Flying for Christmas: Nickeled and dimed

[trof]

Our darlin' daughter got us flights to be with her & family in Boston using some of her credit card miles.
Bless her.

I just went to the AirTran website to print out our intenerary.
Guess what I found out?
$15 fee for the first checked bag (50 lb. limit or there's an additional charge)
$25 for a second bag.
OK, we can probably keep it to one apiece, but still...
:grr:

Then I saw that I could select our seats.
Cool.
Until I found THAT would cost another $6 each.
Just to select our seats in advance.
:wtf:
Oh, and an additional $20 if you want a seat in an exit row with a smidge more legroom.

We need a new term for 'nickeled and dimed'.
$5ed and $10ed?
:nuke:

[KittyWampus]

1. they gonna start charging for oxygen on airplanes next.

[Ms. Toad]

2. I agree about the bag fees - they really rub me the wrong way

Aside from anything else, they have turned boarding into a nightmare on all but the half empty flights as everyone takes the maximum number of large carryons on board with them in order to avoid the additional fees.

As to the other fees - they are just stupid. Wait until the online check in time. Unless you pay the extra $20 in advance for the exit row seats you'll have better seat selection - they open up the good seats then if no one has forked over the convenience fee for booking in advance.

That - or fly Southwest, where none of those extra fees exist.

[trof]

9. Southwest - If I could, I would.

No service in our area.
:-(

[KharmaTrain]

3. Why I've Done Far Less Traveling...

I used to travel once a month...and twice a year on a family vacation. Not this year...and the major reason was the hassles at the airport. Between the arrogance and price gouging of the airlines (not to mention piss pour customer service), it's the zealous TSA agents looking at everyone as some kind of terrorist suspect. And that doesn't take into account the constant hassles with flights being late and trying to either rebook a flight or cancel. It's all a big pain. Given the opportunity to drive or take the train, that's the options as flying, which as a kid was a lot of fun, today can and does make trips get off to a bad start.

[ellenfl]

4. one word . . . southwest. they charge for early seating but not for

those other things.

ellen fl

[blueamy66]

7. Yep, Southwest is the way to go.

And I'm an American Airlines kid....my Dad worked for them for over 40 years. AA will always be my favorite, but right now Southwest is the best.

[mgc1961]

18. Word at the airport is...

...Southwest begins charging for second bag in the spring.

[ellenfl]

20. at least they are not charging for the 1st bag! i never check more than 1 anyway. eom

[blueamy66]

21. Uh oh

Well, I like to carry my bag on....I am so afraid of checking my bags....my Dad worked in baggage claim for a few years. :)

[mgc1961]

30. I'm with you.

I rarely take more stuff than I can easily carry because it makes transportation when I'm off the airplane easy too.

[Bluebear]

23. Nope. It's part of their branding strategy.

[Uben]

5. The new term is......

...."raped"!

[madokie]

6. I made that graduation a long time ago

five'd and ten'd

[unhappycamper]

8. Bring your woolies.

You'll need them up heah.

[trof]

16. Who's leaving the house once we get there?

Not me.
I'll spend the next couple of weeks in a comfortable chair by the hearth.
:-)

'Once we get there.'
Forecast to start snowing in Boston Saturday night and all day Sunday, our arrival day.
:-(

[Stinky The Clown]

10. They also allow you to upgrade to first for a fee

AirTran = a la Carte Air.

AirTran - where wings are optional.

AirTram waiting room sign seen along the way:

Pax w/Seats <this way> Pax w/o Seats

[JVS]

11. Fuck that shit. I like to drive.

[trof]

17. Me too, but there's a little matter of a blizzard

between here and there.
:-(

[Buzz Clik]

12. AirTran? Really? How disappointing.

I have only flown AirTran to take advantage of their direct flights from Indy to Vegas for an annual business trip. I always found them acceptable and affordable. They trimmed their schedules last year, so it's been two years since I've flown them. I won't bother looking at AirTran for my 2010 trip.

[Shagbark Hickory]

13. Air Tran allows a pretty generous carry on size and weight though. Last I checked, that was free

[DrDan]

14. so what was the final price? Was it reasonable?

Why don't you look at it this way.

If you don't check any baggage - you will save $15.
If you don't care what seat you are assigned - you will save at least $6 - and perhaps more.

[trof]

15. Price a bit 'north' of $800 for 2, coach, RT, PNS-BOS.

It was actually 'free' since she used credit card miles, but that was the cost listed on the itenerary.

[DrDan]

19. ouch - good thing you did not have to pay that

We fly airtran quite often. Not the most "exclusive" of carriers - but the price we usually have to pay is very reasonable - and the flights are adequate.

[trof]

24. And she booked them in August.

whew
:eyes:

[rd_kent]

31. So, you got two round trip tix for 50 bucks?

and you are complaining?

[trof]

32. I'm just a kvetch.

It's not about MY cost.
It's about the whole downward spiral of air travel.
I was there in the good ol' days.
<sigh>

[rd_kent]

33. Ditto. But the class of people has also gone downhill.

Remember when people wore nice clothes to fly? Now I see women in pajama bottoms and slippers, men in cut-off t-shirts, etc, etc. Its like riding the greyhound bus used to be.

[pitohui]

22. just wear everything, didn't you read the poisonwood bible? :-)

in addition to paying a bag fee if you're not an elite flyer on that airline, you end up in a huge line w. all the other amateur flyers who have to pay a bag fee

just wear everything and pack a tiny daypack and you're good to go

if you're not an elite flyer with that airline, yeah, they're going to sell you the choice seats, not just give them to you for free, i don't know a work around for that

if you're large/have a health problem and need an exit row, i guess you have to pay the $20

i fly so much i don't pay the fees but i'll ask around if there's a different work around

for the checked bag fee, definitely just don't bring all that -- you're visiting relatives, my guess is that they have a way to do the laundry if need be!!!

[trof]

26. I'm taking 4 changes of clothes for a two week visit.

Including skivvies.
Yep, washer and dryer on premises.
I was an airline pilot for 35+ years and know how to travel light.
:-)
I keep a fleece sweat suit at her house and I'll probably live in that most of the time.

[DefenseLawyer]

25. $7 to rent a pillow.

That's my favorite.

[trof]

27. I'll pass on the $7 Germ Ranch.

yuck

[DefenseLawyer]

36. No kidding n/t

[DemoTex]

28. Just remember the airline pilots' mottoes:

1. If it's free, it's for me.

2. If you have time to spare, go by air.

Have a great trip!

[trof]

29. And..."Marry me and fly for free."

;-)

[CaliforniaPeggy]

34. Air Tran?

We used them, or I should say, they used us, last summer when we flew from LAX to Minneapolis.

I remember they were the return leg.


NO MEALS. None. Just snacks. AND we were in business class. And to top that off, our luggage took forever to come off the plane.

They were so damn chinzty that we could hardly stand it.

NEVER AGAIN.

Hope they treat you better...

And have a great time!

:hi:

:hug:

[DFW]

35. I HATE flying within the USA these days

There is a clause in the fare arrangements that says that the luggage fees get waived if the domestic portions
of the trip within the US are connected with an international ticket issued overseas (as mine are). Think the
US carriers care? If you yell and scream and ask for a supervisor, then they do. Otherwise, they say "I don't
know anything about that. $40 please."