Just how important are airline fees?

There seems to be new ones every day: bag fees, change fees, food fees, etc. And we have to wonder if these fees are really necessary or just a nuisance.

On Wednesday, U.S. Airways prez Scott Kirby said his airline expects to bring in about $500 million in these ancillary fees. Oh, and the airline expects to make about $450-475 million in profit this year.

That’s right. The airline’s profit is coming completely from these fees. So, don’t expect them stop anytime soon.

I just wonder, what will be next?

Dallas Morning News

(Frank II)

Comments

[AndyB]

These fees are great!

The airline has to make their profit somewhere... and the use of fees means that the disorganised passenger with the check in luggage gets to subsidise 1-bag travellers who think ahead and take a sandwich onboard with them.

Works for me.

[Till]

In a way the fees give more transparency. Before what is now called fees was simply included in the price of the ticket. Now the ticket has a price that's actually lower than before while operating costs are higher but then you add the same amount for fees.

While it makes it more transparent it is not very smart in a marketing sense because a) it's complicated and b) it seems like fees are freely invented to add to the price. So customers get ticked if they see all those fees listed.

I wonder when an airline will have the good sense to make an all-inclusive ticket maybe with a luggage option and make things simple again. Give the customer the choice to few detailed billing on request only.

It's a bit like sales tax or eating at a restaurant. The advertised price is not what you will have to pay. It's misleading.

[Ivan P]

WIth a little planning, it is possible to avoid most, if not all fees on the UK budget airlines.
I for one would like to see the existing pricing structure stay.
It is not my fault that some airline passengers cannot manage without extra baggage, airline food or not being on the plane first.
As said in a previous comment:
"let the disorganised passengers subsidise the 1 bag travellers" :-)

[Frank II]

While few if any of the current fees affect me, why concern is this: If these fees make a profit for the airlines, what new fees will they come up with to make even more profit and then the new ones might affect me.

Will the airlines initiate a "carry-on" fee like Spirit? Will they start charging to use credit cards or to have your boarding pass printed at the airport like Ryanair? Or chage to put my bag in the overhead bin?

My concern is how far will they take it?

[vidro para relogio]

Here in Brazil we have the most expensive airlines fee all over the world but the most poor services instead.