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meatwallet

certified muff diver
Joined
Feb 27, 2005
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Leslie Hunt

These days, plane tickets include less and less in the price -- that is, if you plan to check in a few bags, sleep, eat, stretch your legs or watch movies during the flight. Sorry, folks. Convenience now has a price tag.

Paying for amenities that used to be free might seem outrageous, but the practice is not exactly new to major airlines, according to Randy Peterson, an expert on frequent-flier programs and editor and publisher of Inside Flyer, a magazine for frequent travelers. The airline industry, he contends, is a cyclical creature that has been there, done that, when it comes to charging for meals and baggage. People Express Airlines, for instance, a popular low-fare airline that went bust in the mid-1980s, charged 50 cents per can of soda and $5 per checked bag.

But today, the practice has become widespread. Munchies and movies now come with a price tag on longer flights. Hunger pangs on a five-hour United Airlines flight will cost you $5 for a salad or sandwich wrap with chips. Desire to watch the in-flight movie "Walk the Line"? It will cost you $5 for the headsets on US Airways flights.
Nor can you pack everything but the kitchen sink -- unless you plan to pay the excess baggage fees. Though you could once check in two bags for free, now many legacy carriers limit each bag to 50 pounds and 62 linear inches -- and still cap you at two free checked-in bags. You don't want to break the rules, either. Overweight bags will cost $25 to $50 apiece on domestic American Airlines flights. Oversized bags will cost $80 a bag, and extra bags will cost $80-$180 on the carrier. And don't even think about bringing a third overweight and oversized bag. Legacy carriers will triple charge you for offending all three restrictions, each way. Delta charges a minimum of $175 on domestic flights.
It's also a bad time to be tall. Those wanting more leg room in a preassigned aisle or emergency exit row seat on a Northwest Airlines flight will pay $15 for the once-free privilege.
Despite the recent press, Northwest's move is not entirely new, says Peterson. United Airlines has been charging for premium seats for years -- they just introduced it better. United Airlines markets the roomy seats as a tiered, elitist privilege: Top frequent-flier members automatically get first access to "Economy Plus" seats, which boast five extra inches of leg room. Others must pay a minimum of $300 for yearlong access, enroll in United's frequent-flier program or purchase the seats at check-in, if any remain unoccupied. Anyone can purchase Northwest's "Coach Choice" seats, though frequent fliers have an additional 12 hours before anyone else to purchase them.
Will it get worse? 3 opinions
According to the experts we spoke with, the answer is, well, up in the air.
  • Expect turbulence: One expert saw Northwest's stingy move as the beginning of a trend toward a la carte ticket pricing, where the cost of a ticket buys a seat on the plane and not much else. Terry Trippler, an airline expert with cheapseats.com, predicts that the airlines will charge for everything they can to increase revenue. "I think this is just the beginning," he says. He expects more legacy carriers to follow in Northwest's contrails and come up with their own charges for aisle, bulkhead and emergency exit seats.
  • Stand by: Jeff Miller, a travel industry lawyer and consultant with The Miller Travel Group and Lipshultz and Miller, contends that the future of airline amenities rests on travelers' reaction to Northwest's Coach Choice program, and to some extent, United Airlines' Economy Plus. He expects a backlash from business travelers who are in markets that have competition with Northwest and United.

