Today’s travelers get the idea: fuel costs a lot these days. So why don’t the airlines just raise their ticket prices a bit and pass on the expense in the simplest manner possible? Instead, they’re choosing to nickel-and-time passengers to death on everything from in-flight soda purchases to just checking a bag. Fallout includes everything from angrier travelers to slower-moving check-in lines.
Maybe we should just be happy that some of these airlines aren’t in charge of, say, the movie theaters too. Popcorn would only be a dollar but you’d have to pay another buck for a “butter processing fee” and 50 cents for the popcorn box. Napkins would be a dime each, and if you grabbed more than three there’d be a one-dollar “napkin overage” charge. Sheesh.
Two airlines do appear to be doing something right these days—Southwest, which has remained relatively affordable while vocally decrying the petty surcharges so many airlines have glommed onto, and JetBlue, which has taken some of the discomfort out of long flights with its added legroom and seatback TVs. But even these airlines have their faults—such as Southwest treating its fliers like a herd of cattle with its “open seating” policy.
When you add it all up, it’s no wonder that passenger satisfaction is at an all-time low. And one has to have the feeling that we’ve only seen the beginning of these rampant incidental charges.
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