For years, airlines have rolled out new fees to foist onto passengers like clockwork—see American Airlines and Southwest Airlines as the two latest examples. There is somewhat of a silver lining, though: With every new fee …
airline fees
Ugh, More Airline Fees: Want a Decent Seat on Southwest? Pay Up
Et tu, Southwest? A relative absence of fees and an overall nonelitist, democratic approach to airline travel are among the reasons Southwest Airlines has been so successful. A new fee — $40 to be among the first on the plane …
New Low for Flying? Standing-Room-Only Flights Possible
The term jet-setter is still applied to travelers heading to chic, exciting places. But by now, after years of enduring countless fees, painfully long airport waits and humiliation by way of clothing removal and body scans, travelers should know that the era when flying equated to glamour is long gone.
As Airline Fees Top $36 Billion, Is Relief in Sight for Fee-Weary Travelers?
A new study estimates that airlines around the globe will charge $36.1 billion in fees for things like checked luggage, seat reservations, and in-flight meals this year. That’s an all-time high, and an 11% increase over the 2011 total.
Coming Soon? Airline Tickets That Cost Extra After You Purchase Them
It’s become common for airlines to add fuel surcharges onto flight prices. Passengers pay these mandatory charges when they book tickets, which is sometimes months before they fly. During the time between purchase and travel, …
That’s Some Quirky Marketing Strategy: CEO Calls His Customers ‘Idiots’
Michael O’Leary, the CEO of the fee-happy European airline Ryanair, isn’t scared of a little controversy. In fact, he seems to actively welcome it, periodically making outrageous statements (“The best thing you can do with environmentalists is shoot them”) and announcing possible new money-makers for the airline such as in-flight porn …
It’s Not Just Airlines: Hotel Fees on Pace to Reach Record High in 2012
In the travel world, fees charged by airlines get the most attention, and for good reason: Fliers forked out $22.6 billion in airlines fees last year, on top of flight prices that seem to be hiked higher every other month. …
How Airline Fees Screw Over Travelers Who Don’t Pay Them
When travelers complain about the rise of airline fees, the carriers rolling out the fees like to point out that the charges are strictly optional. No one’s being forced to pay for anything they don’t want, they say. Nonetheless, …
Hey Airlines, Do You Really Want to Split Families Up on Planes?
In a purely business sense, it’s easy to understand why airlines are more or less forcing passengers to pay fees for seat reservations on planes: more fees equal more profits. But the scheme is hated by families — and is likely …
See That Flight Price? Add $103 to It
Airline fees and a la carte pricing for flights may be highly annoying to passengers, but it’s also proving to be a highly profitable business model. Spirit Airlines, the “low-cost” carrier at the forefront of fees—since 2010, …
Airlines’ Same Old Story: More Fees, Higher Fares, Fewer Perks, Tougher Restrictions
Last summer, travelers griped about the onslaught of airlines fees—for early boarding, seat assignments, checked and carry-on baggage, and on and on—that could easily wind up adding 50% to the price of a flight. The summer …