airlines suck and they are gonna suck worse

[hansolo]

flew us airways..

$$ for check in bag

$$ for window or aisle seat

$$ for water, soda

and soon $$ for taking a shit..

and to top it all - lousy seats and lousy service.

the future is going to suck worse for some big carriers.

[kah]

There was a rather frightening story in The New Republic recently about the future, or lack thereof, of air travel. Basically, there's more than one way to run a car. We could have much more efficient engines, or we could have electric engines. Planes, not so much. At a certain point of fuel costs air travel will no longer be economically viable for the masses.

[JK]

There was a rather frightening story in The New Republic recently about the future, or lack thereof, of air travel. Basically, there's more than one way to run a car. We could have much more efficient engines, or we could have electric engines. Planes, not so much. At a certain point of fuel costs air travel will no longer be economically viable for the masses.

It should actually be at that point now...glad I got out of that industry when I did...air travel in the next 5-10 years is going to be vastly different than what we've seen since deregulation...

You're going to see A.) carriers that cease to exist, and/or B.) very much smaller versions of carriers and many marginally performing cities are going to lose service...and yes, STL, I'm looking at you...this city has been spoiled by the disproportionate level of air service it has been afforded compared to the actual demand that exists here...

And as for Captain Solo's beefs...get used to it...a la carte pricing is probably the best way for airlines to operate at this point...you'll get what you pay for (yeah, yeah, that's debatable, I know) and no more...

However, if you look around, a la carte pricing is used everywhere else as well...folks just aren't used to airlines charging in that fashion...

They should have started this system years ago instead of providing "all inclusive" fares...it costs more for the airline to handle a passenger with checked baggage, and therefore, that passenger should pay more than someone not checking luggage...

I will agree that service often sucks and the airlines need to fix that fast...a helpful and happy gate agent or flight attendant costs the airline the same as a disgruntled one (of course, you could also point out that the only way to make some of them happy would be to pay them more - which is a cost)...

[hansolo]

so - I can't bitch about it online? I just don't like being nickel and dimed for every little thing. I know and understand they will continue to do this. This was my first flight since they started this and it's just a different experience for me.

[JK]

so - I can't bitch about it online? I just don't like being nickel and dimed for every little thing. I know and understand they will continue to do this. This was my first flight since they started this and it's just a different experience for me.

Lighten up, Francis...no one said you couldn't bitch about it...it's a pain in the ass, I know - God knows I know...I'm just pointing out how it is and how it's going to be...

And if you pay attention, you get nickeled and dimed tons of other places as well...you just don't notice it because you're so used to it...

[hansolo]

And if you pay attention, you get nickeled and dimed tons of other places as well...you just don't notice it because you're so used to it...

such as?

I do pay attention and i know when business try to add on bullshit.

But the airlines other than cell phone companies do really take the cake on this.

it just sucks.

too bad we don't have a good national railroad service.

[JK]

such as?

I do pay attention and i know when business try to add on bullshit.

But the airlines other than cell phone companies do really take the cake on this.

it just sucks.

too bad we don't have a good national railroad service.

It's everywhere, man...go to the movie...you want popcorn? Doesn't come with the price of the ticket...you want the supersized meal at McDonald's? Extra money...you want the upgraded brand of oil at Valvoline? That'll be $10 more, please...

It's all tiered, a la carte pricing where you pay individual fees for additional levels of service...

People have just become used to getting free checked luggage with the price of their ticket because it's been that way for so long...the reality is, the guy who checks his bag costs the airline more because they're paying a labor cost to the agent at the counter that takes care of that as well as Joe Schmoe who's loading it on the plane...not to mention the additional cost of fuel incurred by carrying the weight of the bag...and now they've decided to charge for that service instead of making it free...

[ElviswasaBluesFan]

you have to pay extra for a window or aisle seat now? Fuck that.

[JK]

you have to pay extra for a window or aisle seat now? Fuck that.

That must be recent as I had heard whispers of that, but hadn't heard of anyone actually doing that yet when I left six weeks ago...doesn't surprise me, but I agree it's pretty over the top...it speaks to how desperate to generate revenue the airlines are with the current cost of fuel, though...

[WinstonSmith]

It's everywhere, man...go to the movie...you want popcorn? Doesn't come with the price of the ticket...you want the supersized meal at McDonald's? Extra money...you want the upgraded brand of oil at Valvoline? That'll be $10 more, please...

It's all tiered, a la carte pricing where you pay individual fees for additional levels of service...

People have just become used to getting free checked luggage with the price of their ticket because it's been that way for so long...the reality is, the guy who checks his bag costs the airline more because they're paying a labor cost to the agent at the counter that takes care of that as well as Joe Schmoe who's loading it on the plane...not to mention the additional cost of fuel incurred by carrying the weight of the bag...and now they've decided to charge for that service instead of making it free...

I don't believe this are valid comparisons.

[hansolo]

It varies .. one leg it was $10 and the second leg it was $5.

$15 for one luggage to check in.

$2 for soda, water, etc.

I understand the luggage part though due to weight considerations.

I won't be surprised $10 to take a shit and $5 to take a piss.

[easy ed]

Once you understand that you are no more than a peice of luggage or a package being shipped, you will be okay with air travel. The airline industry has been so poorly run for so long that it was only a matter of time before it came to this.

[JK]

I don't believe this are valid comparisons.

Sure they are...the problem, like I said, is that people have come to take for granted the fact that all these things they're being charged for now were once included in the price of a ticket...

They've now elected to make them all separate products, or "service upgrades" or "additions"...

You now have a base fare simply to get on the aircraft to go from point A to point B...you want additional services, you now have to pay for them as new "products"...

To use a previous example, your base ticket is akin to the movie theater ticket now...all it gets you is in the door (or on the plane)...you want additional products or services beyond that base cost, you have to pay for them...

[marco]

Sure they are...the problem, like I said, is that people have come to take for granted the fact that all these things they're being charged for now were once included in the price of a ticket...

They've now elected to make them all separate products, or "service upgrades" or "additions"...

You now have a base fare simply to get on the aircraft to go from point A to point B...you want additional services, you now have to pay for them as new "products"...

To use a previous example, your base ticket is akin to the movie theater ticket now...all it gets you is in the door (or on the plane)...you want additional products or services beyond that base cost, you have to pay for them...

Makes sense to me.

I buy a lot of fares for people at our company to come to our training classes in St. Louis. I've noticed the expense reports have a lot more items now. It has certainly made it slightly more expensive for the company, but it is what it is.

[Bleacher Creature]

I'm finding myself wanting to fly less and less. All of the hassle and nit picking fees just aren't worth it to me. They have us by the short hairs and they know it.