USAirways Soon To Charge Pax for Water & Other Drinks

[On Your Six]

WTF? I guess USAirways will try to further alienate its passengers (more so than normal). I wonder if the pilots will be charged for their drinks/snacks? USAirways is sounding very desparate... Can't wait to see SWA's upcoming advertising talking about their FREE water on flights.

I found this on Yahoo.com:

US Airways to charge $2 for soda, juice, water

Mon Jun 16, 2008 12:41PM EDT

http://f3.yahoofs.com/ymg/null__10/null-559798381-1213634446.jpg?ymRuCj_CY1eMq42XBetter get used to carrying lots of singles next time you fly. US Airways is now terminating free drink service. No, not free mini bottles of Jim Beam and cheap Chardonnay, we're talking about all drinks, including soda, fruit juice, coffee, and bottled water, which will soon cost $2 each. Presumably tap water, which may or may not be contaminated with fecal coliform bacteria, will still be free.

The move is the latest way airlines are attempting to fight rapidly rising fuel prices in a disastrous economic climate. In recent months, the extra fees have come fast and furious. First came extra charges for your second piece of luggage, then came a charge for your first bag. That's not to mention extra fees for choosing your own seat, curbside check-in, booking using frequent flier miles, and the cost of the Santa Fe chicken sandwich.

The beverage fee is even more annoying than most, since you can no longer bring liquids through security at airports. You are really at the mercy of buying them on the plane, or at least buying them once you're in the terminal (which is doubtlessly no cheaper than on the plane). Alcoholic drinks will also go from $5 to $7. That's a lot for a can of Budweiser.
The fee goes into effect August 18, leaving plenty of time for the airlines to come up with other fees to nickel and dime their way to profitability. Can pay toilets be far behind?

 

[TWA Dude]

WTF?

You just noticed this? It was announced over a week ago.

I wonder if the pilots will be charged for their drinks/snacks?

Not if working or deadheading.

USAirways is sounding very desparate...

Duh!! I'm guessing it has something to do with fuel costs.

Can't wait to see SWA's upcoming advertising talking about their FREE water on flights.

So?

 

[On Your Six]

You just noticed this? It was announced over a week ago.Not if working or deadheading.Duh!! I'm guessing it has something to do with fuel costs.So?

First I've seen it jacka$$. I guess you don't understand sarcasm. Regardless, you should feel proud to be working there. Nice to see USAirways leading the airline industry into the doldrums - AGAIN.

 

[eaglesview]

First I've seen it jacka$$. I guess you don't understand sarcasm. Regardless, you should feel proud to be working there. Nice to see USAirways leading the airline industry into the doldrums - AGAIN.

Then one would think you would realize it's old news.

 

[Chairman]

Just a couple of medical diverts for dehydrated pax should fix this!

 

[ex-nutjeter]

One thing that i am wondering if these screwed up airlines have thought of is how much they are paying in service charges to Visa, Mastercard, AMEX, etc. for those $15 per checked bag fee, I mean it is good for the credit card companies, they get like 2% per transaction.

Also, I bet you will find many people wanting refunds when their bag does not show up when they land. Fedex,UPS, give gurantees when you ship something, so I bet if people have to pay per checked bag, they will demand refunds when they don't show up with them, what a waste of time,energy, and money

 

[HA25]

Wow, and they laughed when Skybus did it.. they were bleeding edge I guess!

This would be the best thing Useless Air can do to me after the disaster of a round trip I just got back from..

$800 round trip unrestricted fair to HPN, upgraded to 1st class due to Gold Status, then subsequently bumped off the flight as a result of the seat being sold to a different guy!!! Then begged to get on, so they took a volunteer and gave me a MIDDLE SEAT in coach after I had paid for and secured 6C!!

Then... get into HPN thru PHL minus the bag with my shoes, and critical items for my job interview that next morning!! Mind you, the bag was gate checked as a result of my originally being bumped off the flight and having to take it out of the overhead!! Bag finally gets in at 1am to hotel... I can now go to bed!!

After successful interview, return leg to home was over sold and I was unable to get a seat assignment until I got to the PHL.. HPN customer service was useless, though they tried.. The PHL customer service was the worse experience I've ever had in my life.. down right RUDE.. with a capital R.. (no lie, I walked up to the gate and politely stood to be called... the gal looked at me with total contempt and said.. "what now?") ... again, middle seat assigned even though when I originally booked the flight 7 days prior I go a window!!!

 

[FLYLOW22]

Pretzels won't make the airline profitable.

Passengers do.

Keep pissing them off...

 

[On Your Six]

Pretzels won't make the airline profitable.

Passengers do.

Keep pissing them off...

Thank you FLYLOW22. That's the point I was trying to make.

 

[TWA Dude]

Ok, fellas, I have no intention of defending these new fees but they're not about making profits -- they're about stemming losses. Fares need to be raised 30-40% immediately to break even but if they did that we'd lose an equivolent percentage of passengers. Most travelers are don't care which airline they fly on and they choose by which one is at the top of the search list: the cheapest fare. That's why fuel surcharges aren't included in the fare.

