You're charging me for WHAT?!?!??!

[sharonny]

Might as well add to the mix. If you want to utilize the TV on Jetblue you now have to pay $1.00 to use the headphones or you can bring your own. :)

[Shorex]

Do the airport scales get certified somehow?

 

Yes and no. The laws that require verification of commercial weights and measures varies by state. A few years ago I lived in Ohio and every gas pump had a state sticker that was dominated by the happy smiling face of Frank Russo, the political appointee in charge of weights and measures. How well the laws are enforced is another question.

 

I recall vaguely an incident in Phoenix where an airline was fined for having inaccurate scales. Greatam, does this ring a bell?

[Shorex]

Wow! What a let down, thinking you had a great deal until you got to the pricing summary screen. As you say, $490 is still a bargain. Why didn't the airline just quote that price?

 

I agree that the airline websites should display the full price from the get-go, and some do. However, it is very reasonable for the airline to show both the pre-tax and post-tax prices. For example, NW charges $562 for a flight booked today for an Aug 11 departure from SEA to JFK. Add in the taxes and the total comes to $650, about $88 just for various taxes and fees. It's fair for NW to inform the consumer that THEIR revenue on the ticket is just $562 and you can thank the government for the rest - a whooping 15.7% above the base price. The airline sets the price, and the government sets the taxes -- the taxes and fees are beyond the control of the airline.

 

If I buy a $50 blouse at Nordstrom's I know that I can't just plunk down two twenties and a ten, I'm dinged for an additional 8+% sales tax, but the price ticket on the blouse ticket is $50. The reason that taxes and fees are more burdensome on air tix is twofold: 1) the base price is significantly higher than my new blouse and 2) the total tax and fee rate is significantly higher.

 

Here's how NW explains the breakdown:

 

The "Total Fare" is per person and includes, but it is not limited to, the taxes and fees outlined here.

Flight Summary: On the Flight Summary page, and all subsequent pages leading to a booking, all taxes, charges, government and airport authority fees are either included in the fare or itemized separately to provide a total trip cost.

September 11th Security Fee: A September 11th Security Fee of $2.50 USD applies per flight segment (maximum charge per trip--$5.00 USD one-way, $10.00 USD roundtrip). A flight segment is defined as one takeoff and one landing.

Passenger Facility Charges: Passenger Facility Charges (PFCs) of up to $18.00 USD may apply depending upon the itinerary chosen.

Segment Tax: A segment tax of $3.50 USD applies per flight segment. A flight segment is defined as one takeoff and one landing.

U.S. or International Departure and Arrival Charges: U.S. or international departure and arrival charges of up to $200.00 USD may apply depending upon the itinerary chosen.

Canada: Fares do not include federal immigration fees and departure taxes of up to $51 USD and airport improvement fees of up to $15 CAD.

[AllieInMD]

I have to admit - I don't fly much - so I was starting at square one while booking this trip. I last flew in 2005 but it was a group package deal to Jamaica AND our travel agent was going as part of the group - which really came in handy at the end of the trip when our return airports were snowed in, but that's a diff story...

 

I don't go anywhere until I check tripadvisor dot com - and I found reviews of Spirit there that were really bad - and a link to a guy's blog about an experience with Spirit, which seems to have become a mecca for all unhappy Spirit customers. I read some for amusement - but went to JetBlue to book :)

 

So - just a tip - check tripadvisor - it's saved me many a time from booking in what I thought was a good place - even chains - evidently some well known chains let certain hotels really go down the tubes. And there '10 dirtiest hotels' article was rather eye-opening...

 

 

As the saying goes, "fool me once................"

Spirit will not get the opportunity to fool me again.

[mom23guys]

Don't really think Spirit is any worse than other airlines as far as safety and in flight service. It is just this nickel and diming.

There is really an incentive to get people to check bags. Son was flying and had only one carry-on. They made him check it anyway. It fit into the metal sample area fine. Its dimensions were less than the stated allowance, he used it on United and US Airways many times. When he was waiting to check in someone from Spirit came to him and said he'd have to check it because it was too big. He proceded to show her it fit in their designated area. Then she said it was a full flight with no extra room for any more carry-ons. They then charged him $20 for a checked bag. It was either pay or leave the bag. You can't really argue because then they would just call security. It also seemed that they were telling this to younger people. They really have you stuck. He'll never fly Spirit again though.

