Baggage fees.. Tightening the Screws

[Mike]

For someone who professes not to much care about this issue, you sure are taking this pretty seriously and have some pretty strong / defensive opinions.

A couple of quick points, then I am done.

I do not bluster about how much better I could run an airline. I do have some knowledge of costing and price development. IMO, they could be doing a much better job. Do you accept every disagreement with how an airline is run, or every suggestion as to how to do something different as an assertion of superiority? It is certainly not in evidence here that I have made any such assertions. If you think differently, please re-read what I have written.

I vote with my $$ and where there is a choice, I will choose the airline that burdens me with the least nonsense. I have communicated my displeasure directly to several airlines with regard to some of their current policies. No, I do not mean that I complain to the desk staff who have no say in such policies. I address my communications to management. Will any of this make a difference? That depends on how many other people bother to do anything. Businesses react to their customers.

I am not surpised by my Visa bill. Disliking the severe disconnect between advertised pricing and final cost does not equate to any inability on my part to properly manage my finances.

You sir, are a condescending ass. You have continually mischaracterized what I wrote. Have your fun. I will not be responding further.

Don't sweat him too much ggunn. I'm so happy to have left such a lifestyle behind in my youth and to now be able to deal with other human beings as a fellow human being instead reducing everything to a financial high horse brow beating of "letting" somebody make X amount of profit that he has deemed to be correct.

How do people like this even have kids? I can't imagine the negotiations that must have taken place to arrange the nights of the procreation? They probably involved Excel and a spread sheet and a negotiation of how much time he would commit to copulation with a take it or leave it offer on the table.

What a mess and what a way to live your short life you have on this planet.

 

[gcarter]

Don't sweat him too much ggunn. I'm so happy to have left such a lifestyle behind in my youth and to now be able to deal with other human beings as a fellow human being instead reducing everything to a financial high horse brow beating of "letting" somebody make X amount of profit that he has deemed to be correct.

How do people like this even have kids? I can't imagine the negotiations that must have taken place to arrange the nights of the procreation? They probably involved Excel and a spread sheet and a negotiation of how much time he would commit to copulation with a take it or leave it offer on the table.

What a mess and what a way to live your short life you have on this planet.

Oh look, another condescending ass.

Who knew.

 

[judydivescoz]

Oh look, another condescending ass.

Who knew.

I dont see what the big beef you have with the airlines is. Many websites have the total price with the taxes, even if they don't you know that taxes will be added so just press "next" or "continue" on the screen to see what the final cost is. To me, its not so hard or time consuming, its part of the process so its not a big deal. I hate paying extra for baggage but thats the deal. That added charge is not a secret so I plan accordingly. Investigating what seem to be to good to be true fares only takes a few clicks to see what the true cost is. Any pesty or inconvenience that is part of booking and flying is far outweighed by the pleasure of a great vacation wherever I am flying.
I hope that when you book your next trip or buy your next car that you are far more cordial and respectful of the people that you are negotiating with or booking thru than you have been in this thread.

 

[cvchief]

When I can travel with a carryon only, I get a little giddy about saving the checked bag fee. (And before you say it, the carryone is well under max size. I'm not replacing my checked bag with a carryon....) There must be a segment that doesn't need the checked bag and doesn't want it bundled. Well be it not in most vacation travel or esp. scuba vacation travel, but they must be out there.

Of course this trip is on Delta with a free bag, so I am looking for more crap to bring along.....

 

[DandyDon]

I think he was checking airline websites, which do quote fares before taxes, and which I think are devious in other ways. How this got to be a pissing match I don't know but at least no one has gotten to Godwin's law.

Yeah Chief, there are many travelers who only take carry-ons. Back around 1990 I hated them as they took so much time and space boarding and the airlines were just starting to limit them to one carry-on then. Remember Garment Bags? I saw people get on with all they could carry then. Nowadays they've streamlined and it was only fair to charge them a little less than people who checked bags - on domestic flights. For international, the airlines figure everyone will check at least one bag so build those prices into the ticket, partly to get that money earlier. Time & money = money.

