This is just capitalism. I hate nickel-and-diming and don't put up with it. If people complain but don't do anything about it, it will continue to happen. What can be done about this? Don't check in your bags at the curb - go inside. If the lines get along enough, the airlines will stop charging. Don't buy food on the plane. Come on now. The majority of passenges have flights that last no more than 3-4 hours. Can't you go without a meal for that long of a period? If you must eat something then make a sandwich for the flight or eat a large meal before you head out to the airport. Better yet, if your plans allow you, fly another airline. Fly Southwest if you can. Not only do you get better service, you also have 100% credit of your non-refundable fare for a year if you have to change your flights. In other words, there's not change fee - just pay the difference, if any. Even customer-oriented JetBlue doesn't do that. Don't forget that the airlines are not getting 100% of your fare. As much as 25%-35% of what you pay to the airline are extortions (taxes to you politically correct people) imposed by the government. As an example, my round trip OAK/LAX flights next month is $128 plus $30 (23,5%) taxes. Can you imagine how much better shape the airlines would be in if, when you pay $158 for a trip, they actually got $158 instead of $128? David R -------------- Original message -------------- > This is the season of nickel-and-diming -- and extra fees for seats, food, paper > tickets, curbside check-in -- even beverages on some flights -- are all raising > their ugly heads more or less glaringly this holiday travel season. > > Whereas in the UK, Ryanair is close to releasing zero-pound airfares, charging > taxes only, and making up the revenue from in-flight advertising, selling, and > gaming. > > from http://www.mercurynews.com/mld/mercurynews/living/travel/13231427.htm? > > Air travelers face long list of new costs > The Mercury News - Original Article > Nov-22-2005 > Michael Martinez > > Holiday travelers who haven't been on an airplane in a while may be in for a > surprise if they're flying this week. It's going to take some extra cash to get > from the curb to the cabin. > > Those little extras that fliers take for granted -- including curbside baggage > check-in and in-flight meals -- aren't free anymore. And if your checked bags > are too big or too heavy -- or you packed one suitcase too many -- expect to pay > extra before boarding your flight. > > Airline officials say they're trying to offset high fuel costs and low fares by > charging for services that passengers want. But some experts think it's a way > for struggling carriers to increase revenues. > > ``It's a money-maker,'' said Bob Jones, columnist for Onetravel.com. ``You pay > for everything.'' > > That includes the convenience of checking in your bags at the curb. At San > Francisco International Airport, for instance, American and United now charge $2 > for each bag that is left with a skycap in front of the terminal. United and > American -- along with Alaska and Horizon -- also charge $2 at Oakland > International. At Mineta San Jose International, bags can still be checked at > the curb for free. Of course, this is in addition to any tips for the skycaps. > > But it's not likely to remain that way. > > Tom Smith, a spokesman for American, said the airline has been testing charging > for curbside baggage service since March. > > ``It appears to be going well from our standpoint and from the customers > understanding it. It's something that could end up in other airports, including > San Jose,'' said Smith. > > The fees are small compared with charges that can be assessed for over-sized or > overweight baggage. Penalties can range from $25 for a suitcase weighing more > than 50 pounds to $100 for a bag over 62 linear inches (height plus width plus > depth). If you check in more than the two bags allowed by most airlines, you'll > have to pay $80 for each extra piece of luggage, depending on your carrier. > > And don't expect agents at the ticket counter to budge. > > ``It's a policy that's in place for a number of reasons,'' said Amy Kudwa, a > spokeswoman for US Airways and America West. ``We need to accommodate all of our > passengers, but it's also for our ground crew who are loading the bags. We're > seeing a lot more leisure travelers with a lot of bags, particularly during the > holiday season. Our ground crew has to handle all those bags, and that's a lot > of work.'' > > But it doesn't mean that airline personnel won't work with fliers to avoid > paying, said Anthony Black, a spokesman for Delta. > > ``It's important to make sure that you don't come to the airport with overweight > bags,'' Black said. ``But if you do, our folks will try to help to see if you > can shift the weight in your bags, to distribute it so you don't incur the cost. > > ``It's important to get to the airport early. When people travel late, they're > always rushing to get through security and get to their gate. If you give > yourself a little more time, any of the little things that go wrong can be > handled.'' > > Once you make it onto the plane, don't expect a free meal, either. You'll still > get a soft drink and a bag of peanuts or pretzels at no charge, but many > airlines now are offering meals and snacks for sale to their economy passengers > on domestic flights. > > On American flights lasting more than three hours, for instance, passengers can > purchase snack boxes for $3; on United, similar meals cost $5 on flights 2 1/2 > hours or longer. But they're not gourmet selections: Meals can be anything from > salads and sandwiches to candy bars and cheese and crackers. > > ``On a scale of 1 to 10, I'd say most of it is a 4,'' said Terry Trippler, > airline analyst at Cheapseats.com. ``When it comes to airline meals, you're > there, you're strapped in, you eat it. If you were in a restaurant, you'd send > it back.'' > > But hungry passengers heading to New York are happy to pay. ``We've gotten good > feedback,'' said Smith. ``It's a convenience.'' > > Still, many passengers are choosing to buy food in the terminal and taking it on > board. > > The best advice: Just make sure you have enough money when you arrive at the > airport. > > ``I used to tell people to make sure they had enough for tips and cabs,'' said > Cheapseats.com's Trippler. ``Now you need singles just to get through the > airport.'' > > > > > > > Jordan Hayes wrote: > With your plan, if there is a > cancellation, > > and they put me in a middle seat, when I had > > a window, do I get money back? > > Why not? I'd like to see them start with info from http://seatguru.com/ > about which seats are better or worse. $25 for green, -$25 for red. > > > > SkyOne--The Airline News Channel > To Post message: Skyone@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx > To Subscribe: Skyone-subscribe@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx > To Unsubscribe: Skyone-unsubscribe@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx > List owner: Skyone-owner@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx > Skyone URL: > http://www.yahoogroups.com/group/Skyone > > > > SPONSORED LINKS > Costa rica travel Frequent flyer miles credit card Frequent flyer > miles Travel insurance Frequent flyer card Frequent flyer point > > --------------------------------- > YAHOO! GROUPS LINKS > > > Visit your group "Skyone" on the web. > > To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: > Skyone-unsubscribe@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx > > Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to the Yahoo! Terms of Service. > > > --------------------------------- > > > > > > > --------------------------------- > Yahoo! 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