Charging passengers more money is always a good way to save money. That way the passenger can book with Southwest so they don't pay any baggage fees.

This Duo is by far the worst.

These two airlines made my travel years miserable whenever I had the misfortune to be forced to use them.

United: Delays, then more delays followed by cancellations. "we are not responisible for flight issues related to the weather..." Freakin brilliant. Establishing your international hub in CHICAGO in the WINTER wouldn't clue you in that you might be creating flight delays. I even pre-booked a hotel room in Chicago for the cancellation I was expecting. (I used it)

US Air: PHL is Hell's waiting room. US Air manages to employ people who will steal luggage at a rate unimagined in the history of air travel. The ones who aren't stealing your luggage are trying to lie to you about why they aren't responsible for stealing your luggage and why your flight isn't going anywhere.
PHL is second only to LHR in lost/stolen luggage. The difference is that BA will eventually return your destroyed yet substantially complete luggage, at USAIR it falls into a black hole of theft and villiany.

Now they're going to charge you more to steal it.

@starrion:

Wipes froth off..

Did I mention that I don't like these airlines?

My now husband and I decided to get married in my hometown of NC last weekend. I flew down a week early via US Airways to finish the organizational aspect, and made the mistake of checking my wedding dress in a suitcase. When I picked the suitcase up, I immediately noticed it was much lighter than it should have been. I opened it, and inside I found a ripped open garment bag and a broken hanger. No dress.

There's still no dress. I ended up having to purchase a new dress that was nothing like my dress, because it's incredibly difficult to find a dress with just a few days until the wedding.

US Airways has yet to return any of my numerous phone calls or to even apologize for this. I was completely heartbroken.

@pezstar: Try emailing Donna.Paladini@usairways.com.

She can help.

1. Collude with TSA/Fatherland Security to limit items which can be carried on.
2. Charge fees for checked bags for stuff which can't be carried on (see 1).

3. PROFIT!!!

Yes, these rules are for your safety. Especially the 3 oz. liquid one. Because that $4.00 Dasani (that looks the same as the $1.50 Dasani BEFORE secutiry) . . . it goes through a rigorous screening process.

It's kind of like them saying... "hey I'm going to sodomize you but I'm going to use a dab of lube...aren't I wonderful?!!"

@pezstar: Wow, I hope you get some sort of resolution. That is horrible! Of all the horror stories we read on this website THIS is one that should be featured and followed up on.

@doctor_cos: They must not screen too hard because when I sat down on my flight home from Mexico, I found a bottle of water from my hotel in my purse. Oops.

@doctor_cos: The secret to getting around the 3 oz liquid stuff is to take an empty bottle through the screening, then fill up at a water fountain.

@starrion: Philly's airport works on tips. Sometimes. That was a trick my Dad taught me back in the early 80's. So now I guess we have to tip the airline AND the baggage check-in guy? Nice.

I fly with only take on. It was just cheaper to buy new razor blades when I got to my destination. It turned out to be much faster to boot.

@doctor_cos: Get one of the top filtered water bottles. Make sure it's empty. Fill it from the sink past TSA.

@starrion:

wow...that's pretty bad when you're having to book a hotel in anticipation of flight cancellation. Worse, when you turn out to be right.

@Mike Martinez: Unless Southwest doesn't fly to your destination. Or Jet Blue. Or Virgin. Or any other of the "discount" airlines. The only flights I could get from my city to my destination were US Airways, Delta, et al.

Fly Southwest Airlines whenever possible.

$50 for to bring 2 bags? You could probably mail the stuff to the hotel ahead of time cheaper.

@sonneillon: Sure, that works so well in winter when flying for a week-long visit to see family for the holidays. A carry on simply will not hold enough cold-weather clothes.

@CFinWV: When a tip is paid to prevent bad shit from going down, it ceases being a "tip"...in my book.

This is EXACTLY like when US Air started charging for ALL beverages in coach and then claimed on it websites that "all your favorite beverages are now available for purchase in Economy!" As if that was some wonderfully brilliant enhancement to their already-excellent service. /sarcasm/

What a crock of shit. I already loathe US Air and United wasn't far behind, but now I think they're neck-and-neck...and those necks need to be broken.