Oh, and here's a secret: travelers can carry an empty plastic bottle through security and fill it with water from a fountain -- for FREE!

 

[eaglesview]

Wow, and they laughed when Skybus did it.. they were bleeding edge I guess!

This would be the best thing Useless Air can do to me after the disaster of a round trip I just got back from..

$800 round trip unrestricted fair to HPN, upgraded to 1st class due to Gold Status, then subsequently bumped off the flight as a result of the seat being sold to a different guy!!! Then begged to get on, so they took a volunteer and gave me a MIDDLE SEAT in coach after I had paid for and secured 6C!!

Then... get into HPN thru PHL minus the bag with my shoes, and critical items for my job interview that next morning!! Mind you, the bag was gate checked as a result of my originally being bumped off the flight and having to take it out of the overhead!! Bag finally gets in at 1am to hotel... I can now go to bed!!

After successful interview, return leg to home was over sold and I was unable to get a seat assignment until I got to the PHL.. HPN customer service was useless, though they tried.. The PHL customer service was the worse experience I've ever had in my life.. down right RUDE.. with a capital R.. (no lie, I walked up to the gate and politely stood to be called... the gal looked at me with total contempt and said.. "what now?") ... again, middle seat assigned even though when I originally booked the flight 7 days prior I go a window!!!

Don't like it...Drive

 

[scarlet]

Fly someone that does provide services.

FLight last week from TUS-CLT=one cup of water 4.5 hours on the plane.=Useless

CAL=you would have gotten 3-4 beverage carts

 

[HA25]

Don't like it...Drive

What a winning attitude... How can you, with a straight face defend that?? ..you don't really sound like you care about the future of the airlines..

Either way, it's a fact... people who can drive are going to drive.. and the bread and butter revenue ($$) customer of this industry, the business traveller is going to the fractionals by the droves!! The only people riding in 1st class anymore are upgrades! Looks at the strong hiring at NJA, and the rest of the Fracs.. Why? in part business travels..

 

[FLYLOW22]

Ok, fellas, I have no intention of defending these new fees but they're not about making profits -- they're about stemming losses. Fares need to be raised 30-40% immediately to break even but if they did that we'd lose an equivolent percentage of passengers. Most travelers are don't care which airline they fly on and they choose by which one is at the top of the search list: the cheapest fare. That's why fuel surcharges aren't included in the fare.

Oh, and here's a secret: travelers can carry an empty plastic bottle through security and fill it with water from a fountain -- for FREE!

*2 points... most people won't be forced into drinking tap water.

and

*what would you rather be? 1) a smaller, robust and healthy airline because fares were raised and the airline adjusts in size accordingly.

or

2) a "larger" airline that flies pissed of passengers who can't wait till you go out of business but fly you out of necessity due to the hub geography, etc.? The passengers leave and now the airline is approximately the same size as option #1 but far worse off financially.

I know what I'd want.

Well, I guess there is Option 3 too but it's more of a result of pursuing Option 2... OUT OF BUSINESS.

A t shirt you all should make for Doug is "There's no sense in being the biggest if you suck."

 

[say again]

So stop at the convenience store and spring the $2 for a bottle of water, and if you can't afford that then you shouldn't be flying. If you're thirsty enough you will pay the measly few bucks.

 

[Ocity]

Pretzels won't make the airline profitable.

Passengers do.

Keep pissing them off...

Pricing power makes airlines profitable. A pax that doesn't pay his share of the fuel cost is worthless...actually less than worthless he's causing harm.

Fuel has to come down, or seats have to be removed. Either way, pricing power is restored.

That's how airlines become profitable.

 

[HA25]

The elephant in the living room for me is these clearing houses like Priceline.com that sell off these "Excess" seats for very low prices, thus forcing an airline to effectively compete with itself.. they should some how quit selling seats to these guys and let the capacity reductions take hold... as long as that last seat can be sold below market value because of some pre-arranged agreement that will put price pressure downwards on the market.

 

[Tail Gunner Joe]

So stop at the convenience store and spring the $2 for a bottle of water, and if you can't afford that then you shouldn't be flying. If you're thirsty enough you will pay the measly few bucks.

You know pax have a 3 oz rule, right?

 

[TWA Dude]

*2 points... most people won't be forced into drinking tap water.

Then they'll have to buy water.

*what would you rather be? 1) a smaller, robust and healthy airline because fares were raised and the airline adjusts in size accordingly.

This is likely to happen regardless.

2) a "larger" airline that flies pissed of passengers who can't wait till you go out of business but fly you out of necessity due to the hub geography, etc.?

You've just described practically every US carrier. Nothing new. Travelers will still buy a ticket on the carrier with the lowest fare. Always have and always will.

We all wish US carriers could be like Singapore airlines: exceptional customer service from young and attractive FAs. Wishful thinking won't pay my mortgage.

 

[HA25]

We all wish US carriers could be like Singapore airlines: exceptional customer service from young and attractive FAs. Wishful thinking won't pay my mortgage.

