Southwest recently added a new early boarding fee called "upgraded boarding" and added fees on overweight baggage. They also admit that a no-show fee is in the works for the near future.
Nothing too serious yet, but admittedly Southwest has struggled compared to other airlines who have found ancillary fees to be the path to profitability.
In recent months, Southwest fares have been highly competitive beating out other airlines where they hadn't been in quite some time. Is it an attempt to build customer loyalty before adding more fees? Or the result of collecting a little more in optional services? We shall see.
For now, it is a great time to use Southwest, particularly with no bag fees for the first two bags and no change fees.
Sources: http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/12/17/uk-southwestair-fees-idUSLNE8BD01O20121217
http://www.southwest.com/html/customer-service/travel-fees.html
Wednesday, February 13, 2013
Friday, December 14, 2012
Tuesday, November 6, 2012
Monday, October 8, 2012
Are Children People Too?
Few of us who have experienced air travel have avoided the annoyance of being stuck in a small space with a screaming or obnoxious child. This blog has offered up advice to the parents of young children in an effort to help any would listen make air travel smoother for all.
But several Asian airlines are now in the process of either banning children from certain flights or creating "child-free zones."
And even on American carriers, new fees to select seats (on many airlines you must pay extra to choose aisle or window seats) make it very difficult, not to mention prohibitively expensive, for a family to travel seated together.
Before the advent of allowing travelers to select their own seats, airline representatives would seat families near the rear of the plane automatically. But with the advent of seat selection, it became a little trickier. Initially, families might select to sit up in the front of the plane, very close to first class and business class sections. Increasingly, airlines have started to reserve those seats for frequent travelers and those willing to cough up extra money to sit near the front in an effort to keep families to the back. The logic is that paying $59 for a seat fee is one thing; paying $59 for five different people gives most people more pause. And most children are not frequent fliers.
But a ban? A ban disturbs my freedom-loving, "created equal" American consciousness. If we can ban children from a flight, or even a section of a flight, who else will we ban?
Sources: "Airline to roll out child-free 'Quiet Zone' in coach class," USA Today
"Flying solo: New airline policy keeps family and friends from sitting together on flights," AP.
But several Asian airlines are now in the process of either banning children from certain flights or creating "child-free zones."
And even on American carriers, new fees to select seats (on many airlines you must pay extra to choose aisle or window seats) make it very difficult, not to mention prohibitively expensive, for a family to travel seated together.
Before the advent of allowing travelers to select their own seats, airline representatives would seat families near the rear of the plane automatically. But with the advent of seat selection, it became a little trickier. Initially, families might select to sit up in the front of the plane, very close to first class and business class sections. Increasingly, airlines have started to reserve those seats for frequent travelers and those willing to cough up extra money to sit near the front in an effort to keep families to the back. The logic is that paying $59 for a seat fee is one thing; paying $59 for five different people gives most people more pause. And most children are not frequent fliers.
But a ban? A ban disturbs my freedom-loving, "created equal" American consciousness. If we can ban children from a flight, or even a section of a flight, who else will we ban?
Sources: "Airline to roll out child-free 'Quiet Zone' in coach class," USA Today
"Flying solo: New airline policy keeps family and friends from sitting together on flights," AP.
Wednesday, September 26, 2012
Free Museum Day on September 29
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| My son visiting the Museum of Flight in Seattle |
To obtain your admission, you need to register for the museum you would like to visit and you will be emailed two free tickets. (If you are taking a family of four, you can register two different people who will each obtain two tickets.) To find participating museums, you can search by state or zipcode.
Friday, August 10, 2012
Leave Me Alone!
There was a day when I was booking coworkers on a business trip when I would work very hard to get them in seats next to each other or across the aisle from each other. In the back of my mind I would wonder if I were going on the trip if I wouldn't rather just be alone where I could read my book in peace.
But it wasn't until Karen* told me when booking her flight "Please do not put me ANYWHERE near them" that I finally realized that I wasn't the only one who prefers to travel silently, finally getting the peace and quiet that is so lacking from our daily lives.
Kimberly Benzel, flight attendant for an unnamed airline, told me her company is still debating whether or not to offer wireless on flights. Why? "Very few people are willing to purchase it." Prices for wi-fi are very modest, particularly for business passengers who usually add luggage fees, upgraded seat fees and are willing to plop down $10 for a drink. My guess is that most of us find the few hours in a plane the only time we have without a ringing cell phone, emailed questions and problems, and people barraging us with chatter.
Flying is a bit of peace, a time to catch up on all the reading that we need to do for our jobs but gets interrupted when we are at our desks. Oh, and maybe we don't want to read any more white papers and flying gives us a chance to pull out our Kindles and paperbacks and read the latest Patterson novel.
What about you? Do you want to sit next to your coworker on a trip? Or do you just want the world to quit talking for two minutes?
*name has been changed for fun
But it wasn't until Karen* told me when booking her flight "Please do not put me ANYWHERE near them" that I finally realized that I wasn't the only one who prefers to travel silently, finally getting the peace and quiet that is so lacking from our daily lives.
Kimberly Benzel, flight attendant for an unnamed airline, told me her company is still debating whether or not to offer wireless on flights. Why? "Very few people are willing to purchase it." Prices for wi-fi are very modest, particularly for business passengers who usually add luggage fees, upgraded seat fees and are willing to plop down $10 for a drink. My guess is that most of us find the few hours in a plane the only time we have without a ringing cell phone, emailed questions and problems, and people barraging us with chatter.
Flying is a bit of peace, a time to catch up on all the reading that we need to do for our jobs but gets interrupted when we are at our desks. Oh, and maybe we don't want to read any more white papers and flying gives us a chance to pull out our Kindles and paperbacks and read the latest Patterson novel.
What about you? Do you want to sit next to your coworker on a trip? Or do you just want the world to quit talking for two minutes?
*name has been changed for fun
Wednesday, August 8, 2012
Fares Up; Fall Sales Approaching
Airlines raised fares this month for the fourth time this year. Along with increased fees, flying is a spendy venture.
Fall sales should begin around August 20. However, with increased fares and more fees, it may be that fall travel will be expensive. Typically, fall is the least-traveled season and offers the best fares. The earliest sales may not be the best as airlines determine exactly what consumers are willing to pay to fly.
If you need to fly later in the fall, don't forget to track flights at Yapta.com and hope for a nice fare drop.
Sources: USA Today
Fall sales should begin around August 20. However, with increased fares and more fees, it may be that fall travel will be expensive. Typically, fall is the least-traveled season and offers the best fares. The earliest sales may not be the best as airlines determine exactly what consumers are willing to pay to fly.
If you need to fly later in the fall, don't forget to track flights at Yapta.com and hope for a nice fare drop.
Sources: USA Today
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