Sneezing on a plane soon to cost $1

[Iflyamouse]

Before long, we'll be paying $1 for a tissue!

Not Even Soda Is Sacred




Tuesday, December 13, 2005; Page D01


Some frequent travelers have long joked that it was bound to happen, and now it has: An airline will begin charging $1 for a cup of soda, taking away one of the last in-flight perks that airlines historically have given away.
Beginning next month, American Airlines' regional carrier, American Eagle, will begin charging coach passengers for a 12-ounce soft drink as part of its latest effort to add revenue.

And there may be more costs to come. The airline may charge for its snacks and sell pillows and blankets so passengers can use them on other flights.
Eagle plans to begin charging for sodas on its flights in and out of Los Angeles.

If the test is successful, American's mainline fleet -- the nation's largest carrier -- could adopt some of the initiatives, said Eagle spokesman Dave Jackson, who acknowledged the potential for passenger blowback. "That's one of the reasons you test something, to see what kind of impact it might have," Jackson said. "There's a potential for it to go negatively. We also want to see what customers value."

Full story: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/12/12/AR2005121201460.html

 

[USC328]

And there may be more costs to come. The airline may charge for its snacks and sell pillows and blankets so passengers can use them on other flights.
Eagle plans to begin charging for sodas on its flights in and out of Los Angeles.

I hope they don't charge their own crewmembers for pillows and blankets. You know how it is when you get a really old seat and the extra pillow helps the lumbar. I can just see it now. Pilots walking through the terminal with their own purchased pillow. That should make the passengers feel oh soo comfortable and start raising the question, "What really happens behind that locked door?"

 

[Prop2Jet]

this sucks... what a crock of ceo crap.

 

[phildico]

To contrast, and admittedly I don't know their financials, but the wife and I were on a few Thai Airways flights in December. We had a couple of hour long flights with full meal services, free booze and headsets. Completely different attitude towards service over there.

 

[Prop2Jet]

Next we will need quarters for the lav and toilet paper. hahaahh

 

[PilotSkydiver]

Next we will need quarters for the lav and toilet paper. hahaahh

You Jest Sir... but they did try that in the SEA airport back in the day AS actually made a commercial about it where people were asking for quarters to use the airplane lav.. hilarious....

 

[Mr Wu]

Sign on the jetway door..........

NO OUTSIDE FOOD OR DRINK

 

[dash8driver]

you can just sneeze for free and wipe it on the seat in front of you.





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[Vik]

I can't wait till pay lavs!

 

[LowlyPropCapt]

Great...

Imagine how big passenger carry on bags will be now! Pillows, snacks, magazines, newspapers, books and now a 24 pack of Cherry Coke with an igloo full of ice to chill them!

 

[Flying Illini]

Sir, would you like a drink?

No thanks, I will however take a cup full of ice.


Maybe they will start a promotion...buy one pillow, get a free coke.

I would think that it will still cost the same...people will now forgo the soda and just have water (which is still free, right?) or an OJ, or tomato juice, or club soda. Even bottled water costs the airline money and the consumption of that will probably skyrocket.

Maybe I will start my own business...right outside the AE gates in LAX. I will sit there on my cooler full of soda and sell it to pax for $0.75 while they are standing in line to board.

 

[ReverseSensing]

Maybe I will start my own business...right outside the AE gates in LAX. I will sit there on my cooler full of soda and sell it to pax for $0.75 while they are standing in line to board.

See, it's a win-win situation. More revenue for the airlines, and an easy, convenient second job for regional pilots. Entrepreneurship at its finest.

 

[Ride Orange]

I feel sorry for the FA's. One FA all alone in the back to deal with the really pissed off passengers who can already be jerks when you are not giving them a good reason.

 

[propjockey]

I would think that it will still cost the same...people will now forgo the soda and just have water (which is still free, right?) or an OJ, or tomato juice, or club soda. Even bottled water costs the airline money and the consumption of that will probably skyrocket.

I don't know about your airline, but at ours I'm told that the little bottled waters we hand out are actually THE most expensive snack item we offer. And supposedly the liquor minis are among the cheapest.

 

[wms]

I feel sorry for the FA's. One FA all alone in the back to deal with the really pissed off passengers who can already be jerks when you are not giving them a good reason.

Not to mention 50 pax paying for $1.00 drinks with 10 and 20 dollar bills.

 

[U-I pilot]

"exact change only..."

 

[TCBKING]

You know what..
Screw all the passengers. Until they start paying to at least help the airlines break even, I hope we start charging them all for the air they breathe too. These people refuse to pay more than 300 bucks round trip coast to coast, when it would cost them twice that to drive. I could care less if they pay for sodas or pillows. Maybe then, they will quit reaching into our pockets to pay for their pretzels and peanuts..:beer:

 

[Boondock Saint]

Thats such BS...you know the price of that soda is included in the ticket...why the hell would they openly admit to charging for it? My wife just nr'ed on Allegiant and they charged her for soda...now she wasnt a paying customer so that I guess I can understand...but if we purchased a $400 ticket she better get her Diet Coke too.

 

[IFlyFL410]

They could charge $10 a can and if every pax bought 2 cans, Mgt. would still want "cost savings" from us. So, it really doesn't matter either way, but I do agree with where you're coming from though.

 

[Comin-In-Hot]

Yeah, the cost of a soda and cheesy poofs might be included in the airfare, but what about the cost of fuel at $70 a barrel? These morons who run these airlines have got to ALL get together and RAISE THE COST OF A TICKET!!!!! That is my not so humble 2 sents

 

[urflyingme?!]

I read a few months ago that DAL would have to raise the average ticket price by something like $75 a ticket on average to just account for the fuel price increases in the last 3 years...

 

[dash8driver]

I read a few months ago that DAL would have to raise the average ticket price by something like $75 a ticket on average to just account for the fuel price increases in the last 3 years...

or they would have to cut the employees salary and benefits, which is more likely. did the article say how much they'd have to cut to make up for fuel prices?


.

 

[Otto Coarsen]

Thats such BS...you know the price of that soda is included in the ticket...why the hell would they openly admit to charging for it? My wife just nr'ed on Allegiant and they charged her for soda...now she wasnt a paying customer so that I guess I can understand...but if we purchased a $400 ticket she better get her Diet Coke too.

Big deal, a buck for a coke? Have you seen the price of a ticket lately? For christ sakes how could you possibly put down an idea for generating revenue that doesn't involve slashing OUR pay and benefits? You may think the profits are minimal on dollar cokes, but I assure you they are not. My company, Allegiant Air, began charging for cokes roughly a year ago. (it isn't a new idea, LCCs in Europe have been doing it for years) From what we were told, it started as an experiment and went extremely well. I don't recall the exact number, but I know it was in the neighborhood of $300,000 in a year of excess revenue.

For those not wanting to spring for buy-on-board sodas, they make an announcement prior to boarding at the gate. Additionally, when folks buy their coke, they are more likely NOT to only half drink it. This means less wasted product and less cleanup as well. Our F/As carry waist-mounted credit card scanners for easy purchase too.

Passengers have demanded extremely low fares. Christ, we move people 1500 miles for 129 bucks! Where exactly can you justify giving products away?? For the guy who said "the cost of the soda is included in the price of the ticket" Are you nuts? The price of the gas, landing fees, and TSA arent even included in the price of a ticket.

 

[cforst513]

Next we will need quarters for the lav and toilet paper. hahaahh

i will just sh!t in my seat. see how they like it then. cheap jerkoffs...