High oil prices vs diving vacation

[scubapro50]

Delta Airlines just announced that there will be a $50 surcharge for the 2nd checked bag on any of their flights booked before August 1 ......... there will also be additional $25 fee for equipment bags like golf clubs or large sports bags. After talking it over with the wife we deceided to cancel our plans to fly to Grand Cayman and wait and see if the price of the airline tickets might come down later in the year.

 

[peterbj7]

Not the last person to make that decision, I'm sure. But Murphy's law says that when you do want to fly the charge will be $50 for each bag, and $100 for any bag they decide is overweight or oversize. The airlines realise they're onto a good thing here, as they can keep these costs off the posted ticket prices so as not to discourage people from flying, yet people will still pay as they have absolutely no choice.

I wonder how long it will be before the grand ocean liners come back into favour?

 

[ArcticDiver]

Now that passenger baggage charges have moved from incidental charges to a significant profit center I wonder if the scales the airlines are using are checked by the state weights and measures people? It seems to me that an out of calibration scale, of course in the airline's favor, could cheat the consumer/passenger.

I have watched airline employees be pretty careless about what is on the scale when they check luggage weight. Up to now I suspect that hasn't meant a whole lot. But, we passengers need to be alert to be sure they pay for only their bag and not something else on the scale.

A Delta employee tells me they have a Big Incentive to find and charge overweight bags. They get points they can use for benefits. I suspect other airlines have similar plans. Again, a reason to be sure the scale that is used is certified and nothing but your bag is on it.

 

[cave_diver]

The problem is not just getting there; the problem is also getting around when you are there. Many dive operators have increased pricing (i.e. for boot diving) due to high oil prices. So I guess the lucky ones are the divers who live near a coastline, lake or spring anywhere in the world.

 

[scubapro50]

The price of oil has dropped by almost 1/3 .... down to just over $100. I wonder when the airlines will start dropping their prices? Many resorts in Grand Cayman have reported recorded lows for tourists. Liveaboard dive boats have also reported decline in bookings. Another Scubaboard thread has reported two dive operations in Hawaii that have gone under this year already. Congress is not helping much ...... no bailout yet so credit is still tight ..... and everyones knows that the dive industry runs on credit (Visa and MasterCard).