A Surge in Airline Surcharges

[SarahS]

Fees for checked bags, phone reservations, "choice" seats, even basic customer service -- are the airlines nickel-and-diming us to death? Check out this roundup of airline surcharges from Traveler's Ed and then share your take!

A Surge in Airline Surcharges

[dhammer53]

I have to say that even us frequent flyers are starting to get annoyed. But, what can we really do about these things in such trying financial times (for us and the airlines).

United just changed their fee to $150 from $100 to change your flight.
That stinks.

All of the US based airlines are guilty of nickel and diming. So what's a traveler to do?

Ok, so you're upset with xxx (fill in your favorite airline). So instead you book with yyy. Well, yyy has other silly policies; and forget about zzz.
Z just started to charge extra for bags. No matter what you do, you can't win.

As Charlie Brown would say, Good Grief.

[Neversail]

I wonder what effect this is going to have on the cruise lines. I know that I am rethinking plans for some cruises that normally we would have (what is now considered) excess baggage. This particularly applies to lines that are overseas. Also, if driving to a destination doesn't exceed twelve hours then that will probably be the mode of transportation that will be chosen. Even with gasoline at $4.00 a gallon I can drive to Florida cheaper than flying and it only takes a few more hours.

[soliteyah]

Man, this is brutal. I don't normally check bags, but the airlines are just getting ridiculous now. Southwest seems to be the only one that's still relatively reasonable ... and of course that's because they're the only one that's making money anymore. What a mess.

[parodyandson]

Nasty flight attendants. Unbearable delays. Sky high fares. But at least you get to pay extra for blankets, luggage, legroom, soda, inedible food -- and now, even pillows!! If that’s not the perfect recipe for a musical parody, I don’t know what is...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=avpRJwvupLo