Haha in 1990 I used to check 4 bags just to Dallas, often counting boxes packed with vegetables, melons, pumpkins, really - one a chain saw that still contained oil and gas fumes. :shocked2: Times have changed, some of it for good reason, but the airlines do seem to be milking that cash cow for all they can.

 

[judydivescoz]

I think he was checking airline websites, which do quote fares before taxes, and which I think are devious in other ways. How this got to be a pissing match I don't know but at least no one has gotten to Godwin's law.

I am confused as to how the airlines websites are "devious". I use Deltas alot and fly at least once a month and have never paid more than what was quoted on another web site. I even get more options on their reservation system than on Kayak. I also use my Delta AMex card and get a free checked bag on my domestic flights as well.
My point is getting to the bottom line on cost any travel site is very simple. Either deal with the site that has you click thru a few more pages to get to the bottom line or change travel sites. The addition of taxes should surprise no one. To bash an industry because you do not like how it presents your final cost is silly...just change the travel page to see the information presented they way you prefer.

 

[DandyDon]

I am confused as to how the airlines websites are "devious". I use Deltas alot and fly at least once a month and have never paid more than what was quoted on another web site. I even get more options on their reservation system than on Kayak. I also use my Delta AMex card and get a free checked bag on my domestic flights as well.

I wish I had saved screen shots as they don't do it often enough to catch easily...

Maybe you are shopping the providing company sites? Very bad move. It's fine to compare there, but those are the most offensive sites. Not only will they not quote the taxes and fees until they have to, many airlines have devious & evil computer programs that will monitor your shopping and raise fares as you keep looking at choices. At one time you could clear the site's cookies on your browser and try again but they are well beyond that; there is no anonymity any more, unless you go thru a middle site that will keep the secret. Many times I have had Continental Air quote me the lowest price possible, then Kayak quote the same Cont flights for $100 or so less, then connect me to Cont at the lower price to buy there.

"There are more things on heaven and earth, Horatio, than are dreamt of in your philosophy."

 

[gcarter]

I dont see what the big beef you have with the airlines is. Many websites have the total price with the taxes, even if they don't you know that taxes will be added so just press "next" or "continue" on the screen to see what the final cost is. To me, its not so hard or time consuming, its part of the process so its not a big deal. I hate paying extra for baggage but thats the deal. That added charge is not a secret so I plan accordingly. Investigating what seem to be to good to be true fares only takes a few clicks to see what the true cost is. Any pesty or inconvenience that is part of booking and flying is far outweighed by the pleasure of a great vacation wherever I am flying.
I hope that when you book your next trip or buy your next car that you are far more cordial and respectful of the people that you are negotiating with or booking thru than you have been in this thread.

The magic of web forums at work.

I do not have a big beef with airlines. I dislike their practices, I think they can do better, and I tell them so. As a consumer, I do that with most businesses I frequent.

The last time I booked a flight or negotiated anything, I was very respectful. I afford the respect that is warranted.

Several posters on here choose to answer honest opinions with personal slights and condescending insults. If my responses to such posts are viewed as less than cordial, so be it.

Make of that what you will.

 

[gcarter]

To bash an industry because you do not like how it presents your final cost is silly...just change the travel page to see the information presented they way you prefer.

This is another misrepresntation of what I wrote. However, if you choose to view criticism or dislike of their pricing practices as "bashing", that is your perogative.

 

[Mike]

My grandfather told me one time he was on the Hindenburg and would you believe he got stuck sitting next to Hitler for the flight and it was something like 8 hours of pure hell as Hitler laid claim to the arm rest between them, I guess it was foreshadowing of Hitler's coming rise to power, even at that point he showing his fixation for claiming territory. Damn Nazis!