Airlines will make a record $118 billion in extra fees this year—their websites are designed to get you to pay::Airlines are piling on fees for checked bags, assigned seats, and other extras. Here’s how their websites pressure fliers into paying for them.
Recently booked some flights with United. Chose Economy (not Basic). Tried to book row 30 or something around there but they wanted an extra $140 per seat. Said fuck it and booked row 58. Two weeks later got an email letting me know my seats were changed to row 30 at no charge.
What a scam.
Yeah, this is a pretty common thing for me as well. I prefer to sit by my wife on long flights (3+ hours) and will usually pay an enormous fee for a damned middle seat. Outside of that, pfft hell no. Then it’s a toss-up whether I get what I want or not. The prices are pretty outrageous considering it costs nothing.
On exception was flying Lot Airlines to and from Poland. We picked seats together on both flights, and neither selection was honored. That was pretty BS. They couldn’t fix it at the gate because the flight was full and it would be too difficult. 🤦♂️
Can’t just ask the person to swap you? Most people don’t want the middle seat.
Hmm. That’s a good point… Book both the aisle and window and hope nobody takes the middle! Depending on the route that’s workable.
If that doesn’t pan out, I suppose the situation is similar, but I’ll get to make someone a bit happier by swapping, which is also a win.
Seriously, thank you. I got something out of this.
I was charged a fee for checking-in with the person at the counter, instead of checking-in using their website or app. It’s deliberately scummy
Well if everyone did that, they’d have to hire more personel to handle all these check-ins.
It’s a cost-saving measure that’s passed on to you.
It’s more the fact that it wasn’t an obvious fee. I can deal with checking-in with a phone, but it would’ve been nice if it had been more obvious that there was a fee if I didn’t. Live and learn
Maybe it’s because I’m just used to it, it’s pretty standard here in Europe with low-costs.
I prefer not talking to a person anyway though so works for me
They should hire a Wacky Waving Inflatable Arm-Flailing Tube Man
Their UX is also incredibly deceptive. I’ve personally seen old folks trying to book on low-cost airline websites and they often believe they have to pay extra to get a seat.
Absolutely. And they push bundles that don’t make financial sense but look attractive because we’re conditioned to think bundles are good. $30 to check a bag OR $72 to check a bag and board in Group 2 lol.
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Micro transactions extend beyond video games and airline companies are the biggest offenders. Flying in the US is a scam and a half. Want a seat? Pay. Want some water? Pay. Pretty soon, want oxygen? PAY!
Nah, the biggest scam is medicine. Need surgery? Pay. Want it done in an operating room? Pay. Want anesthesia? Pay.
I mean, I’m all for single-payer healthcare, but under that system all of the people involved in surgery and anesthesia would still get paid, and I think they should.
People shouldn’t work for free.
I’m fairly certain they don’t think people should work for free, but that the cost of a surgery shouldn’t be several bills to the hospital, the doctor, the anesthesiologist, the nurses, and wherever else they come up with who want s separate bill. When I go to the grocery store, it’s not like I pay the cashier, the stocker, the store itself, and the manager. It’s so confusing when you have to pay several different parties whose bills come in weeks to months after the surgery.
I booked flights a few months ago and got so mad at all the upselling they tried to do and how little they gave for the base price. My wife had to talk me down from throwing my computer. I’m normally a calm person.
The idea that someone wouldn’t break in the US with workplace expectations and cultures, that consumers shouldn’t lose their shit (demanding corporate actions not taking it out on front liners) is the gaslighting, sorry to use the oft misattributed word.
US workplaces grind out profits on insufficient staffing, poor procedures, dangerous consequences for employees and customers all so that the 1% can get quarterly stock grants and options worth more than the lifetime earnings of an employee.
You can buy tickets at the ticket counter and they can’t charge all the convenience fees. We’ve gotten tickets for 50% of what they were listed for online. Just go when there isn’t a flight departing and have all your info ready to go. They will not be happy you are there.
Most airlines don’t charge convenience fees. It looks like Spirit does, not surprisingly.
I worked at an airport for a major airline over a decade ago. IIRC there was a $25 charge for booking at the airport (I can count on one hand how many times people actually showed up for that) and it didn’t give any cheaper fares than online. All we’d do is book in full Y to get the itinerary started, then LA$R on that command line system (how do I still remember that?) to automatically change the fare class to whatever was cheapest available while still following all the fare rules.
Bonus points for anyone who knows what system we used that LA$R is a thing.
What fees do you find waived and for what airline? I haven’t noticed TicketMaster-like convenience fees with the ones I fly
Spirit, avelo… But the fucking smiles are free
I’ve done it with frontier and spirit. I’m not sure what the specific fees are, but it’s saved me tons of money for the few years I’ve been doing it.
I got charged $25 per ticket to check-in at the counter when I lost my phone. If I had known ahead of time I’d have done something else but I didn’t have any spare time at that point.
This isnt checking in at the counter it’s purchasing the tickets at the counter.
I know it’s different. Just providing my experience of something that didn’t use to cost extra but now does.
Are they extra fees or just the price of the ticket? Southwest charges to board first. Is that a fee or just a better ticket?
It’s a fee, boarding first isn’t a privilege really, though I understand why it might feel that way to some
boarding first isn’t a privilege really
It is on southwest, since there’s no unassigned boarding. I’m a tall dude, and I always pay for early boarding so I can get myself an emergency row seat
Ah, I’ve never flown without an assigned seat. Can see it making sense in that case
A fee for a better ticket
Flew AA recently and never again. Upcharge for me and my wife to sit together, upcharge for me and my wife to board at the same time (only one of us is in their “Advantage” program), and checked baggage rules were changed recently so our biggest suitcase is now twice as expensive (being 3in too big).
Does anyone know what is the most ethical airline?
None of them are ethical.
Define your terms? Pilot/staff pay, minimization of cost, carbon efficiency, something else? I’ll look it up, based on order of your concern.
Kind of curious my own self.
Initially I thought I need an airline that help in boycotting Isreal. I figured South Africa, or Ireland might be good. But now, I wonder about the different aspects you mentioned.
Maybe there is a website that have all these details?
I’ve been poking around a few minutes and can’t find a centralized website. Honestly, add a ticketing system to a website like that and I’d use it over Priceline etc
If we’re not talking about US airlines exclusively, I have very good experiences with Austrian Airlines. Their booking is straightforward, no hidden fees, good service on the airplane. The only issue I can think of is that it can be difficult to get into contact with a person from that airline when flying from a non-Austrian airport, but that is rarely needed anyway. They’re not low-cost though.
