extrafees posts
by Tom Johansmeyer (RSS feed) (1 year ago)
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, ...
by Tom Johansmeyer (RSS feed) (1 year ago)
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 ...
by Tom Johansmeyer (RSS feed) (1 year ago)
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 ...
by Tom Johansmeyer (RSS feed) (1 year ago)
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 ...
by Tom Johansmeyer (RSS feed) (1 year ago)
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: ...
by Tom Johansmeyer (RSS feed) (1 year ago)
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 ...
by Tom Johansmeyer (RSS feed) (2 years ago)
Nov 14th, 2009 at 2:00PM: Congress is digging into all those new airline fees. Extra bags, special check-in situations ... you name it. Before you start cheering on our lawmakers, though, you should know that they aren't doing this from a sense of consumer advocacy. Frankly, Congress doesn't give a damn how much you pay for air travel. But, it does care how you pay. Why? A cash-strapped government is wondering if it's ...
by Tom Johansmeyer (RSS feed) (2 years ago)
Jun 23rd, 2009 at 5:00PM: Starting tomorrow, Southwest Airlines is going to start charging for internet access on four of its planes. The fees will range from $2 to $12, based on how long you're in the sky and how you connect. For the past few months, access has been free, but the lure of additional revenue must have been hard to resist.
Yep, another extra fee to add to the list ...
Both Delta Airlines and American ...
by Tom Johansmeyer (RSS feed) (2 years ago)
Jun 23rd, 2009 at 12:00PM: Cheaper fares are being offset by an array of extra fees, as airlines try to bring in some extra revenue in order to keep planes in the sky. And, to a certain extent, it's working. United Airlines forecasts $1 billion in revenue from these fees this year – accounting for more than 5 percent of its revenue. But, as they try to find new ways to dig into your wallet, fewer and fewer new ideas ...
by Jamie Rhein (RSS feed) (2 years ago)
Jun 22nd, 2009 at 8:30PM: There's a video of Aaron trying to close an overhead bin. He's a determined sort, so eventually it looks as though he hits pay dirt once he moves the bag to another location. If you noticed the first bin, you'll see it was full. Very full. So was the final bin, for that matter.
That's becoming a common problem according to this article originally published in the St. Petersburg Times. More and ...