@RogerTheAlien: *on its website

@starrion: That's funny, for a moment I thought I was the one who had written this.

@bikeoid: @doctor_cos:

For smaller items that are too big for their rules, you can always just put them in your pocket. Metal detector of course does not detect a glass or plastic bottle. Thus how I bring a few drinks on to the plane with me to save me paying $5 for a stupid little shooter on the flight.

Clearly, this would not work with a 20 oz water unless you have supersized pockets.

@Chmeeee: I agree with the rest of the people posting here with complaints, but you're just a cheapskate.

Do not fly US Air. Stop flying them. I don't know why anybody would voluntarily fly this airline, but I see people at their terminals. I genuinely feel bad for them. Being able to put your miles on your United account is not a good enough reason to put up with their shit.

Don't be such a cheapskate and buy tickets from an airline that you like. You can't complain about an airline and then consciously choose it every time because they're $20 cheaper.

Also, fly EU-based airlines when possible. My experience on EU airlines (not garbage cattle car ones) has been superior to my experience on domestic ones.

screw United and US Airways. Go Jetblue. yet it is a bit disturbing that an 8 oz. "ROCKSTAR" is 3$?!?

@pezstar: I've often wondered whether it would be possible to get through security wearing a corset. Can't imagine your average wedding dress would be any easier.

So many of you are simply giant cheapskates. You pay hundreds of dollars for a plane ticket, but you balk at a $5 drink or $3 bottle of water.

I bet you're "surprised" at the same prices at baseball parks and other venues. Do you complain about the $12 tumbler of Patron at your downtown club?

If you don't like the items, don't buy them. You should know full well what will be provided and what will cost you money. I honestly wish airlines would just raise ticket prices to include everything, but then people would just cry about not being able to fly.

Please, no "omg I have 5 kids and I have to spend $$$$$" comments. You can either afford something or you cannot afford something. Stop crying about $5 drinks. The people buying $5 drinks are basically subsidizing your cheaper airline tickets. Remember, they're OPTIONAL!

Keep complaining about TSA people (who ebay the items they confiscate from you) and baggage fees, especially the bullshit spin the airline companies are putting on the charge. Those are valid complaints because they're forced upon you.

@William Brinkman: I disagree. I can get a shooter for $2.50 at my local liquor store, or I can pay $5.00 to an airline that already charges me out the wazoo. I choose to support my local store... that's not cheap, that's common sense and helping the local economy.

@William Brinkman: I don't so much have a problem with airlines charging a ton of money for on board items because it costs them a substantial amount of fuel to bring those items aboard. Which adds up over time.

I do however believe the prices at baseball parks and other venues are ridiculous. There is no reason why at an open air concert I should pay 5$ for a bottle of off brand water when there is such a small cost to it. An 8$ hotdog? Come on. That is way too expensive. Theme parks like Six Flags Magic Mountain here in California have threatened to close because they are not making enough money past the ticket price. The problem with all these venues is they are going for the low yield high price model when they should be only a few cents more than at the store and they would sell such a high volume of product it would unbelievable.

@starrion: Wow, I am so lucky Southwest flies between Pittsburgh and Philadelphia, else I would be screwed. While leaving from PHL wasn't horrible, the difference is night and day between the staff at PGH and PHL. PGH's staff are helpful, while PHL's staff don't know what they're doing and yell at you for their problems.

Now I know why it only takes a painless 10-15 minutes to get from the main entrance to my gate at PGH and I'm glad for it.

@edrebber: You beat me to it. I don't know what the prices are for mailing large boxes or suitcases, but if you're packing mostly clothing and can forego the suitcase (use a box) then I would think you'd have a chance to save. And more chance that your stuff would arrive, unopened.

P.S. After my own experiences with UPS, I wouldn't trust them to deliver manure properly much less anything I cared about. Suggest checking other carriers who handle larger stuff.