[rigldbrg]

I have to admit - I don't fly much - so I was starting at square one while booking this trip. I last flew in 2005 but it was a group package deal to Jamaica AND our travel agent was going as part of the group - which really came in handy at the end of the trip when our return airports were snowed in, but that's a diff story...

 

I don't go anywhere until I check tripadvisor dot com - and I found reviews of Spirit there that were really bad - and a link to a guy's blog about an experience with Spirit, which seems to have become a mecca for all unhappy Spirit customers. I read some for amusement - but went to JetBlue to book :)

 

So - just a tip - check tripadvisor - it's saved me many a time from booking in what I thought was a good place - even chains - evidently some well known chains let certain hotels really go down the tubes. And there '10 dirtiest hotels' article was rather eye-opening...

 

 

Great tip! Thank you. I'm not a super frequent flyer, but I do take 4-5 flights per year. When I booked, I assumed that Spirit operated like the two carriers I fly most: Northwest and U.S. Air. I sure hope that there is enough consumer backlash regarding these policies that they don't become the industry trend.

[fbgd]

So not only does it cost our family of 5 an arm and a leg to fly to Florida to catch a ship, now I have to pay God know's how much for our 10 pieces of luggage??!!!

 

10 pieces between a family of five?? How many years long is your cruise?

[tcocktail]

This very interesting article hit my mailbox today:

 

http://www.smartertravel.com/travel-advice/you-re-charging-me-for-what-airline-fees-way-up-since-january.html?id=2555947&source=dealalert&value=2008-05-01+00%3A00%3A00&u=3731CBF823

 

 

You're charging me for what?!

Airline fees way up since January 1

by Kate Hamman, SmarterTravel.com Staff - April 25, 2008

 

Since January 1, passengers have been treated to a nonstop roller coaster ride of airline bankruptcies and mergers, fuel surcharges, and imaginative new ways of charging for "perks" that were once free. The devil is in the details, however, and knowing which airlines have added new fees can go a long way in helping you compare apples to apples in your airfare search. Here's a rundown of the new fees assessed by each airline since the calendar turned to 2008.

 

New airline fees since January 1, 2008:

Air Canada: $25 each way for a second checked bag starting May 15.

 

AirTran: $10 each way for a second checked bag starting May 15.

 

Alaska Airlines and Horizon: $15 to book flights through reservation agents or airport sales desk starting May 21.

 

American Airlines: $25 each way for a second checked bag starting May 12; $3 for snacks, $5 for "fresh light meals" on domestic flights (sandwiches or wraps, no vegetarian options); eliminated online booking bonus of 500 miles for round-trip first- or business-class tickets, and 250 miles for round-trip coach fares.

 

Continental: $25 each way for a second checked bag starting May 5.

 

Delta: $25 each way for a second checked bag starting May 5; airline provides complimentary snacks, but some snacks and meals cost an extra $1 to $8, depending on the item.

 

JetBlue: $10 for extra legroom, and $20 each way for a second checked bag starting June 1.

 

Northwest: $25 each way for a second checked bag starting May 5.

 

Spirit: $10 fee for checked luggage reserved online, and a $20 fee for luggage checked at the airport.

 

Southwest: $25 each way for a third checked bag, and $50 for the fourth through ninth bags.

 

United: $25 each way for a second checked bag; $5 for snack boxes, with sandwiches and salads available at varying prices; increased ticket change fee; Saturday night stays are now required for tickets in 65 percent of the markets it serves.

 

US Airways: $25 each way for a second checked bag; eliminated the 500-mile minimum mileage award granted for short-haul flights; will charge between $5 and $30 each way for aisle and window seats starting May 7, matching other carriers.

 

Virgin America: $25 each way for a second checked bag starting May 15.

 

Thank you very much for posting those fees. Unfortunately for anyone flying JetBlue on june 1 the fees for a bag over 50 pounds is $50.00 and up.