Have you read how much the airlines have made off of all the add-on services they offer..ya know – the baggage fees, snack fees, internet fees, movie fees, – the list goes on. A whopping $5.7 billion last year just from baggage and reservation change fees alone, according to CNN. And most airlines haven’t even started charging to use the toilet… YET.
I am all for capitalism – and am happy airlines are coming back. But when the customer is deceived in the process, that really bugs me. (Can I rant today?)
My producer and I grumpy at JFK
Case in point: If you get sucked into booking a SUPER cheap flight on Spirit Air – beware. $1 one way – from Los Angeles to Las Vegas seems tempting – shoot, I’ll lose more at the craps table. BUT – before you think it is a simple click to your sinful sabbatical, (Vegas baby) hold on. That $1 flight can turn into a lot more.
How? All those add on costs . If you want to carry on some baggage, that will cost you – yes, I said CARRY ON, not just check it in. If you pay for your carry on luggage while you are booking your ticket, it will cost $30 each way. If you pay at the airport it will be more. If you want to check in a bag, that’s an additional $18 for one bag.
Then… get this… to choose your seat it could cost you minimum $10 each way. Plus taxes…. That one round trip ticket from Los Angeles to La Vegas could be $175 depending on what you choose. I know – still not a bad price, but it’s the deception of saying you are selling a ticket for $1, getting the customer hooked, having him or her invest time, and then basically selling a ticket for a price that other airlines can match. (I actually changed to JetBlue- Free carry on bags, and cheaper ticket after all was said and done.)
Thanks for letting me vent. Don’t get the wool pulled over your eyes. That’s NOT the “SPIRIT” of travel I like.
PS Just discovered TIME magazine’s article about the same topic – glad it bugs them too. “Skyway Robbery!” at http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,2075347,00.html
