Wobbling off of the plane you stumble to the baggage claim trying to pop your ears. Your two suitcases bounce down the conveyer belt and you suddenly realize the lightness of your wallet from having to pay an extra $25 for purchasing your ticket on the phone, an added $50 for wanting extra leg room in a preferred seat, $20 for the extra suitcase you packed, another added luggage fee because both bags were over 50 pounds, and more money was expunged from paying for a snack, non-alcoholic beverage, meal, and blanket/pillow package. Now you wonder if flying is worth the cost since customer experience is no longer an issue for airline executives.
Airlines need to be more closely regulated, so patrons can be protected and have their interests protected when airline executives decide to add unnecessary fees and charges. Without close surveillance, companies can demand whatever prices and add policies that only benefit themselves without punishment. The Department of Transportation released a statement to USA TODAY “that it doesn’t have the authority to determine what an airline can charge for its services,” (Maynard 2).
Airlines have created an added fee to everything aspect of flying--purchasing a ticket, loading luggage, and perks that were once complimentary, snacks, meals, all beverages, etc. To avoid paying an added fee for a ticket, one would have to go to the counter; procuring a ticket by phone or internet can cost up to $25 extra (Source 5). Once a ticket is obtained, more money can be expected to vanish throughout the remainder of the voyage. Airlines also give no leeway on wanting to cancel a flight or change the time of the original flight--doing so can cost up to $150 (Stoller 7). Then, desiring to fly during popular occasions --Christmas, Thanksgiving, New Years, and spring break--can expect to pay an additional $10 to the ticket price (Maynard 3). Thankfully, the first bag checked for most flights is free, American, Hawaiian, Northwest, Spirit, and United will charge up to $25 for the first suitcase, but each additional piece of luggage will be charged up to $252 (Stoller 6). Packing a suitcase that exceeds 50 pounds will add at most another $125 to the total overall cost (Maynard 1). While on the actual flight, if a passenger still has money left in their wallet can expect to pay for every extra necessity that was once complimentary--non-alcoholic and alcoholic drinks, meals, snacks, pillows and blankets, etc. (“Ten Reasons” 6). Marc Belsher, a healthcare consultant is angered by the underhanded tactics of airlines, “Give me the price of the ticket, let me make an informed decision and don’t anger me by nickel-and-diming me on every bloody charge,” (Stoller 3). Democratic Representative James L. Oberstar pegged exactly what airlines are hoping to accomplish with the extra costs and high fees, “...a backdoor way to raise ticket prices,” (Maynard 2).
Executives justify their prices by teaching passengers how to pack and making up for the increase in jet fuel cost and believing that the passenger controls their own cost of travel from ordering extra amenities. “‘Instead of raising every fare in response to ever increasing fuel prices, our new luggage policy gives passengers the opportunity to control their cost of travel by packing lighter,’ says Barry Biffle, Spirit’s senior vice president, (Stoller 1). Art Van Bodegraven, a management consultant, agrees with the new luggage policy, “It’s high time [United began charging]...Overweight vacationers on bargain fares, sloppy packers, and poor planners have been riding free, baggage-wise, for too long,” (Stoller 2). Sometimes multiple luggage isn’t a case of not knowing how to pack or packing too much; passengers traveling long-term will naturally need to have more clothing depending on how long the trip is which makes extra luggage fees unreasonable and unacceptable. The new policies and rate changes are expected to accumulate $100 million annually and most of the cost savings will come from burning less fuel from having less baggage weight in the cargo hold (Stoller 2). Executives then blame the patron for added comforts claiming that they racked up their own bill. These fees are from “an a la carte restaurant menu, allowing passengers to choose what they want as part of their trip,” (Maynard 2). Of course this method works because if a flight is over a few hours people are naturally going to want food and drinks, not to mention international flights that can last numerous hours. In this respect, airlines have no excuse except cheating passengers by being dirty handed. “We have been aggressive and creative,” said John Tague, president of United Airlines.
What management fails to acknowledge is the decrease in airline travel. During the strongest quarter for travel, between July and September, the nine biggest airlines lost $236 million (Maynard 3). Revenue from business travelers, a main source of income, was down 25 percent in the third quarter after a total 40 percent from earlier in the year (Maynard 4). “Not only are the airlines pricing themselves out of existence, but they’re offending our sense of fairness in the process, thereby accelerating the alienation between their customers and themselves,” (“Ten Reasons” 7).
Although the airlines are blatantly robbing passengers with no remorse, some charges do contain credible reasoning. Increasing jet fuel prices and unnecessary packing choices provide defense for some charges. Numerous vacationers travel with suitcases filled with clothing and an extra bag to pack with souvenirs. Charging an extra fee for processing an empty suitcase is reasonable because space and effort are being used for a bag with nothing in it. Otherwise, fees for luggage should be eradicated because many passengers may need all of the items they pack. As for rising fuel costs, passengers would be more understanding of escalating prices if the money was towards fuel, but patrons know the difference between paying what is owed and being asked to overpay.
Airlines can charge whatever prices the executives desire with no punishment, robbing and alienating customers in the process. Taking advantage of circumstances such as having to pay for an onboard meal is despicable and how an interference hasn’t occurred is an outrage. Now I wonder: what other companies get away with cheating customers using deceptive ploys and outrageous charges with no interference?
