The airlines have decided to gouge you during the holidays this year.

September 29, 2009 – 10:33 am – No Comment

fees

It looks like the airlines are at it again. They are really wanting to get any money that they can from you, the flyer, whenever and however they can. They pull dirty, sneaky tricks and expect consumers to just fall for them or accept them as the way it is. However, it kind of is “just the way it is” because I think in the United States, we have become accustomed to being kicked around by the airline industry.

So, what have the airlines done this time? Well, they have decided, all within hours of each other, to start charging an extra $10 per ticket if you decide you want to fly during the busiest travel days of the year.

The $10 charge that the airlines are imposing will be in the form of a “miscellaneous surcharge” that will be added to all the tickets that are for the days of November 29th, January 2nd, and January 3rd. The four airlines that have all decided to go this route are American Airlines, Delta, Northwest, and U.S. Airways.

Of course U.S. Airways has decided to take part in a new kind of charge. This is the same company that keeps increasing its baggage fees and even charges you an extra $5 if you want to check-in your baggage at the desk in the airport. That is outrageous in my honest opinion. When I was in Maryland for my cousin’s wedding in July, I asked my uncle if I could use his computer to print out my check-in information and when I told him that it would cost me an extra $5 if I waited until I got to the airport he looked at me and said, “Wow…that’s outrageous.”

So, when you go shopping for those plane tickets for this holiday season, remember that not only will you be paying extra for checked baggage, but now you also have to consider this new fee. That means when you’re looking at Orbitz or wherever you go to buy your tickets, the price that you’re seeing is not the price that you will pay. In some instances, your ticket will cost $30 or more than what the internet says. At least that is my understand of how this fee will work.
My guess is that the airlines don’t want to give you an upfront quote due to the fact that the lower price they actually see on the website will draw some customers in who are simply looking for the cheapest fare.

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