    He points out that even the best frequent fliers have to pay for premium coach seats on Northwest. On United, they don't. If amenities do continue to disappear or cost more, he expects competition to send some consumers to discount carriers that offer attractive amenities such as satellite TV and a third free-baggage allowance.
  • Friendly skies ahead: Peterson believes that in three years, we won't be looking at these nickel-and-diming fees. "Every airline will have rolled back at least some of these fees. Others will have rolled back all of them."
Competition will keep fees from getting too much worse, he says, noting that airline doomsayers tend to forget about the competition factor. "You don't compete to see how bad you can get."
The trend toward charging for extras has happened before and will even out again, he says. His prediction for the airline industry: "The forecast is full planes and a return to amenities."
How much worse could it get?
If leg room, food and movies have a price tag, it makes sense that other once-free services might soon come with one, too. Some freebies the experts think might cease to be free include:
  • Curbside check-in. Legacy carriers could charge around $2 per bag, says Miller. (American Airlines has already started the practice.)
  • Beverages. Trippler predicts legacy carriers will charge for sodas, juice and bottled water at $1 to $2.
  • Checked baggage. Trippler expects consumers to pay somewhere around $2 to $5 per bag. He says the fee will probably cause people to pack more into their carry-on luggage, leading to stricter enforcement of carry-on baggage limits or perhaps fees for carry-on luggage.
Most of the fees consumers will just stomach, Trippler says, noting that consumers have been conditioned to pay fees. Consumers generally pay $15 more to buy tickets at the airport versus buying them on the Web, and they'll also pay a premium for paper tickets. On some airlines, they've already gotten used to paying for junk food, sometimes paying $5 for a snack box full of junk food. Likening the fees to once-free furniture delivery, he says, "Consumers will accept it as they have everything else."
If you're thinking that the American airlines are treating loyal customers unfairly, consider that other parts of the world have similar airline woes. In Europe for example, airlines such as EasyJet charge a premium for purchasing airline tickets with a credit card. Evidently there's a charge for charging.
Let's make that lemonade
Even the experts can only guess about the future of airline amenities. In the meantime, however, try these surefire ways to save on amenities.
  • Shift your weight. If you must pack a lot of items and are worried about paying extra, try splitting the weight up among your suitcases, says Miller. With the limit at 50 pounds per bag, divide your items and weigh them until they are under the limit. Some airlines, such as Southwest, allow you to check in three bags for free, so check your airline's Web site for details then distribute the weight among your bags accordingly.
  • Skip the meal. "This is just transportation," says Peterson. The airline is not a restaurant, he points out, and nor is their food all that healthy. Ask yourself if you must lunch on that calorie-laden $7 airline sandwich. Save your wallet and waistline and eat a real meal when you get to your destination.
  • Eat in. If you know you'll starve if you don't eat during the flight, travel with your own food to avoid purchasing pricey airline meals. No one will stop you from bringing food and drinks on the plane, says Miller.
  • Dress in layers; leave the blanket and pillow at home. So what if the airline doesn't offer pillows or blankets or charges for them. You won't need them. When you're elbow to elbow, fishing a travel blanket or pillow out of your carry-on just isn't practical, says Peterson. Carry a jacket. Forget leaning back for a snooze -- it's become a no-no these days to recline your seat, he says. As for chilly flights, he contends that the plane will get warmer as it fills up.
  • Ground-ship your luggage through UPS or FedEx. If you're going away for a few months, ship your belongings ahead to avoid paying extra to check in additional bags, says Peterson. That way, he says, you can walk on the plane with your one carry-on bag containing your Tom Clancy book and iPod.
    Interested consumers need only type in the words "luggage" and "shipping" into an Internet search engine for a list of luggage shipping companies with varying convenience levels and prices.
  • Consider a frequent-flier membership. Getting a membership in a frequent-flier program can get rid of some these fees and limits, says Peterson. Look on the airline's Web site for information about their program.
  • Shop around. If your favorite airline keeps cutting back on particular amenities you want, consider flying on another airline that offers those same perks for free. Look on Web sites such as Expedia.com and Orbitz.com for ticket prices, then check the airline's Web site for information on bag restrictions and amenities (these are usually found in FAQ or help sections). If you have time, check public message boards such as the one on Frommers.com to get a sense of what it's like to fly on an airline unfamiliar to you.
Living without amenities: You can do it
Remember that the point of flying is to save the time and the money it would take to drive to your destination. You are not flying for the great food or the movies or the questionably laundered pillows. Just as you wouldn't expect a taxi driver to hand you a sandwich or a bus to supply you with free headphones, it shouldn't be a total loss if you have to fly without amenities. Pack light, bring your own grub, carry your own book, listen to your iPod tunes and slip that jacket on if it gets cold. You'll be there sooner than you know it.
 

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