I don’t mind the fees so much as I mind the fact that people so blindly pay them with no regard to the total price of the ticket. In theory, an a la carte airline service should ultimately cost less than a ticket with more service. But it doesn’t seem to work out that way.
If I flew Ryanair or Allegiant, I would get an extraordinary ticket price and add on services as I go. And the way I travel, I could often keep those fees to a minimum.
When US Air added drink fees for soda, I was still paying the same fare that I did the day before. When they added bag fees, I still paid the same fare I did before.
Clearly, the legacies offer more destinations than low cost carriers so I wouldn’t think that the presence of fees would put them out of business. But in my mind LCCs should be able to drive legacies off any route on which they choose to compete. How US Air still runs a Philadelphia-Las Vegas route is beyond me. Maybe my one wish that US Air goes under will one day come true. Then Southwest can takeover like they did in Baltimore.
I work(ed) in the hospitality field so I’m used to hidden fees and when I deal(t) with customers I’d try to be as open as possible, but one thing we were told and the rule was strictly enforced was you NEVER reveal the total cost of the room (in a hotel) UNLESS the customer asks for it. Airlines are similar.
But to their credit, if you ASK them they will tell you. So when you book flights, in phone make sure to ASK. They will tell you if you ask, but the customer service reps are told NOT to reveal any info unless asked.
I’ve not booked a flight with an operator in a few years, but one thing used to work very well with all the major airlines, was say, I have XXX dollars to spend, is there any way I can get to Chicago to XXX for that? And they would be really helpful. Sometimes they would come back quickly with “no,” but more often than not they would try to find something. Usually it involved multiple stop overs and flying on Saturday, but to their credit, the CSR did try when asked.
Most CSRs are helpful and want to help, but remember they are told not to volunteer info, so make sure you ask.
You’re the people who destroyed the airline industry! It used to be fun, and it wasn’t all that long ago that to “compete,” American Airlines was increasing the pitch of their coach seats. We used to get meals, and airline miles were worth a lot more. You people disgust me! (Please read that in a pleasant mood, and not as a personal attack.)
Vis-a-vis business travellers, I can say with certainty that the vast majority fly in the same coach seats as everyone else. Very frequent travellers will sometimes get automatic bumps for first class, but they’re still paying coach fares. And of course depending on the company, certain levels of executives are entitled to business class. But really, take a look around you next time, and you’ll notice that unless you’re on a FunJet to Miami, most of the other coach passengers are probably business travellers themselves.
All of those extra fees suck for them, too, because in many cases, those extras aren’t reimbursable. If you’re tall and need an emergency exit seat, some airlines charge a fee, and businesses won’t reimburse that. Want to preselect your seats and there’s a fee? Non-reimbursable. Flight leaves after 7 am? Then your paid, light snack (“breakfast”) on board isn’t reimbursable. Going for less than two days? Then checked luggage isn’t reimbursable, and, oh, neither is the purchase of mouthwash and other liquid hygiene products at your destination.
The lack of all-in-one sucks for the people who are most profitable to the airlines: the frequent business traveller. Tourists looking for the cheapest fares aren’t high on the raider; they just fill potentially empty seats.
(Please read that in a pleasant mood, and not as a personal attack.)