Attention would-be vacationers: go ahead, find that cheap airfare and get on a plane.
There are good reasons to do so.
I found six, and you may know more; mine include better passenger protections, lower airline fees and occasionally free pizza.
And that reminds me – I’ll save a slice for that alert TSA screener at the Indianapolis airport security line, too.
The Dept. of Transportation wants to hear from YOU. And I have no doubt, they’ll also be hearing from the airlines (that’ll be the screaming you hear – okay, just kidding – kind of).
Anyway, the DOT has a whole host of newly proposed regulations to “enhance” the airline passenger experience, and they’d like to know how you feel about it. So do I for that matter.
You can see all the details on these proposed airline rules on Dept. of Transportation site, but here are a few of the highlights (I think you’ll like these):
- BUMPING COMPENSATION: It could be raised to between $650 and $1,300; or the DOT might just toss out those limits and reimburse fliers between 100% and 200% the cost of their tickets – and bumping compensation could also be provided to frequent fliers using “free” tickets
- BAG FEES: Passengers might be compensated for bag fees if they get bumped or flights are canceled
- LOST BAGS: If bags aren’t delivered to passengers in a timely manner, there could be an additional payout
- NO PENALTY TICKET CANCELATIONBS: Make and cancel reservations within 24 hours and maybe get a total refund (some airlines already do this, including Alaska, American, Continental, Delta, United, US Airways, and Virgin America)
- TRANSPARENCY: The DOT wants the government to show the true price of airline ticket, meaning the base plus those taxes and fees (FareCompare always shows the full price of an airline ticket)
- PEANUTS: They might, once and for all, ban peanuts on planes
Want to comment on these proposed airline rules? You have 60 days to do so. You’ll need this docket number – DOT-OST-2010-0140 – then head the this site at http://www.regulations.gov and they’ll tell you what you need to do.
See my longer piece on the proposed airline rules, which includes my take on what is prompting all this.
You know all about the “regular” checked-bag fees, which are bad enough (and if you’re not familiar with them, check out our Domestic Bag Fee Chart before you get on a plane).
But the really expensive fees are reserved for these categories: overweight and oversize bags.
Perhaps you are thinking, well how bad could it be? Depending on size and heft of the bag, very bad indeed. Try, $300 worth of bad.
Want more? Take a look at “Checked Bag Fees – Cheap Compared to Airlines Oversize, Overweight Bag Fees”.
And in the meantime, please – no matter where you travel, pack sparingly.
I’m sure the PR marketing masters over at Spirit Airlines aren’t paid nearly enough – after all, they’re forever waging uphill battles, what with spinning disasters like the discount carrier’s new carryon bag fees (“Everybody wins!”) and their new airplane seats (“They’re pre-reclined!”).
Plus, they get bloggers like me to write about them, thus, spreading the name of Spirit (“There’s no such thing as bad publicity!”).
Haven’t heard about the new, pre-reclined seats that Spirit is installing? Well, Spirit has two new Airbus 320’s with these seats, which the Palm Beach Post says are “seats that don’t recline”. That’s a bit different from “pre-reclined” wouldn’t you say? But maybe Spirit fliers don’t care – two cited in the article noted that the carrier’s seats that do recline are already pretty uncomfortable.
But Spirit says these seats have advantages in that they weigh less so they provide the airline with better fuel economy (here’s where the Spirit PR whizzes should be proclaiming, “They’re greener!”).
Okay, that aside – Spirit Airlines is what it is – a low cost carrier with rock bottom prices, little in the way of perks, and a whole lot of fans who love those cheap flights. Oh, and one heck of a marketing team.
This takes effect for travel beginning June 16, 2010 (on tickets purchased beginning May 1):
Alaska Airlines has changed baggage fees, as follows:
- First, second and third checked bags will cost $20 apiece, each-way
- Fourth through tenth checked bags will cost $50 apiece, each-way
On the positive side, this actually represents a savings if you check three or more bags. On the other hand – how many of us do that?
Stephen Colbert of Comedy Central’s “The Colbert Report” has discovered budget carrier Ryanair’s plan to put pay-toilets on planes – and he has mixed feelings about these new airline fees.
Colbert: ”Airlines are entering a golden age of wallet sodomy.” But he also notes – there is an upside:
Colbert: “It is a terrorist deterrent – because both the underwear bomber and the cigarette-diplomat-not-a-bomber spent significant time in the bathroom prior to their arrest; now if they go into the bathroom and blow up the plane, we’ll have their fingerprints on the coin afterwards. Busted!”
But the airlines have missed some money-making opportunities:
Colbert: “Just take the cockpit. Looks an awful lot like an arcade game to me. Well, what if it was? If passengers don’t insert a quarter every ten minutes, it shuts down. And believe me, you don’t want to see “game over” when you’re 30,000 feet above the Atlantic.”
It’s all on the video below. Enjoy.
Hat tip to Mark Ashley at Upgrade: Travel Better
UPDATE: Add Sun Country to the list
Sen. Charles Schumer, who’s been on a rampage lately against Spirit Airlines’ new carryon bag fee (from $20 to $45) says at least five other airlines won’t be jumping on this odious bandwagon.
Several news organizations are reporting that the Democrat from New York says he “personally contacted officials at American Airlines, Delta Airlines, JetBlue, United Airlines and US Airways, and secured commitments from all five companies” not to charge passengers for carryon bag fees.
Where is Continental in that list? Perhaps it was too busy romancing United (and I’m talking mergers, not marriage).
My first reaction to these five commitments was a bit of surprise: I mean, when it comes to fees, airlines are usually part of the “never say never” school . On the other hand, they no doubt remember the scorching publicity US Airways received when it decided to charge for water and Cokes (that didn’t last long).
Apparently, there are some things even the airlines concede are sacrosanct – and one does not cross that line lightly.
