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Charging more for legroom

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  • Charging more for legroom

    First they did away with the hot meals on long distance flights. Then they took away the pillows and blankets. Now some airlines want to start charging around $15 for aisle seats. Pretty soon they'll start charging for the "free" softdrinks and peanuts too! I even heard a TV commentator say that it wouldn't surprise him if the airlines started charging you $2 or $3 for every piece you carry onboard with you too.

    Yes, flying is becoming a very interesting experience these days.

    Miulang
    "Americans believe in three freedoms. Freedom of speech; freedom of religion; and the freedom to deny the other two to folks they don`t like.” --Mark Twain

  • #2
    Re: Charging more for legroom

    Aloha Airlines have been charging for soft drinks for years for the interisland flights of course they don't serve peanuts.

    Hmmm, I do prefer the window seats anyway.

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    • #3
      Re: Charging more for legroom

      I would be willing to pay more for a seat at the bulkhead.

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      • #4
        Re: Charging more for legroom

        Capitalizing on an existing demand that exceeds supply, I guess. I bet every seat on a plane could have prices adjusted up or down depending on a statistical study of where people like to be -- cheapest seats in the back of the plane in the center section between other passengers, more for the aisle or bulkhead or in the front half of the plane...

        With the drive to cut costs, I figure "ala carte" air travel will become more the norm. Extra for food, extra for other ameneties... The only thing is, it seems all these things are added on top of what you're already expected to pay. Why not offer discounts for people willing to, say, travel in a small crate, stacked in back, with no flight attendant service or restroom access?

        Hey, if people are willing to risk their lives shipping themselves in boxes via FedEx, the uber-cheap could be an untapped market...

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        • #5
          Re: Charging more for legroom

          Here's the LA Times take on "a-la-carte" travel trends...

          On most airlines, the frill is gone

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          • #6
            Re: Charging more for legroom

            Quick BugMeNot page for folks who hate registering for "free" online content...

            Speaking of commentary on the "ala carte" trend, I just realized that I started the "Favorite Local TV Ads" thread by mentioning some Aloha Airlines ads, ads that won Pele Awards and garnered broader industry acclaim.

            One of them, titled "Check In," featured a fictional "Breeze Airlines" and a traveler was presented a number of "incidentals." Among them: "Would you like you and your luggage to arrive at the same destination?" Another featured an in-flight auction for peanuts and extra pillows. This was two years ago!

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            • #7
              Re: Charging more for legroom

              Pretty soon, those pakes going to be charging for lua paper!!! Or worse yet, charge for paper cups that you drink out of!!!

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              • #8
                Re: Charging more for legroom

                Even moa worse, what if they charged you money to use da lua? Just like the public pay toilets get in some places. No moa quarter, go pee in one cup!

                Miulang
                "Americans believe in three freedoms. Freedom of speech; freedom of religion; and the freedom to deny the other two to folks they don`t like.” --Mark Twain

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                • #9
                  Re: Charging more for legroom

                  Problems started when the Government deregulated the airlines. Up until then the prices were regulated and the big difference between carriers were the service, legroom, food, etc. Then there was a period where the carriers were trying to undercut each others prices to put them out of business and then eliminate competition. Many airlines were content to cut profits or possibly lose money in the short term banking on larger profits when the competion is eliminated or at least thinned out. However, what the carriers did not bank on is the fact that new carriers would enter the market, making their short term losses a long term thing. That's why you then saw a lot of major carriers go into chapter 11 (or some other chapter) and once large carriers like Pan Am go completely out of business (at least out of the airline business). These guys were not dumb, they just didn't bank on the influx of new investors coming in to start new airlines as competitors. They were also faced with rising costs of workers salaries. So they had to either raise rates or cut back on costs. The cutting back on costs are apparent with the simpler meals and now many airlines charging for their meals. But it's still competitive so they are looking for ways to make more while staying competitive (remember they lose money if they fly a half empty plane instead of a full plane).

                  What's bad for us here in Hawaii, is if we want to visit anyplace, we must either catch a plane or a boat of some kind. The boat cruises take up most of your time to get there, but offer comfort. So if too many carriers drop out of the picture, there may come a day we will either pay the price to travel or we will have a hard time booking a reservation to travel. I guess if it gets to that point, the Government will once again step in and regulate the airline industries.
                  Whoa, Mista Buss Driva, eh, you can stop the buss o wat?

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                  • #10
                    Re: Charging more for legroom

                    Another alarming trend is outsourcing jobs and the airlines saying that they cannot survive unless employees (everybody from the pilots to the flight crews to the counter people) give back concessions to the company. First it was pay cuts, now it's going to be pensions and healthcare. I think the airline industry is the canary in the coal mine, just like the auto industry is. Pretty soon all of us won't be making as much as we once did, either because we're earning less or because it's costing us more to work at our jobs. And I pity the next generation because they probably won't have Social Security (what little there will be) to look forward to when they retire. If you're in your 20s and 30s now, you'd better be saving lotsa money because you probably won't have the same safety net us makule guys will have when we retire over the next 10-15 years.

                    Miulang
                    "Americans believe in three freedoms. Freedom of speech; freedom of religion; and the freedom to deny the other two to folks they don`t like.” --Mark Twain

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                    • #11
                      Re: Charging more for legroom

                      Here's a report in the latest TIME on how Northwest's "Coach Choice" plan is doing. Despite travelers complaints and insistence that a slightly higher ticket price for everyone is better than a $15 charge for more legroom, folks are still lining up to pay for the new premium.

                      It includes a short list of the new expenses involved in traveling, from paper tickets to food to pillows and blankets. But it does note that not all airlines are taking ameneties away:
                      Just this week JetBlue announced a venture with the New York-based Bliss spas to offer free kits — including eyemasks, lip balm, and skin moisturizer—on redeye flights, in addition to a free self-serve pantry filled with snacks and beverages. They're counting on making up the cost by selling more seats. Whether it works remains to be seen. But in the annual Airline Quality Rating, released this week, JetBlue was No. 1.

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