=20 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- This article was sent to you by someone who found it on SFGate. The original article can be found on SFGate.com here: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=3D/c/a/2008/07/02/BUAG11GE38= .DTL --------------------------------------------------------------------- Wednesday, July 2, 2008 (SF Chronicle) Airlines find many tiny ways to squeeze fliers Carolyn Said, Chronicle Staff Writer Friendly skies, my eye. With the cost of jet fuel in the stratosphere, airlines already have increased ticket prices to budget-busting levels. Their latest strategy to boost revenue is what they call "a la carte pricing" - French for "nickel and diming you to death." All the extra fees are one reason "airlines rate below the IRS and gas stations for customer satisfaction," said Rick Seaney, chief executive officer of FareCompare.com. "They're the equivalent of the (airlines) piling on the quarterback (the consumer). Once you have him down, you just pile on." Seaney, whose site seeks to help consumers compare ticket prices, keeps = an updated list of the fees each airline charges at links.sfgate.com/ZDZJ. Fresh indignities roll in on a weekly basis: You pay to check your bag, eat a soggy sandwich, get more legroom, pick your seat, fly your pet, talk to a real person. So, as you get ready to jet off somewhere for this long Fourth of July weekend, beware of these ways the airlines are reaching into your wallet. Bags In the good old days (mere months ago), you could check two suitcases for free. Now, almost every airline charges $25 for a second bag. At American Airlines, US Airways and some others (including United Airlines starting Aug. 18), the first checked bag is $15. You pay those fees each way. Oversize or overweight bags cost up to $150 each way. Curbside check-in remains a relative bargain at $2 per bag at Northwest Airlines, United and US Air; it's free at American, Continental Airlines and Southwest Airlines. Live help Internet-challenged? Expect to pay $15 to $35 for the privilege of booki= ng your ticket through a real person. Who knew that one day you'd feel nostalgic about punching your way through a phone tree, waiting on hold endlessly and talking to someone in a call center? Entertainment Here there's a spot of good news. There's a new fee coming - but it's for a cool new service. American and other carriers soon will offer in-flight Wi-Fi. Expect to pay $10 to $13 per flight for broadband Internet connections in the sky. As for movies, headsets now are often $5, but most folks just plug in the earphones from their iPods. Food and beverages You don't really miss the lukewarm lasagna TV dinner with a hockey-puck roll. You've already adjusted to the $7 sandwich and the $3 potato chips. Now get ready for the $2 can of Coke. US Air is the first to charge for nonalcoholic drinks, but it's unlikely to be the last. Seat selection Want extra legroom? Prefer an aisle seat? On some airlines that will cost you. When you buy a ticket on United.com, for instance, a gargantuan button invites you to pay extra for more legroom; you have to hunt for the teeny-tiny button to decline the offer. Frequent-flier miles Even "free" tickets can cost you big bucks. Delta Air Lines just added a $25 to $50 fuel surcharge for people redeeming miles. United charges for frequent-flier tickets booked with less than two weeks notice. "I have no idea what the airlines are thinking - why poke their best customers in the ribs?" Seaney said. Pets Want to bring Fluffy or Fido on vacation? That will cost you around $100 each way. At Northwest, it ranges from $80 to $359. Unaccompanied minors Children flying alone cost $100 at American, Delta, United and US Air; they're slightly cheaper on other carriers. Only Southwest has no extra fee for kids flying solo. Changing your mind If you buy the less-expensive nonrefundable ticket, and something happens - say you get a flat tire en route to the airport, or you get sick - you get socked twice: First, you pay the difference between your original fare and a last-minute ticket on a different flight, then on most carriers you pay $150 for making a change. Fuel surcharges On transatlantic travel, the extra costs can really add up, with $330 to $390 in fuel surcharges and $120 to $130 in fees. "Before you even start to pay for airfare, you're looking at $500," Seaney said. "That was the out-the-door cost of a winter ticket to Europe two years ago." Obesity If you're so heavy that you cannot lower the armrest next to your seat, Southwest will charge you for two tickets. E-mail Carolyn Said at csaid@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx --------------------------= -------------------------------------------- Copyright 2008 SF Chronicle <<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> If you wish to unsubscribe from the AIRLINE List, please send an E-mail to: "listserv@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx". Within the body of the text, only write the following:"SIGNOFF AIRLINE".