According to this article originating from the Seattle Times, American Airlines, Delta Airlines, Continental Airlines and United Airlines are all raising their checked bag fees for flights within the U.S., Canada, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Yikes!
And according to the U.S. Department of Transportation’s October 2009 Air Travel Consumer Report, “close to 208,000 filed baggage complaints (relating to lost, damaged, or delayed baggage, charges for excess baggage, carry-on problems, and difficulties with airline claims procedures) with their carriers.”
What other industry rewards confusion, apathy and incompetence by punishing its customer base with higher costs and gets away with it? (And no, politics is not an industry.)
– Delta Airlines’ fee for the first checked bag goes from $15 to $23 (each way!) and from $25 to $32 for the second bag – but only if paid online in advance. Add and other $2 or $3 a bag, respectively, if paid at the airport.
– Continental Airlines’ fee for the first checked bag goes from $18 to $23 and $27 to $32 for the second bag – with the same bump if not paid in advance online.
– United Airlines’ fee for the first checked bag goes from $15 to $23 and from $25 to $32 for the second – also with the same $2 and $3 bump if you pay at the airport.
– And in a step back in technological convenience and savings, American Airlines doesn’t even offer an online check-in option. They just screw you at the airport for $25 for the first bag and $35 for the second. Maybe they give pretzels during the flight.
As your Spite Attendants, we simply have one question. WTF!!?? Years ago, the morons at First Chicago Bank tried to discourage customers from using tellers by charging a $3 fee. Good thinking. The then 10th largest bank in the U.S. was taken over by the 18th largest bank in the U.S. OK, OK, the customer fee may not have entirely led to its demise – they apparently also really sucked at making loans. But our point is, STOP punishing the customer for being a customer. The airlines are supposed to move people and things. Oh, and the people you’re moving are usually taxpayers who periodically bail your asses out for incompetence, mismanagement and ego.
Here’s an idea, America: Every time you see an airline commercial or read an ad, bill that airline for the time it took you to see or read it. We will be putting up a template invoice and the billing addresses of the major airlines in an upcoming post.
