The people who create these Daily updates sure can get creative in spinning something the company does. First you think you are going to get good news but instead the customer gets another "change we think you'll like." Unbelievable. Enough with the euphemisms and spin: "We're charging you more because we can" would seem to work.

Another example of the company finding ways to cover the contract they are going to have to pay us. (Sorry, had to say it because I can't resist.)

"Options" and "value"? Seriously? It's bad enough we charge for a first bag, but if the bag is NOT heavy what complexity or extra handling is there to warrant a $70 second-bag fee vs. a $25 first-bag fee? A customer checks two bags of 40 pounds what justifies one being moved around the system for $45 more? The $25 fee is supposed to take into account the fuel costs to carry that bag in the first place. "Ripoff" would be more appropriate than "value" in my opinion.

We introduce new international baggage options for customers
We are introducing new international baggage policies for first and second checked bags, effective for tickets purchased on or after July 15 for travel beginning Aug. 15.


We have introduced a $25 bag service fee between the U.S./Canada/Puerto Rico/Virgin Islands and the Caribbean, which aligns the policy with current North America travel for the first checked bag fee. We will introduce a second checked-bag service fee of $70 between the U.S./Canada/Puerto Rico/Virgin Islands and Asia (except Hong Kong and Japan), Australia, New Zealand, Micronesia, Israel and the Middle East.
This introduction follows the industry trend of providing more options to travelers, so they may customize their travel experience by paying only for those products and services that they want and value. It also ensures that other customers who are not using those services are not subsidizing those who do.


“The simplified fee structure and the introduction of these fees are both geared toward providing customers greater clarity and choice,” said Exec. VP and Chief Revenue Officer Jim Compton. “Checked baggage is a valuable service with a complex structure in place to get a bag from point A to point B. This is an additional service to customers who travel with checked bags, and we think customers value it.”


The service fee will not apply to elite customers, customers in first and business class, or U.S. military personnel and their families traveling on official orders. The service fee also will not apply to U.S. customers with eligible CO credit cards.

 

He might as well say, "we're bending you over without using any KY and there's nothing you can do about it."

The boarding process will take longer because of all the extra carry-on luggage.

 

Maybe so, but he's just giving the consumer what they want... and that's cheap. We're still taking care of our high value customers. Airfares are what pay our wages, and we constantly complain about how low they are, then we complain about charging the customer for more service. Can't have it both ways. That's our money Jeff's bringing in... now we need to make him fork it over!

 

Hallelujah!!! I've lived to see the day! May it find fertile ground and prosper.

 

I agree with the sentiment about being OUR money as I have said for every initiative that brings in or saves the company money: "Jeff must be finding ways to pay us for the contract we are going to get out of him!"

That being said, while we can't have it both ways, I think most of us would like to see pricing that makes sense. If they want to charge for a first bag, fine. But if that bag has a 50-pound limit, and a passenger checks multiple bags under the limit, why can't there just be a flat fee for each bag under 50 pounds? If bags exceed 50 pounds, then there is a flat rate heavy bag fee.

The airlines and ATA are now fighting new DOT rules that would require them to list on their website all the OTHER charges the passenger may eventually pay when they travel on the ticket they are about to buy. Of course they are crying poverty in their arguments saying that the amount of money that would be required to update their websites would be too much and essentially be another "tax" on the system. Seriously?

Is it unreasonable to have a pop-up window that states, "The following are some of the service and fees which may apply to the use of your ticket on XYZ Airlines depending on how you prefer to travel:

1. Ticket counter check in fee $5 (Save money by checking in online)
2. Checked bag fee $25 (Save money by only bringing a carry on)
3. Second bag fee $50 (Save money by checking only one bag)
4. In-cabin pet fee $125 (Save money and leave your pet at home!)
5. On board entertainment $6-8 LiveTV (Save money:bring a book or ipad!)
6. On board food purchase $3-10 (Save money: bring your own or starve!)
7. Extra legroom seats $9-109 (Sorry you're to tall for our standard seats)"

Don't think that is asking too much. In reality the companies are fighting the ability to hide these fees from the traveling public so they have the average passengers trapped into paying for something they didn't know about.

 

Without "Spin", Jeff & Fred would have to tell us the TRUTH.

We can't have that, it would be too much "dignity & respect".