanzza Mini Luggage Scale - avoid nasty surprises at the airport!
Oct 15th, 2010 at 1:30PM:
Traveling with bags means trying to stay one step ahead of the airlines - and staying one step ahead of them, means knowing exactly how heavy your bags are. There no nothing more annoying than arriving at the airport, only to discover that you overpacked, and will either have to pay up, remove some items or move items between bags.
To help prevent these nasty surprises, you could consider ...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: ...Flying Wizz Air, European low-cost airline
Sep 13th, 2010 at 10:00AM:
I just flew with Wizz Air, a major budget airline in Europe whose name and stunts I had previously only snickered over. It turns out in addition to offering low fares across Europe, they are also the largest carrier in Hungary (at least according to Wizz, Malev Hungarian would beg to differ) and a major player in Poland, Romania, and Bulgaria. Last week I traveled to Bulgaria (look for some ...Could airline baggage fees create another Steven Slater?
Aug 14th, 2010 at 2:00PM:
We're still in the early stages of figuring out just want made flight attendant Steven Slater jettison himself from a JetBlue plane via the emergency slide. There are conflicting accounts from the passengers on board, including those who allegedly pushed Slate over the edge, and then there's Slater's story about having been beaten by an unruly passenger's bag. He raised the issue of how ...
Southwest wins on bet against extra fees
Aug 1st, 2010 at 5:00PM: How did Southwest score its recent record revenue? Well, it could be because it isn't jacking up fees for all the extras. The decision to do business the old fashion way seems to have been good for a quarterly profit of $112 million and may provide a good reason for other airlines to reconsider these unpopular measures.
In a roundup of coverage on the airline's quarterly financial results, USA ...