Having flown on Emirates, Singapore, Asiana, Jet Airways, Saudia, BA, and Luftansa both coach and business class over the past two years I fear the day when they loosen the cabotage rules (as they will).. we'll have no chance in a world wide free market, we'll loose the international airline market the same way we lost textiles...

 

[say again]

You know pax have a 3 oz rule, right?

You know you can buy water in the terminal, right?? :beer:

 

[Herkdrv]

So stop at the convenience store and spring the $2 for a bottle of water, and if you can't afford that then you shouldn't be flying. If you're thirsty enough you will pay the measly few bucks.

And how are the pax going to get their water through security? :erm:

 

[Herkdrv]

You know you can buy water in the terminal, right?? :beer:

Way too expensive. I think in some places its cheaper to buy a draft at the bar So beer it is then. Oh well. :beer:

 

[FLYLOW22]

Pricing power makes airlines profitable. A pax that doesn't pay his share of the fuel cost is worthless...actually less than worthless he's causing harm.

Fuel has to come down, or seats have to be removed. Either way, pricing power is restored.

That's how airlines become profitable.

Seems like making an ice sculpture with a sledge hammer.

 

[FLYLOW22]

Then they'll have to buy water.

No. I, for one, will not buy water. I will wait for the lawsuit from fellow angry pax that are kept from a basic reuirement of life (water) if they have no money. There WILL be a lawsuit over this at somepoint, guaranteed.

You've just described practically every US carrier.

No. I just flew Delta yesterday. Biz as usual. Nice flight... enjoyed the in seat entertainment on the 737-800. Nice ride.

Nothing new. Travelers will still buy a ticket on the carrier with the lowest fare. Always have and always will.

And it's THAT line of thinking that is not helping the real issues here. "Let them eat cake."... doesn't really "fly" too well anymore.

Wishful thinking won't pay my mortgage.

There aren't many companies, period, that will pay the mortgage these days. Certainly Doug hasn't figured it out.

 

[say again]

Way too expensive. I think in some places its cheaper to buy a draft at the bar So beer it is then. Oh well. :beer:

Beer it is!! Can't go wrong with that choice. :beer:

Sometimes the bottled water you get (Delta, SW specifically) tastes like it came from a garden hose. Oh well, it is what it is. I just deal with it the way I know how.

 

[TWA Dude]

No. I, for one, will not buy water. I will wait for the lawsuit from fellow angry pax that are kept from a basic reuirement of life (water) if they have no money.

Typical American. You feel entitled to something and when you don't get it you sue. FYI, managment is formulating their policy of when to give away free water. It'll be interesting to read it and I doubt there'll be any lawsuits.

No. I just flew Delta yesterday. Biz as usual. Nice flight... enjoyed the in seat entertainment on the 737-800. Nice ride.

Congratulations. I've had nice flights on US carriers as well. I'd still never confuse them for the top-tier foreign carriers.

And it's THAT line of thinking that is not helping the real issues here. "Let them eat cake."... doesn't really "fly" too well anymore.

Don't know how old you are but I can remember how flying was before deregulation. My Dad made me wear slacks, a blazer, and dress shoes just to get on a bleedin' airplane. Today it's cutoffs, tanktops, and flipflops. And they expect fares to be cheap. If they still want to fly they'll adapt to the new costs.

I certainly don't like the new policies either but I think the price of the ticket really is the bottom line of how most pax choose which airline to fly. They'll complain when they buy the ticket, they'll complain when they fly, they'll complain at their destination, then they buy another ticket -- and complain about it.

 

[PHXFLYR]

Just a couple of medical diverts for dehydrated pax should fix this!

...along with the associated lawsuit.


PHXFLYR

 

[PHXFLYR]

Wow, and they laughed when Skybus did it.. they were bleeding edge I guess!

This would be the best thing Useless Air can do to me after the disaster of a round trip I just got back from..

$800 round trip unrestricted fair to HPN, upgraded to 1st class due to Gold Status, then subsequently bumped off the flight as a result of the seat being sold to a different guy!!! Then begged to get on, so they took a volunteer and gave me a MIDDLE SEAT in coach after I had paid for and secured 6C!!

Then... get into HPN thru PHL minus the bag with my shoes, and critical items for my job interview that next morning!! Mind you, the bag was gate checked as a result of my originally being bumped off the flight and having to take it out of the overhead!! Bag finally gets in at 1am to hotel... I can now go to bed!!

After successful interview, return leg to home was over sold and I was unable to get a seat assignment until I got to the PHL.. HPN customer service was useless, though they tried.. The PHL customer service was the worse experience I've ever had in my life.. down right RUDE.. with a capital R.. (no lie, I walked up to the gate and politely stood to be called... the gal looked at me with total contempt and said.. "what now?") ... again, middle seat assigned even though when I originally booked the flight 7 days prior I go a window!!!

Ahhhh...yet another whiner from USAviation joins the ranks of FI.com. There goes the neighboorhood.Care to bring some of your 40 yr US F/A buddies over here with you to make it a complete beetch fest ??

PHXFLYR

 

[Stifler's Mom]

How embarrassing. Does the $2 charge come with free refills?