@RogerTheAlien: Drinks have been free for a few months now if you weren't aware.

@Firesoul1: JetBlue, atleast out of Portland, ME, is pretty expensive. Always $149+ one way.

I only fly Southwest if I have the chance. Their employees are very nice, unlike United where for some reason they appear to have an adversarial relationship with their customers.

If you ever watched the A&E Southwest reality show, you saw that Southwest goes above and beyond for their passengers.

@pezstar:

Wow, that is truly terrible. If you took pictures of the empty suitcase, please send them to Consumerist. If your story is true, I have a feeling there are about 130 million women out there who would relate and be absolutely furious.

I had no idea how important a wedding dress was to a woman until me and my wife were planning our wedding (by we, I mean she did the planning, I showed up to the wedding). I remember telling her its just a dress, whats the problem and she gave me a look that implied "If you go there, I will rip your eyeballs out." After that, I realized wedding dresses are pretty important.

@col1999: That is the most ridiculous argument I have read on a while- and that says a lot on here.

Any money spent is "helping the economy." It's such a terrible phrase. Oh, local economy? Whatever makes you feel better about breaking the rules. You are paying for the service and convenience of having the liquor at $5, not the liquor itself.

Again, you're a cheapskate. Just accept it.

@starrion: Gotta admit, after having used the Philly airport roughly 40 times in the last 10 years, I've never had anything stolen. Perhaps my stuff isn't fancy enough? It IS an ugly airport, though, and the workers are at best civil, but never friendly or patient.

@charmaniac: I've also had good experiences with Southwest.

I'd rather walk than take United. 'Adversarial relationship with their customers' is a great way to put it.

@wcnghj: They're BACK to being free after the backlash that BS caused. But I was commenting on how US Air tried to spin it like they were providing us a service or upgraded inflight experience. You know, because they're all about customer service these days.

@William Brinkman: I'd LOVE to fly only EU-based airlines (or Asia-based - Cathay, Qantas, Emirates, et.c.) - however, I am legally obliged to fly ONLY US-carrier flights.

Which makes life HILARIOUS when I'm required to go from Belgium to Ireland; and it turns out the only US-carrier tickets have a layover in Newark.

@doctor_cos: my brother flew to spain on thursday, so i took the time to re-read the TSA regulations. apparently you can carry bottles of water in, as long as it's deemed medically necessary. the exact wording (via [www.tsa.gov])

"To ensure the health and welfare of certain air travelers there are no limits on the amounts of the following liquids, gels and aerosols you may carry through a security checkpoint:"
# Liquids including water, juice, or liquid nutrition or gels for passengers with a disability or medical condition

(also, there's some rather entertaining provisions - "All prescription and over-the-counter medications ... including KY jelly...")

I've had way better experiences on Southwest than USair. In fact, I have laughed at someone who wanted to fly USAir because they were "full service" and Southwest was a "low Cost" carrier. I told him that Southwest was Low Cost and USAir was no service.

Captain Sully is US Air's only bright spot in a black hole of Suck.

@William Brinkman: So what? You say cheapskate like its a bad thing, I see a person standing up for what they believe in, even if its against the "rules".

@Mikael Vejdemo Johansson:

Legally obliged to fly only US carrier flights? I have never heard of such a thing...

Is that in like, an employment contract or something?

Genuinely curious, not trying to be rude. You don't have to give any information you don't want to or can't, I really have never heard of such a thing!

@wcnghj:

Flying out of PWM sucks usually. Most of the time I end up taking the bus to BOS, even though it is inconvenient.

@utensil42: Hawaii? Ithaca, NY? Some other small town?

@William Brinkman: I'd love to- but tell me what Euro/Asian carrier flies passengers to Nashville? I've seen a China Airlines plane out on the tarmac there before but apparently that's just cargo and even if it wasn't apparently they don't have the safety record JAL/ANA does.

@William Brinkman: FAIL. Of course we balk. Our drinks are taken from us and we're forced to replace them at inflated prices? In this economy every penny counts. For some people, the ticket alone is cutting it close and travel is out of obligation.