Lessons from American Airlines
May 22, 2008 by ShannonCherry
Filed under Business
I think all of us understand that rising fuel prices will equal a higher ticket price at for air travel.
But charging 15 bucks to check in a first bag (let alone the $25 per additional bag) is simply a dumb move. Especially when there are already problems with getting luggage to arrive when you do!
Frankly, it’s a bad PR move.
A vast array of confusing fees, surcharges, and penalties simply angers valuable customers. And think of all the people who will try to ’save’ money by not checking in bags. For me, it means if I fly with my family, I can bring aboard 4 small bags, plus my big purse. Think of the lines! Oh what joy!
If you need to add on an additional fee to meet expenses, then simply include it in the actual price of the product or service. Don’t tack on additional fees on the back end. People will ultimately feel ripped off.
What do you think?
I agree. It adds to the stress and annoyance of travel to be nickel and dimed to death, after you have already paid a high fee for the fare. And it means more receipts to remember for business travel.
I think the reason they are doing this is that these surcharges won’t show up in travel search engines like Travelocity. Since so many of us search by lowest price, airlines will keep the headline price low and then hit you up with a load of surcharges. It sucks, though.
I can tell you what airline I *won’t* be flying in the future…
I’d rather they just raised prices across the board, and then give a *discount* for not checking bags (since I rarely check one anyway). The way they handled it is a PR nightmare, makes an already irritable traveling public feel like we’re being nickeled and dimed to death, and just rubs most everyone I’ve talked to the wrong way.
If I were a competing airline, I’d be all over this one… with an ad campaign sympathetic to travelers needs and a promise not to charge for BS like this. It’s a golden opportunity to capitalize on American’s PR blunder.
As a traveler who works to avoid checking in baggage (single carry on and a small back pack for laptop), I’m not that thrilled about subsidizing other people’s carry ons through an increase in the actual ticket fare.
I like a ‘pay for what you use’ type of system. It’s a personal responsibility instead of a socialistic view of air travel.
I agree but to certain (most?) airlines the concept of “valuable customers” is not a concept they not understand. In Europe Ryanair are doing the same thing, but have lots and lots, of additional ways in which also squeeze revenue from their customers. I flew from London last week and was offered “priority boarding” for €20. I thought -”Who would be daft enough to fall for that?” But to my surprise many did! People started lining for priority boarding a full hour before the flight departure time, stood there all the time while I sat there comfortably and read a book. They got on before me, but so what, we all departed on the same plane at the same time.
You made the comment that “People will ultimately feel ripped off” Here in Europe we already do!