Comments on: Air Travel Fees That Make Me Crabby - Introducing the “CRABBY Scale”

By: john

john — Tue, 06 May 2008 16:35:46 +0000

Clearly the goal in this country is to get us to stop flying. Companies are cutting travel expense forever. My company went from over 10k flights a year to now less than 1k flights a year. We use telecommuting equipment all over the world and our profits are soaring.

By: susan

susan — Mon, 05 May 2008 13:27:54 +0000

I am at a 10 crab level!! Had to fly to Greensboro, NC on business….sick with a TERRIBLE cold.
Now I know why USAIR is rated #1 as the worst in customer service.
I was late (6 minutes)for check in on my return flight…they wouldn’t let me on the flight…it had just
started boarding..I could have made it. I’ve been on flights where they have RE-OPENED the plane door to let on someone who was running late.
BUT…the real kicker was….There was a young black man that they let get on. He arrived at the same time as I did…there were all black agents at the USAIR counter….so tell me…DISCRIMANATION????? Of course. They have lost another customer

By: Dawn

Dawn — Sat, 03 May 2008 18:02:52 +0000

I for one am happy that they are charging people for the extras they use. I want my flights as cheap as I can get them and don’t want my fare to go up so so everyone can check two bags. If I want an aisle seat, I’ll pay more for it. Essentially, the airlines are giving a well deserved discount to people who are stuck in middle seats. I look at it like a cafeteria — you pay for what you want.

By: anne

anne — Sat, 03 May 2008 00:25:47 +0000

I think this page should be sent to the FAA, to every airline, to every congressperson and every senator.

By: Roamin Fred (uk)

Roamin Fred (uk) — Fri, 02 May 2008 15:24:20 +0000

You lot over the other side of the pond havnt seen everything yet, we poor europeans pay for nearly everything, and the cheap airlines are some of the worst, they charge you extra to book over the phone, seats are all priced at differant levels, even the emergency door seats they charge a premium for, lugguage weights for the hold, jet2 free up to 17 kg then whopping extras, WE ARE JUST WAITING FOR THE TOILET CHARGE TO COME INTO BEING, you might laugh, but they will eventually charge

By: Darren

Darren — Thu, 01 May 2008 20:30:06 +0000

Rick, I had a similar rant about airlines and the proposed charges by US airlines for window and aisle seats. It’s scandalous that airlines are treating consumers this way.

The only way to stop this stupid charging is for passengers to vote with their feet and not pay for extras. I travelled recently with my backpack as hand luggage and left the suitcase at home.

I saved money and helped the environment (a little)

Darren

By: jake lindsay

jake lindsay — Thu, 01 May 2008 17:22:22 +0000

Here is a curious one. While not a fee per se, it is another limitation on trying to use your air miles on USAir. I have made reservations for my daughter and her fiance (they will be married late in June) to fly to Hawaii in August for their honeymoon as my wedding present to them. When I made the reservations I was told to just call the mileage upgrade line to upgrade these seats to first class.
Well, I have called at least five times now, and they tell me that I cannot upgrade these seats because they still have a chance to be sold, and the earliest I can get an upgrade is the day before the flight. I believe this is a misrepresentation and leading me into a false impression that I even had a chance to upgrade these seats.
USAir is the only airline that I have had a problem with in this area. Now I see they want to merge with United, well why not they have ruined American West so far why not ruin United and USAir together now.
I give this a four crab level!!

Jake

By: Rebecca

Rebecca — Thu, 01 May 2008 16:06:15 +0000

I don’t mind paying a little extra to get a good seat, but on my last flight (NW), they CHANGED my seat and I was NOT reimbursed for my choice seat!! I wrote, I called… to no avail… seems to be their right to change you to another “similar” seat as needed. However the similar seat was next to the bathrooms, 15 rows further back and no seat to stow my purse under, so had to put it in the overhead 5 rows up. Seems to me if you pay for it you should get it… not be moved!!

By: Jen

Jen — Thu, 01 May 2008 15:20:55 +0000

The airline industry is going to shrink as they make it harder and more expensive for the average person to fly. They are going to deregulate themselves right out of business. At this point, I will do anything to avoid getting on a plane, it has become such an excruciating experience. I understand that their fuel costs are skyrocketing, I would understand an additional fuel charge, but all these extra charges are preposterous!

By: Kim Hansen

Kim Hansen — Thu, 01 May 2008 14:34:24 +0000

Let us get to the point. We all like to or need to go from point A to point B, and the airlines have facilitated this means of transportation as the better or several evils for most of us. It has, however, now turned into a method to see just how much can I squeeze the flying public without having reasons. I say stop writing about it, but let the agencies prove that the money collected is being used for the stated purpose. If they claim it and have been protected to charge these insane amounts / show that it is being used right and that it is still necessary. If we cannot bring liquids and eateables through the security, why not make cheaper foods available on th eother side ??? Let us face it this has become a licence to screw the public - US$ 7.50 for a hot dog - let’s get real and stop justifying what has become a legitimized robberry